Introducing Pencil Neck
By Marc Banks RM538 and Art DelFavero RM552
The Spring 2008 issue of BoTales pictured the first two examples of hobo nickels by a carver I'm calling “Pencil Neck” for the narrow or recessed neck on all of the example nickels. The first example sold on eBay back on March 27, 2003 for $84.83. I purchased the second example more than ten years ago at a coin show in Massachusetts for just $60. The third example was Lot 11 in OHNS Auction 11 and sold for $33 on January 11, 2003. After the first two nickels appeared in the Three's A Match segment in 2008, Art DelFavero found the third example while looking through old OHNS Auction catalogs



The carving characteristics for “Pencil Neck” are listed as follows:
- A high crowned derby setting low on head with curved brim and hatband with rectangular bow-pointed towards the back and with horizontal lines,
- Derby's brim reaches all the way back behind the shoulder,
- Carved hair with thin extension from beard to forehead below hat brim,
- No ear,
- Punched beard,
- Point graver stubble/mustache,
- Liberty has been removed, the date is visible on one example,
- Finely lined tall shirt collar with fancy front- 8) & 9) are only on the first example,
- Wedged jacket collar and
- Enlarged nostril, notched nose and punched eye.