Have You Ever Seen a 'Hobo Nickel'?

A good number of coin collectors who have an interest in the U.S. Buffalo Nickel series (1913-38) are believed to have at least one "Hobo Nickel" as a conversation piece. Made from actual U.S. coins struck for circulation, these pieces no longer look the way they did when they left the mint. These aberrations, nonetheless, have found a niche in numerous collections. So much so that in 2005 at the 400+ member Original Hobo Nickel Society's(OHNS) 13th annual auction during the Florida United Numismatics (F.U.N.) convention in Fort Lauderdale, FL, one example, among 171 auction lots, sold for $4,180!

If the term Hobo Nickel is strange to you, perhaps some background on this form of art is in order. These are general circulation coins on which the obverse (Indian head) or reverse (buffalo) central device, sometimes the complete surface, has been re-carved by talented individuals. The result is a dramatic change from the coin's original appearance.

This branch of coin collecting, or specialization, on the numismatic tree is commonly referred to as Hobo Nickels because the great majority of such pieces were created by Hobos in the United States during the Great Depression. Their favorite coin-of-choice was the above mentioned Buffalo Nickel series.

But before some reader rushes to send me an email telling me about earlier re-carved coins of the U.S., U.K., South Africa, Spain, or several other countries, please note that I am aware of them. But this article is intended to explore U.S. Hobo Nickels. In truth, there is no evidence of when the first artistically inclined person decided he, or she, could re-work a coin's central device, for whatever reason, to either make the changed coin more attractive or comical.

Nonetheless, this writer is not aware of any given series, U.S. or otherwise, in which so many coins have been tampered with to the extent of Hobo Nickels. Because more Buffalo Nickels have come under the creative tooling hand of individuals (particularly hobos), the capricious art form has taken on the name of those artists and the coin. Yet some pundits will tell you Hobo Nickels is a catch-all umbrella term which, when loosely used, includes all re-carved coins. The exception being 'Love Tokens,' those beautiful and romantic re-carvings so popular in the late 1800s and early 1900s. But, dear readers, they are another story for another time.

Interestingly, the Buffalo central device (actually a Bison) is on the reverse. An Indian in profile is the central device on the obverse, making this the only U.S. coin identified by its reverse (for no rhyme or reason).

Bill Fivaz, a leading figure in North American numismatics, noted this fact in the 'Forward' to Delma K. Romines' aptly titled 1982 book: "Hobo Nickels." At one time Fivaz reputedly owned the world's largest collection of Hobo nickels with well over 400 unique re-carved coins (nickels, et al).

The buffalo was actually modeled after a bison named Black Diamond at the New York Zoological Gardens. Black Diamond's first appearance on U.S. money had actually been some twelve years earlier, in 1901, when the majestic beast, flanked by portraits of explorers Lewis and Clark, graced the obverse of $10 Legal Tender Note. [Note: some years ago I wrote an article about the eventual fate of that unwitting Bison: "Bring Me The (Mounted) Head of Black Diamond!" An updated version may appear in these pages in the months ahead.

The overall appearance of Hobo Nickels was artistically changed by hand carving a new image of the Indian head profile, but on a goodly number of re-carved coins the bison/buffalo was also transformed.

But who would take the time to individually re-carve the obverses and/or reverses of nickels and, equally important, why would anyone do it?

To answer that question we went directly to the expert, the proverbial, and in this case the actual, man who wrote the previously mentioned book, Del Romines.

Romines is recognized as a leading authority, researcher and discoverer of several major die varieties in various U.S. coins, including the US 1943/42-P overdate Jefferson nickel. Which, incidentally, was the coin that replaced the Buffalo Nickel in 1938, and still in circulation to this day.

Back in the 1980's, when I first began writing a newspaper coin column and feature articles for several hobby publications, Del Romines' Hobo Nickel book had recently been published. I had the pleasure of discussing Hobo nickels at length with him and did a long feature article on this interesting topic and moved on to other coin subjects.

A few years later I came across an advertisement in the numismatic press offering a selection of Hobo Nickels and it rekindled my interest in these unusual coins. Del and I spoke by phone and he mentioned that the photos in his book were from Bill Fivaz, whom I also contacted.

A few days after the conversation the postman arrived with a package containing seventy of Fivaz's original Hobo Nickel photos. I immediately recognized many of them as being some of more than 325 photos in Romines 106-page soft cover book. A handful are the illustrations shown with this story.

Hobo Nickels began appearing almost nationwide, about the same time the Buffalo Nickels were issued. That would be more than a decade before the Great Depression. These coins apparently originated for two purposes: to use idle time and to earn money from their sales.

Later a third purpose came about, namely a form of recording memories. No doubt many talented hobos saw the creative possibilities in changing the likeness of the large bust of the Indian at about the same time. Shortly after Black Thursday, October 29, 1929, when the stock market crashed, recarving Buffalo Nickels into Hobo Nickels really took off between 1929-36. No other explanation can be made for the spontaneous carvings all over the U.S.

