Collecting coins has been popular throughout the world and history. Some people collect coins as an investment others such as myself collect coins as a hobby and I started collecting coins many years ago. My interest was more in the coins itself and not so much as to the grade of the coins, though I always looked for the best grade possible within my budget. For people who collect anything; coins, stamps, art work or even rocks for a hobby, one thing that makes the hobby worth while, other than the ownership of the object, is to be able to display and show them to others.
The Buffalo nickel was designed by James Earle Fraser. The obverse of the coin has a profile of a Native American. Fraser used three models for the coin; Iron Tail, who was a Oglala Sioux, Two Moons, a Cheyenne chief and John Big Tree from the Seneca Nation. Underneath the date is his initial F. On the reverse side, a bison named Black Diamond was used as a model for the coin. The Buffalo nickels were minted from 1913 to 1938. In 1937 too much polishing on some of the coins at the Denver Mint caused the right foreleg on the bison to be removed creating the three legged variety. There is also a 3 ½ variety from 1936 also from the Denver Mint. The coins were minted at three mints; Philadelphia, Denver and San Francisco. The coins are also know as Bison or Indian Head nickels.
Draped Bust Type, Large Cent 1796-1807
This is a Draped Bust Large cent from 1797, with a Gripped Edge. It was designed by Robert Scot. The Obverse shows the head of Ms. Liberty, believed to have been taken from a portrait of a socialite. The reverse has the words ONE CENT, surrounded by a wreath, the words UNITED STATES OF AMERICA encircling the wreath, and the fraction 1/100 beneath the wreath. These cents weighted 10.89 grams with a diameter of 29mm and were made of copper.
