Hobo Nickel Guidebook by Stephen P. Alpert

Alpert, which presents an up to date guide to hobo nickels and their values. The Original Hobo Nickel Society has just reprinted its Hobo Nickel Guidebook authored by Stephen P. Price for OHNS members is $28 ($35 for non-members). Convention and is now available for sale. Alpert was authorized by the OHNS Board at the January F.U.N. The man is holding a walking stick in his left hand.Īdditional specimens of hobo nickels by Hunchback can be seen in Joyce Romines' book: front cover page 29 lower right page 33, second row, on right page 44, second row, third from left page 60, middle of page.'A new 5th edition printing of the Hobo Nickel Guidebook by Stephen P.

The legs are small and go down to about the knees only. The coat is smooth, with a pocket and one or two buttons. The hunchback on the reverse has a head with hat, eye, ear, profile, and beard. The ear varies is appearance and technique used. Slightly altered nose, nostril, and mouth.Ī textured field on both sides (apparently pounded). The diagnostic characteristics of a hobo nickel made by Hunchback are:Ī two-sided hobo nickel of the designs mentioned above.Ī smooth derby with thin straight brim, and hat band with bow.

His creations are on early-dated buffalo nickels. This rather scarce early hobo nickel maker produced beautiful two-sided carvings, with the standard design on the obverse, and a hiking hunchbacked hobo with walking stick on the reverse. (Also rare are cutouts of the head only from a hobo nickel, attached to a stickpin.) He learned the art of hobo nickel carving from his friend, mentor, and fellow hobo, Bertram ∻ert Wiegand (see below with the field cut out this is very rarely found on old original hobo nickels.

He was born circa 1900 and left home about 1915 and led the life of a hobo right up to the time he disappeared in 1980. But remember, the great majority of old original hobo nickels are by unknown artists.Īccording to Romines, ∻o was the youngest of ten or eleven children, and the son of a freed slave. By comparing your specimens with the photos in this chapter, you may be able to attribute your hobo nickel to one of these artists. It is the purpose to present here only the best known, or most significant known or nicknamed early artists, and modern artists (many of whom are known). There are other early makers who signed their hobo nickels with their name or initials, but only one or two specimens are known by these artists. Other early makers of hobo nickels, who were prolific carvers and made pieces of a distinctive style, have been nicknamed (with their nickname put in quotes). Bo and Bert are by far the best known of the original hobo nickel makers, and their lives are chronicled in detail in the two books by Del Romines. We know the actual names of very few of the artists who made the old original hobo nickels. Photographs by Bill Fivaz, Stephen P. Alpert, and Coin World

Hobo Nickel Guidebook by Stephen P. Alpert