Need help cleaning 1894 V Nickel

[MT_VertCaver]

I've recently had the chance to do some detecting while the 1918 sidewalks are being replaced. I have found several goodies, but the V Nickels are in bad shape. I'd like to be able to see the features on the 1894 V Nickel and the reverse of the 1906.

Suggestions??

[Th3Offspring]

This is the advice i've given to others, but i've never used this method on a nickel as far gone as yours. This might be worth a shot. Soak it in Worcestershire sauce over for a few hours, flip and repeat. wash sauce off between flips, and then dry. Leave it alone after that. no matter what else you read about dremels or CLR or anything else, the best your nickel will look is after soaking it in Worcestershire sauce. What it does is take the reddish color off and leave it a dull gray nickel (revealing dates sometimes). Throw it in a 2x2 flip and enjoy it the way it is. I've ruined far too many buffalo and v-nickels chasing the look others claim to get from cleaning. I'm not saying that they lied, i'm just saying that for 90% of nickels the remedies do not work for.

[Silver Surfer]

I tend to think your sauce works due to the vinegar? Probably acetic acid at the least.. I use white vinegar all the time on crusty coins.. Soak from 20 min to overnight and it is amazing what it does.. And never eats the coin up either, except for a couple pennies that were zinc and pretty far gone anyway.. Copper pennies come out fantastic... Never tried it on nickels since they are usually not corroded like silver and pennies..
Just my $.02 worth...

[MT_VertCaver]

Thanks guys!!

I'll have to try the worcestershire sauce. I've tried everything else...... I'm not all that concerned about getting a "pretty" nickel(or nickel-like) finish. I just want to be able to tell that it's a nickel.

My best results have been Formula 409 and a brass brush.

[RHoward]

I have ceaned nickels with WD-40, but non that were that bad. A 3 day soak will clean any dirt and grime right off and soap and hot water will take the WD-40 off.

[MT_VertCaver]

Here is what I ended up with. These are the same two nickels that are pictured above. Turned out that it was 1891, not 1894

As I said before, I had the best luck with Formula 409 and a brass brush. I haven't tried the worcestershire sauce yet, and most likely won't on these nickels. I think I've gone as far as I will with cleaning them.

[Tuberale]

If it's an 1891 as you state, should have the same 1 as before the 8. I think it may be an 1897.

[MT_VertCaver]

It's definitely an 1891.