Best way to clean shield nickel

[smokeythecat]

It has some gunk on it, but not the orange "rind" on a lot of nickels. It is an 1866, first year of issue with rays and I don't want to mess it up. ALL the detail is there. It must have been lost new. Ideas? A net search proved relatively fruitless.

 

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[SlateBeltDigger]

You can't post this and not give us a pic of that coin!!

 

[ArfieBoy]

You can't post this and not give us a pic of that coin!!

I agree, Smokey! Let's see a picture... please!

 

[smokeythecat]

I haven't taken one yet.

 

[KEYSHUNTER]

well try West Bay Trading Company in Vero bch...deal in mostly wreck coins but your date may gain some interest....couple grand maybe if real deal...

 

[smokeythecat]

Its real. I dug it Wednesday.

 

[SusanMN]

Cant help. Now, if you wanted a list of the best ways to ruin a nickel I could be of tremendous help.

 

[eyemustdigtreasure]

The only two Shield nickels I've ever found, had very little details on them, so can't help, but someone on this forum, should...!!

 

[xaos]

aluminium foil and baking soda...wrap them up in a packet and put in boiling water...

if you have a larger object, ....in the pot, boil water, add the baking soda, then a ball of aluminum foil...dip the piece...

I was cleaning up brass teapots the other day using this method...

We use this n artefact cleaning and restoration, this is a safe method and not abrasive....

BUT...like everything else on the internet...do a test patch first!

No artefacts were harmed in this post!

 

[RustyRelics]

I have cleaned up some of my dads dug buffalo nickels and some of my Jefferson's (it ain't fair!) and they seem to almost be indestructible. I've used fine steel wool (common date buffaloes, it looks okay. It shines it up, but keeps enough dirt on it to tell that it has been dug.) I have used Brass Wire brushes, (don't do this, it'll clean the dirt off, but make the coin look brassy, aka stupid.) and I have soaked them in vinegar. The vinegar doesn't do much. About the only method that has "worked" was the above mentioned method of aluminum foil, baking soda and boiling water. A Hot Hydrogen Peroxide bath wouldn't hurt either. But honestly if I were you, I'd take it to someone who knows what they're doing to clean it.

 

[smokeythecat]

I could send it to PCGS or one of those places who conserves coins, but at the MOST it's probably $100, although I would not give that for it. Will try to get pics in a few. Just got in from digging...again.



The detail is there under the darkness!

 

[Truth]

Smokey I’m not saying to do it but last week I said that I was looking through my old nickel bag and they had one that had a lot of lumps green and red and it was unrecognizable I’ll hooked it up to my little electrolysis I watched it like 15 minutes. It was the first time I’ve ever done it and it shocked the hell out of me. You couldn’t see anything what it was and here’s what the outcome was.

 

[xaos]

smokey and truth, take that coin and use the process I described. then post another picture!

folks. do not use anything abrasive...please. never, ever clean a coin with steel wool, or even rub it with your fingers...you destroy the value. A valuable coin, when appraised, the magnification will show the scratches...
If in doubt, dont clean it, dont rub it...
Time and time again, in videos, I see a detector find, with mud and dirt, and the person rubs it off with their fingers...I want to cry.

Electrolysis will work well, but you have to be careful with the anode material...it does make a big difference. If not careful, you can take material away for the coin or artefact...

The aluminium foil and baking soda is what professional conservators use to conserve coins and other artefacts. I have literally done this with thousands of shipwreck coins.

Here is a good test, take some sterling from the kitchen...bring the mix to a boil, and dip the item...you will almost instantly see the clean...I was at a friends house and did this with her collection of copper coffee pots....its amazing the results.

 

[smokeythecat]

Xaos, I know it works on silver, but nickel? You ever tried that?

 

[xaos]

yes, I have used it virtually every metal...copper and brass work really, really well...(with these metals, you have to get them coated rahter quickly, since they are warmed up, will oxidize pretty fast)
keep in mind that your shield nickel is 75% copper...
silver, gold, nickle, work very nicely as well, just takes a little longer...
dip half of the coin and take a picture...or try it with other coins...just so you know....it really does work the best for coins to make a packet with the coin and baking soda wraped in foil and dropped in boiling water...

I keep a pan boiling ad add more aluminum and baking soda when it slows down,,,,

This is sorta the concept...but for me a rolling boil really gets into all the nooks...

 

[Truth]

I’m not recommending it but twice it’s already work for me on a shield Nickel and this War of 1812 US button. As I used my pencils to clean it it appeared I was causing damage so I thought it worked on that nickel let’s see if this will work I took a chance on the electrolysis. After the pencil
With 15 minutes of electrolysis

 

[Blak bart]

yes, I have used it virtually every metal...copper and brass work really, really well...(with these metals, you have to get them coated rahter quickly, since they are warmed up, will oxidize pretty fast)
keep in mind that your shield nickel is 75% copper...
silver, gold, nickle, work very nicely as well, just takes a little longer...
dip half of the coin and take a picture...or try it with other coins...just so you know....it really does work the best for coins to make a packet with the coin and baking soda wraped in foil and dropped in boiling water...

I keep a pan boiling ad add more aluminum and baking soda when it slows down,,,,

This is sorta the concept...but for me a rolling boil really gets into all the nooks...

I clean all my treasure coins this way.....it works on most metals.

 

[smokeythecat]

I did it a little on one of the silver quarters, it didn't do much for it, but I had made a "cup" out of the aluminum and put boiling water and baking soda in it with the coin. Might not have been long enough.

 

[Truth]

I did it a little on one of the silver quarters, it didn't do much for it, but I had made a "cup" out of the aluminum and put boiling water and baking soda in it with the coin. Might not have been long enough.

For some reason that method has never worked for me

 

[smokeythecat]

I am going to try it in the imminently.