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by Scott Wilson, 2 Dec 1994
Last night on The Andy Griffith Show they had a nice reference to Buffalo nickels. Looking the episode up in my Andy Griffith Show reference book, it's called "Mayberry on Record". It was episode 19 and first aired 13 Feb, 1961. Here is the plot summary:
A record promoter comes to Mayberry and gives the citizens a chance to show their musical talents and to make some money in the process. Barney, Floyd, and other members of the town invest their money, but Andy suspects the man is a con artist who is taking advantage of the trusting nature of the people. The trust bestowed by the people proves to be rewarded, for the promoter sends a check to Mayberry, proving that Andy's suspicions are unjustified.
Keep an eye out for it if The Andy Griffith Show airs in your area.
The part about the nickel occurs in the beginning. Barney is complaining about all of the deductions in his paycheck. He thinks he should do some investing, possibly buying some stock. Andy warns him about loosing his money and instead suggests coin collectin'. Andy says that it's an interesting hobby and that you never know when you might run across a rare coin that could be worth something. When Barney is looking away, Andy gets a sly look on his face, then pulls a nickel out of his desk drawer. Andy says that he bought the nickel from a guy for five dollars, and that just the other day a guy offered him twenty dollars for it, but he didn't sell it. He says that right now, it's probably worth closer to fifty dollars. Barney asks him why it's so rare. Andy and Barney both examine the nickel closely. Andy (after rubbing it on his sleeve) says, "Well, you see this Buffalo here on the back? It's facing the wrong way." Then Barney looks really carefully and of course falls for it. He offers Andy first $50 for it, then $75, which Andy agrees to. Then Barney takes the nickel, walks in front of the desk and cheerfully compares it to one he has. Shocked, he tells Andy that the rare nickel looks just like his nickel. Andy asks to see the rare nickel. He asks Barney which way his buffalo is pointing, and Barney motions with his right hand "that way". (The wrong answer, in reality.) Andy, facing Barney, motions with his right hand and says, "Well the buffalo on this rare nickel is pointing that way." Barney is satisfied again, then comes around and compares them again. Then, Andy starts laughing and Barney gets embarrassed. It was pretty funny. I had never seen it before.
Scott Wilson
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