Miami Valley Coin Club

Hobo Nickels

Hobo nickels are coins that have had their designs modified with carving tools. The most popular coins that were used were Buffalo or Indian Head nickels. They were easy to work with using hand tools and the Indian head provided subject matter that was ripe with possibilities. The most common theme was the transformation of the Indian head into a hobo wearing a derby-like hat.

Hobo nickels vary in quality from very fine to crude and amateurish. Many soldiers returning from World War I were unable to find work and lived a hobo’s life and hitched rides on railroad trains, going from city to city looking for work. Some hobos were skilled enough to work the Indian head nickels during stops and sell them to tourists or locals for a few bucks or a meal. Hence the label “Hobo Nickels” was coined.

This phenomenon of working coins didn’t originate with Buffalo nickels. It began earlier in the late 1800’s with other coins. One of the favorite coins to work over was the U.S. Trade Dollar. These were called “Potty Dollars” and depicted Miss Liberty sitting on a toilet.

The most sought after hobo nickels from the classic period were made by Bertram “Bert” Wiegand, and his protege George Washington “Bo” Hughes. Very few of their coins are signed, but the ones that can be attributed to them bring high prices and signed examples bring very high prices.

I don’t think the nickel pictured above is from the “Classic Era”, but then again, who knows how old Willie really is?