Recently, this Gold Buffalo Nickel crossed to PCGS: |
(6) known Indian Head Cents struck on $2½ gold planchets. Two of these sold in public auction for $253k and $276k, and I personally sold one at $300k. These are well documented with famous pedigrees. The 1900 in MS 65 PCGS that I sold for 300k was formerly in the collections of B.G. Johnson and Colonel Green.Originally discovered by Silvano DiGenova, a well known coin dealer in Laguna Beach, CA, who brought it to my table at the 2019 Long Beach coin show for me to examine and authenticate. It was raw and naturally I was in a state of shock examining it closely. The coin still retained considerable original luster, almost exhibiting a matte surface. Here was an unknown Gold Buffalo Nickel, slightly circulated with a test cut on the reverse, indicating it had been struck on a solid gold planchet.
(2) known 1915 Pan Pac Half Dollar struck over $20 St. Gaudens gold coins, one realizing $750k in a Heritage Auction. These are commemorative Half Dollars struck over U.S. $20 gold coins that are very famous and listed in the Judd reference book.
According to Taxay and mentioned in the Judd Book, there exists a 1915 Lincoln Cent struck on a $2 1/2 Indian planchet. Owned by famed numismatists B.G. Johnson and Colonel Green. Supposedly it was subsequently sold to J.V. McDermott of the 1913 Liberty Nickel fame.
12 specially minted 22 karat gold Sacagawea Dollars flew in Space on the Space Shuttle Columbia. Originally 39 were struck by the U.S. Mint but 27 were destroyed. After flying in space, these 12 gold Sacagawea Dollars are stored at the Fort Knox Bullion Depository and numismatists value these at $1 Million each.
"The GOLD BUFFALO nickel ranks at the top of my list of the BEST error coins I have ever seen! When I finally get to writing the second edition of the Whitman 100 Greatest U.S. Error Coins, this will certainly be an addition."
- Dave Camire
"A fascinating coin. One has to wonder whether it was created by the same person(s) who made the five 1913 Liberty nickels."
- James Halperin
"When the coin was first shown to me at my table at the Long Beach coin expo, I was stunned and immediately felt that it could be genuine just from visually looking at it. After spending some time and using high magnification I felt very confident that it was genuine and an incredible coin that none of us ever thought existed."
- Fred Weinberg
"When I first saw the gold Buffalo Nickel I was mesmerized by it. I wondered if it was actually a unique pattern struck in gold. Whether it is a pattern or mint error, it is truly an amazing coin."
- Silvano DiGenova
"A gold Buffalo Nickel is the perfect example of a coin that lies right on the line between something so cool that someone at the Mint would have had to have struck one, and so ridiculously impossible that nobody would have had the nerve to actually do it. Well, here we are!"
- Andy Lustig
"The unique gold buffalo nickel is an incredible coin and an amazing discovery, being discovered in 2019, over a century after its creation. I immediately thought that it ranks among the top US Mint rarities and, as such, should be straight graded. It's wonderful to have NGC recognize the importance of this coin by authenticating and grading it as AU53. The fame and stature of this coin will only grow over time."
- John Wang
"The 2008 $10 buffalo and the 2016 centennial non-buffalo issues are the coolest modern issues because they invoke this fantasy of the real issue, the old original coin in gold which has always been dreamt of. Collectors love these modern U.S. Mint dreams. When Sil DiGenova shared his 'out of this world' unique discovery GOLD Buffalo, collectors and dealers everywhere were amazed, proud and envious all at once! A striking piece de caprice at the introduction of the second type in 1913. Wow!"
- Marc Crane
"The Gold 1913 Buffalo Nickel immediately brought to mind 'will wonders never cease?' After decades in the coin business, very little surprises me, but this was a bolt out of the blue!"
- Ron Guth