2017-08-31 Thu

Kagin’s Auctions will be offering almost 40 hobo nickels on 15th September in Santa Clara, California. Seven of these coins have been created by famous hobo nickel artist George Washington “Bo” Hughes.

Indian Head 5-cent coins are reworked to create Hobo nickels which are also known as Buffalo nickels. The metal of the design is repositioned or carved away. In the first half of the 20th Century, the coins were used to buy food or pay for accommodation by Hobos who traveled by Railways. Hughes and Bertram are the two best hobo nickel artists. Experts say that Hughes was the youngest of 10 or 11 children of a freed slave. He left home at the age of 15 in 1915 and lived the life of a hobo until 1980. Nobody knows what happened to him after that. Hughes has created thousands of hobo nickels using artistic styles. He signed some of the coins with initials ‘GH’ or ‘GWH’. The offered coin has his nickname ‘Bo.’

Original George Washington “Bo” Hughes carving features Bo’s favorite subject - clown. It is believed that Bo spent some time with carnivals and circuses. The design is altered to feature a large ear, tilted hat, segmented collar and altered nose. Another one is carved on a 1929 host coin, with features that are unique to Bo’s designs like the hat, hat band, and bow, styled hair/beard, ear, eye, ski nose, and mouth.