Del suggested that the first carvings were probably done to pass the time. It wasn't long before hobos learned they could trade these carved coins for a meal or, perhaps because they were artistic and unique, for a few extra cents.

To compile his extraordinary book Del spent more than a year researching the topic. He communicated with more than 200 Hobo nickel collectors plus various 'hobo' artists, to trace the history of these unusual coins. Afterwards he consulted with no fewer than thirty reputable coin dealers and collectors to establish price ranges.

Hs book covers everything one could possibly want to know: tips for collectors; other coins carved similarly; types of carvings; grading; methods of carving; known artists (including the most celebrated artist of them all, George Washington 'Bo' Hughes); rarity ratings; factors in pricing; self-portraits; women on nickels, camels and donkeys on reverses, and much more.

He was very quick to point out that the term 'Hobo Nickel' is used generically to describe four groups who carved the Indian/Buffalo nickels. Besides hobos the other three groups who also changed the features of these general circulation legal tender U.S. coins by hand carving them are identified as:

1) Street Vendors: Del's research places the introduction of the so-called 'shop tokens' produced by these 'vest-pocket' merchants around 1915 (most are dated 1915-19). He believes the most popular explanation of who carved these and why is as follows:

"Many small time vendors in large cities (such as New York, Chicago, etc.) carried much of their small jewelry and other wares under their hats, which were often quite large. They didn't own their own shops. Their hats became their trademarks. Taking advantage of this, many of them carved self-portraits, with meticulous care being taken in the carving of the detail of their hats and the manner in which it was worn.

"When a good customer purchased something he/she would receive the vendor's "shop token." These were advertising devices different in usage from 'shop tokens' given in place of actual change during the Civil War when government-issued coins were often in short supply."

The intent and hope of vendors using Hobo Nickels was that a satisfied customer would recommend the vendor to friends, and business would prosper. The carved nickel was a means of locating the vendor in the sea of other vendors.

2) Prisoner Nickels: were made by the so-called 'Yeggs'. These were hard-core criminals who lived by robbery, safe-cracking, burglary, and so forth. The bulk of Prisoner Nickels were probably made from 1913 until the mid 1940s by convicts in solitary confinement and chain-gang prisoners to pass the time. Del's research points to convicts in the States of Georgia as being the most prolific, though far fewer Prisoner Nickels were produced versus true Hobo Nickels.

"Usually prisoners would carve the coins using glass, metal and even rocks. They were often traded to guards to gain favor or privileges. The guards would then sell them to passers-by," Romines noted.

3) Modern Etchings: the fourth group of people carving Indian/Buffalo nickels are currently doing it to cash in on the growing hobby of Hobo Nickel collecting. In truth, they are copies, replicas, or reproductions. Nearly all collectors believe such coins should be offered and advertised as modern to prevent misrepresentation and complaints afterward. It is also a widely held belief that these modern carvings cannot be classified as Hobo, Vendor Shop Tokens or Prisoner Nickels and should not command prices anywhere near those of the original carvings.

Despite the above, most collectors we spoke to hesitate to call these modern carved coins fakes' since they are hand-made. Even though modern equipment and different methods have been used to manufacture many of them. With just a little examination, the modern carvings can be distinguished from the original carvings made decades ago.

The true Hobo Nickel is probably one of the most misunderstood and most debated of all four types,' Romines pointed out.

*A true "Hobo" was not a tramp as many people believe. In most cases they were intelligent, well-educated, talented and versatile people who were down on their luck during The Depression. They were not afraid of work and would gladly give a good day's work for decent pay," he noted.

Tramps were generally beggars and would work only if forced to for survival. Normally these were people who could not obtain a job even when work was plentiful due to a lack of skills. 'Many times they were alcoholics, misfits and petty thieves. Tramps normally lived off their wit and would rather go hungry than work," he added.

All of these groups often used the same modes of transportation, frequenting trains, lived in the same 'jungles' for short stays, and spoke the same language. It is easy to see, then, why society lumped them all together. Generally, however, it was only the hobos who took the time to work at creating an art form from the nickels. And they did it in far greater amounts than the others. Consequently, it is their name that such pieces are remembered by.

Anyone interested in learning much more about Hobo Nickels than I have written here, including great photos and prices realized at the 2007 OHNS convention, should go to: www.HoboNickels.org.

Del Romines' original 1982 edition of the book 'Hobo Nickels' and two 1996 editions of books are listed on Amazon.com. One is an update by him and the other is by Joyce Ann Romines. There is also a 2006 book on BarnesandNoble.com: Hnai F. U. N. Wiseman Hobo Nickels Collection Auction Catalog #422. On either site simply keystroke in Hobo Nickels in the search box and the books will come up.