A Newbie questions and a Newbie mistake

[ebeing]

My first day with my Garett Ace 350 was fun, I enjoyed it immensely.

I went to a small beach park and found my first Wheat Penny, 1956.
But I also found a 1964 quarter that was totally black and caked with crap.
My mistake was to scratch at it, after a small piece of the edge broke I simply thought it was clad.
However, Im too new at this to make that decision.
Is this quarter silver?


what is the best way to clean a silver coin after its been submerged in a tidal zone for god knows how long?

all the best,
Joe

 

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[lookindown]

Quarters and dimes before 1965 are 90% silver...nice finds...were you hunting the wet sand?...its common for old coins to be encrusted in that black stuff when they have been in a salt environment for a long time...welcome to T NET and congrats on the coins.

 

[ebeing]

yes, it was wet.
thanks!

 

[Tom_in_CA]

ebeing, you "cheated" by finding silver on your first day outing. You're supposed to "pay your dues" like the rest of us did. And find nothing but zincs, pulltabs, and disappearing signals on your first 5 times out. Hence with this kind of luck and skill, you ought to be finding gold coins by the end of this month ! haha

 

[Tim-MXT]

You're supposed to "pay your dues" like the rest of us did. And find nothing but zincs, pulltabs, and disappearing signals on your first 5 times out.

I'm behind the curve This is still all I find.

 

[CoilyGirl]

Nice job!

 

[Trevset]

It is silver, and that is awesome for your first time out. Congrats and happy hunting!

 

[Msbeepbeep]

I'm behind the curve This is still all I find.

You and me both! I need to ramp up my game!

 

[CoilyGirl]

You and me both! I need to ramp up my game!

DITTO!

 

[ebeing]

thank you all very much.

 

[DDancer]

Yep you cheated. but in a good way.

As to the silver... on the beach and in most watery situations silver will blacken. Older coins will even have a purple/black hue to them *coins of this type are usually pretty old so don't try to scape them*. Areas with high minerals an moist soils blacken silver as well. Suggestion: next time you find a suspected silver coin like said quarter just rub it lightly and see if you can make out any details... then try using a silver polish to clean them up. On older coins electrolysis often helps knock the patina off and give up details. However if they are badly eroded you may just end up with a silver slug.

addendum : I skipped trying to clean with peroxide or other means before attempting electrolysis. There are plenty of threads here on ways to clean coins to give'm a try.

 

[Ole # 7]

I found this here big silver colored coin thingy...it wuz dirty so I cleaned it on the wiar wheel and such. It had sum forin writin on it...I syferd out sum numbers,...like 1 6 2 2 er such. That sure is a big number...I think i'll jus grind on it s'more.
I wouldn't even clean my first pull-tab! Its sitting right here in front of me, still proud and dirty. I don't want to ruin its value, no-sir-ree!!! I just started, too, ebeing, and I haven't found anything I have to worry about destroying. Nice find, amigo!!!

 

[bulrush]

I think all the 1964 quarters were 90% silver. But that was the last year they were silver.

Here's a list of US and Canadian coins with special value. Coins to look for - Pastebin.com