Crusted NW Beach Gold...probably not..

[mcmurphi]

Got out on a road trip a few days ago to an old tucked away saltwater beach and rescued this keeper amongst the nails. It is very mineralized. I have been cleaning it with dish soap and at tooth brush for a couple of days now just hoping to get a glimpse of some detail. I was using my cz-21 with the sensitivity cranked. With that setting where I was, it was not too bad but still getting the extra chirps to fight through. I was almost done for the day and I got a nice soft repeatable mid tone and I thought to myself, go ahead and dig, at least it's not a iron. It was a good 8 inches down.
I have found a few gold rings over the years but this one for sure is one of the oldest I have recovered in saltwater. Certainly the most crusted. I'm anxious to see just what she looks like. Open to suggestions for restoration if you have some. I have been searching around the net and not much on cleaning heavy mineralized gold.

mcmurphi

 

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[Christoph1945]

 

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[slider66]

Any ring no matter what is a beautiful find! Congrats

 

[CASPER-2]

Ive had many old gold rings crust like that --usually 9k or 10k
you have to remember what the other metal is that the blend with the 10k - usually - brass, copper, silver or nickel
brass turns green in salt water - so does copper most times
it will prob take some electrolysis to get it shiney again

It's always a good thing to find a ring. It sure beats finding pulltabs and bottletops like I do. As far as I know though, gold should not get crusted up like that, even on a highly mineralized beach. I could be wrong. It wouldn't be the first time.
Happy hunting.........