Introducing Telephone Ear

By OHNS Guidebook

Telephone Ear has not been formally nicknamed previously, so I will do so now.

The hobo nickels of this early maker are identifiable by the following diagnostic characteristics:

1. The telephone receiver-shaped ear, usually tilted forward.
2. The shallow hat with long, thin, nearly straight hat brim, and no hat band.
3. The wedge-shaped collar.
4. The densely punched or carved hair.
5. The unaltered profile.

"Telephone Ear's" hobo nickels mainly occur on 1913 nickels. Other hobo nickel makers also made telephone-shaped ears. Unless the other characteristics are present, such pieces were not made by "Telephone Ear."

{*} References in these notes are only applicable when reading the GuideBook itself.