Introducing Renaissance Man

By Don Wolfe RM981

I had the first coin below (with hole) in my collection when I saw a similar coin in the OHNS Auction #20 (Lot 59). I was fortunate enough to win that coin and then put it next to the one I had. Since the two coins had so many similarities; I put them up as a "Three's a Match." Art DelFavero was able to come up with a picture of a third coin which he sent to me. When I received the picture, I looked closely at my two nickels and the picture of the third. To me, the hat on each of these nickels looks like a floppy low-crowned hat worn in the Renaissance period, so I would like to call this artist "Renaissance Man."

The carving characteristics for "Renaissance Man" are as follows:

1. All coins on a 1913 nickel (at least two are T2) with the date and Liberty remaining.
2. Short flat floppy looking hat with appearance of a wraparound brim.
3. Field on two have stippling to mask roughness from carving, the third left rough.
4. Small carved ear in center of head and center portion of ear removed.
5. Hair/beard carved and mustache/eyebrows punched with possibly small chisel.
6. No alterations to profile.
7. Two carved lines for collar and a small bit of pushed up metal at lower front of collar.