enhancing buffalo nickels

I understand that nickels with full horns are more desireable than worn horned nickels. So is enhancing the horn done or is that a no no? Just curious.

Coin collectors will look at more than just the horn. A "full horn" is just one aspect of overall wear, and for a buff nickel, it is the commonly used adjective. Other coins use other terms, used when collectors try to describe the amount of wear. So if you mess with the horn, the remaining wear will be pretty obvious, and might detract.

I have collected coins since I was a boy, and I find it unusual that hobo nickel collectors would place such a premium on the reverse wear. I honestly wouldn't care at all about the wear that the coin once had if the hobo is well done. A choice coin is normally described as "original" and "untouched", and a hobo nickel has definitely been touched, a LOT!

Most of my customers are more cocerned with the carving than a full horn. Although some like a good host nickel, they are usually more paticular about a desirable and crisp date. Only one customer has said to me he wished I would have used a better host coin, but then again the customer can supply one if they want. I look for legible lettering and dates, but don't want to spend a lot on a host coin. Many will disagree, and this is my opinion only, but if carvers keep carving up already valuable nickels, we'll eventually put a big dent in the supply of good collectible buffalo nickels. They will go the way of the buffalo but can't reproduce, legally anyway. I'm willing to bet there are a lot of coin collectors who wish we would only carve worn coins. Its the art that counts for me, and a $3.00 nickel makes me as happy as a $20 nickel. Yes, I have purchased several $20 nickels, but have noticed no huge increase in profit. What would a fifty dollar buffalo nickel do for profits if it was full horn, super sharp and had a desirable date? It would subtract $50 from the usual profit. I know the consensus is to carve on the best nickel you can get, but I don't make a habit of it. Just get a decent coin without spending a bunch, and engrave for fun, satisfaction and eventual sale and profit if that is your desire. You can meet a lot of nice people along the way.

The boldness of the word liberty and date are also important as well as a full horn, but most of the time a buffalo nickel with a strong full horn will have bold letters and date, the exception would be the 1913 [maybe other dates, not sure ] which many times has a weak date,