Dateless Buffalo Nickels... Thoughts, ideas, experiments...

[Mr.T]

Try leaving a couple in a Sunny window close to the glass. Read this on a thread here, where someone had left coins on their car dash, and it definitely worked for me. It brought the date out on a blank! However the coin was fresh out of the sea, so maybe try two- one dry, and one that's been soaked and frozen! I could nearly see the details appear. good luck

 

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[AugustMoose87]

Before and afters of various ammonia and hydrogen peroxide bathes. More shine, buy not much more detail...

 

[eyemustdigtreasure]

So, to get this out of the way, I know that you ARE NOT supposed to clean/alter coins, it ruins the value, etc, etc, etc.

That being said, dateless buffalos... as I understand it, they are generally worth around $0.15. Now, as someone who is more interested in filling a folder than preserving the value of a $0.15 coin, I am interested in working to restore some of the dateless buffalos the wife and I find. In doing some Googling, I came across this guys web site... http://buffaloreincarnations.com/about/restoration.php and I have to say his work is pretty impressive. I certainly understand why he doesn't want to share his method with the world, but I don't have the $25k he is asking to take over his business. So, I am trying to do some brain storming and experimenting to see if I can get results even close to his. You read his site, and he mentions that he uses 3 cleaning treatments - 1 soap and water, 2 chemical. I would think the soap and water would be just a general cleaning solution used before and after other treatments. Looking at the picture he has of the chemical - you can see Nail Polish Remover (acetone most likely) and ammonia. I have also heard of ferric chloride (Nic-a-Date), hydrochloric acid (muriatic acid), and I have tried acetic acid (vinegar) with some success.

So, if anyone has experience or thoughts with these or other chemicals/techniques, PLEASE speak up. In the mean, I am going to work on gathering some chemicals and some worn Jefferson's to experiment on. I will do the before and after pics as well as methods on here as I go.

Old News (can be) Good News - to me!
I just found one today (my son's 25thAnniversary, too!)
and can't read date.
The coin is heavily corroded with at least two layers of crud,
obscuring the date..., but I'd love to clean it up nice, and present it to them,
as a gift from their crazy dad...!
I have only found four Buffalo Nickels in 12 years detecting...!

So, any more help from all my fellow TNet-ers, is appreciated...!