Buffalo nickel with honeycomb imprint

Looks like an unfinished hobo nickel

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hobo_nickel

So it’s been tampered with? Not legit?

Are they worth anything?

Are the actually grooves? Because to me they just look like black marks from where something „honeycomb“ has been stuck to the the coin. ie for a school project or display, if that’s the case it will clean right off with the remains of the discolouration or clue which has that yellowish hue.

It feels like grooves but I’m not sure. What’s the best way for me to try and clean it off without damaging anything?? Thanks for your advice and knowledge!

Russrich79

It feels like grooves but I’m not sure. What’s the best way for me to try and clean it off without damaging anything?? Thanks for your advice and knowledge!

Acetone and a cottonbud. Obviously if they are grooves they will remain, but if the colour is old glue it will lift off with the marks if they are inbedded in the glue.

Acetone is used as nail varnish remover, so you might have some lying around your home. Just put some in a small glass, drop the coin in for 30 seconds or so, remove and see if anything sticky starts coming off. Either way, if it works or doesn’t it won’t do any harm to the coin and you can pour the acetone back in the bottle afterwards.

# method not recommended for any high value coin. 

Russrich79

Are they worth anything?

Some hobo nickels are worth good money, they are worth more as “folk art” than as coins, but yah they can be worth hundreds.

Yours, on the other hand, even if it is carved, was never finished and has no value at all.

I would toss it in the bin and not even bother trying to clean it

It's a good opportunity to get familiar with acetone cleaning.

However, I agree it's probably not worth much if anything. On top of it it's dateless, right?

Yes it is dateless