HOBO COINS PLUS
HOBO COINS FREE

It wasn’t often that the reverse (buffalo) would be carved. The obverse (Indian head) design was changed into any number of portraits – from family members, to clowns, to hobos in derby hats. Some elements were saved, and others changed to fit their vision. They’d use crude tools like nails, chisels, and knives to carve away at the existing design. This made it easier for hobos to make their own unique creations.

HOBO COINS PLUS

Plus in 1913, the more delicate Liberty Head nickel design gave way to the broader features of the Buffalo nickel. The dime and cent were too small… but oh, the nickel! It was large enough to carve, and inexpensive enough to spare. At the time, a quarter was a lot of money. Hobos created a fascinating area of the hobby when they began carving Buffalo nickels!As they traveled, hobos looked for ways to fill their time – coins were easy to carry, and carving them took a while. Hobos had the desire to work – they just didn’t have the opportunity!

Hobos are migratory workers – while bums and tramps were non-working beggars. There’s actually a difference between hobos, bums and tramps, even though the terms were used almost interchangeably to describe the homeless during the Great Depression. Sure, they did it illegally, but not as a means to freeload. He did go on to create more hobo nickels beginning in the mid-1960s, but at a slower (and less detailed) pace. Bo created a great number of works beginning in the late 1910s until a crippling hand injury in 1957. Though he didn’t carve as many nickels as Bo, Bert’s work was always of superior quality. Bert actually taught Bo the craft, having learned it himself around 1913. Two early hobo nickel artists stand out among the fold – George Washington “Bo” Hughes and Bertram “Bert” Wiegand. Food, lodging, a bath or a ride to his next stop or 'jump'. One story is that a hobo would carve a nickel and then trade that nickel for whatever he needed at the time. When the Indian Head, or Buffalo nickel, was introduced in 1913, it became popular with coin engravers. The art of carving coins dates back to the 18th century. They hopped on trains to get from point to point, traveling the country for free. But hobos made use of the most efficient transportation available. As the unemployment rate topped off at over 20%, millions of people began scouring the country for work. But then, just decades later, the Great Depression hit the U.S. Once the Union and Central Pacific Railroads were joined at Promontory Point, Utah on May 10, 1869, a wealth of economic possibility flooded America. Creative hobos began “riding the rails” around the time of the Great Depression.The Union Pacific Railroad was completed.The art of altered coins really took off, though, when three key pieces of history came together: In those days, people bitten by the “love bug” would etch a decorative design into a coin as a way to express their feelings for their beloved.

HOBO COINS FREE

The design was modified to show Liberty sitting on an old-fashioned chamber pot – giving it its nickname, the “potty coin!” By the 1870s, the expression (and the coin used) had changed to “potty dollar.” This expressed dislike for Trade dollar coins, which also featured the altered motto “ no free trade.”Įngraved love tokens were also popular during the 1800s. Sometime around the 1850s, people made use of the Liberty Seated design on the quarter (and later, 20¢ piece). “The Fisherman” and “The Train” are shown above. Recently, silver rounds have been issued that honor hobo nickels. Recently, I’ve seen a few replica rounds out there that copy some designs from the old “hobo nickels.” Turns out, these coins have a history that stretches back further than I thought! What's a Hobo Nickel? The term hobo nickel is used generically for any engraved or carved coin. Hobo Nickel Medieval Knight Holy Grail Christ Jesus Morgan Dollar Silver Casted US Unique Christmas Unique Carved Coin Rare. The most popular coins to work with are Buffalo or Indian Head nickels, minted from 1913-1938.

Hobo nickels are coins that have had their designs modified with files, engraving, chasing, and carving tools. While many types of coins were used to create these pieces of art, nickels were especially favored for use because of their size, thickness, and moderate softness. Hobo Coins Average ratng: 5,9/10 7774 votesĪ hobo nickel is a coin that has had a piece of art carved into it.

Hobo coins