(That’s a huge number of hours for such a small surface area!) Chisels, knives, hammers, and virtually any other object fit for shaping and etching metal were used in the process. High-quality hobo nickels mandated fastidious craftsmanship, meticulous attention to detail, and a sizable portion of time, since a single hobo nickel could take as much as 100 hours to complete. The Buffalo was carved to resemble a donkey, elephant, and sometimes a wandering man with a pack on his back. The Indian head could be turned into any human (or in some cases, inhuman) image, including friends, family members, a self-portrait, a clown, and even ethnic caricatures. A typical hobo nickel will bear the profiled face of a hobo on one side and some animal on the other side. Hobo nickels are about as varied as the hobos who fashioned them. In every infinitesimal scratch, every imperceptible nuance, every metallic wisp of hair or gleaming thread of a hobo's cap, is a tiny piece of an individual's character and personal creativity, sealed into the hobo nickel forever.
HOBO COINS FREE
They are born of free thinking, free-spirited human beings rather than minted in uniform multitudes by a passionless machine. While some coins popular in the numismatist realm are little more than glittering pieces of metal with uniform engravings on each side, hobo nickels boast an unusual quality that contributes to their uniqueness. Hobo nickels, once common during the Depression era, are now a numismatic rarity, making them one of the most sought-after coin varieties. Through clever alteration of the classic Buffalo nickel, hobo nickels were individually engraved with the design of a hobo's profile (or some other character) on the obverse side (the side with the Indian), and an animal image or some other shape on the reverse side (where the American bison stood). These pieces are "hobo nickels," so-called because they were born out of the creatively economical, wandering hobos of the early part of the twentieth century. Treasury, and yet are arguably more deeply rooted in Americana culture than any other coin. They are not struck off any mint of the U.S. They don't have the attractive glitz of a Commemorative Gold or the intriguing antiquity of a Colonial coin. You're also getting a handmade ring with the work of two craftsmen that comes out of downtown Atlanta.Second Place Winner PCGS Essay Contest 2000.
HOBO COINS HOW TO
So when you get a ring from me, you're getting something I've learned how to make by trial and error. On top of that, I love watching how things are made so why not show how mine's done. This wasn't something I read about somewhere, just something I've gotten better at with practice. So, how're these rings made? Here you go, here's how they're made, but why show all this? There's no secret, an experienced jeweler could figure it all out. I also had Shane carve a Mercury head dime and was so pleased with the results that I made a new ring for it so I don't have to cut it out of the coin. The first new idea was the cafe racer hobo nickel with its helmet and some different things on the side of the helmet. Since we've started working together I've started working out new ideas for him to carve. I told him I was looking for a traditional hobo nickel with a twist, Day of the Dead decorations because I wanted my rings to have an even more unique look to them. When I saw his work I was blown away, so I reached out to him about doing some nickels for me. A fella in England, Mr Lee, saw my Instagram picture and told me to check out a nickel carver on eBay name Shane "Hobo" Hunter. I had a hobo nickel I'd bought a couple years ago and decided the throw caution to the wind and cut it out for a ring. So I started making them for friends and selling on but wanted to go further.
![hobo coins hobo coins](https://playingintheworldgame.files.wordpress.com/2013/08/mdwnonv.jpg)
I really loved being able to wear the rings because it captured something genuine with them on a ring. The next step was to do the same with the buffalo and it was exactly what I was hoping for. One day I cut one out, mounted it onto a half inch band and trimmed the top and the bottom.
![hobo coins hobo coins](https://i.etsystatic.com/27564759/r/il/6559ef/2886531205/il_fullxfull.2886531205_ol3h.jpg)
I've always thought there was something authentically American about them. In 2013 I started playing around with Indian head nickels to see what I could do with them. When I was a kid, I was intrigued with Indian head nickels.
![hobo coins hobo coins](https://ae01.alicdn.com/kf/HTB1KV5ldjrguuRjy0Feq6xcbFXax/Hobo-Nickel-Coin-1950B-Switzerland-5-Francs-copy-coins-commemorative-coins-collectibles.jpg)
If you want more info about the history of hobo nickels, read the wikipedia article. When the Indian head nickel came out in 1913 it became a popular due to the size of head as well as the thickness of the coin. So what is a hobo nickel and how do you make them into rings? Carving coins has a long history going back to the 1700s.