Introducing The X-Filer


By Arturo DelFavero RM552

Even though I was born in Detroit proper I've always called Southfield, Michigan my hometown. Recently I ventured back there to visit a monthly thirty or so table coin show. It had been a number of years since last attending this one, but for some reason I felt compelled.

I ended up walking the whole show without any luck, other than a few un-needed moderns. My last stop proved to be the one to bring it home. Longtime Dealer Gary Kelly always seems to have a nice selection of hobos, and indeed he had one that caught my eye. After looking through the rest Gary gave me his best price and I said yes.

Recently I had Quality Designated (QD) a member's coin and my purchase was a definite match to his. Being the archivist really does have its benefits and I've never been shy of stating this. That said; I knew that more by this maker existed, and this was soon realized after a short hunt. My first choice for a nickname was "The X-Factor", but our good friend and fellow collector Steve Alpert came up with something clever. So now I present "The X-Filer."

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The carving characteristics for "The X-Filer" are as follows:

  1. Derby hats with a boxed in "X" on the band adornment.
  2. Filed then cleaned up fields behind the head.
  3. Head and facial hair randomly wriggle cut with a flat graver.
  4. Very small oval shaped ears.
  5. Graver cuts over eye and behind nose.
  6. Line enhanced eyes and foreheads (on three Specimens).
  7. Enhanced lips and mouth area.
  8. Sloping collars created by two or three lines radiating from the rear end of the hat brim.
  9. LIBERTY and date left remaining on all examples.
  10. Use of liner tool added detail (on three examples).
  11. All on early dated nickels.