A definite first and best find yet!!!

[asmerri]

Towards the end of my hunt on Saturday I dug up an unfamiliar size coin like object completely encrusted in green patina. I thought it may have been a foreign coin so I didn't get too excited about it. I soaked it in boiling peroxide like I do my wheat pennies to clean them up hoping to get some definition off of the "coin" but after a good soak I still couldn't see any definition. I decided to try the olive oil trick that I have heard so many of you talk about but I just became too impatient. I think the oil did loosen up some of the crust. Knowing that nothing non abrasive would clean this coin, I lightly took a scotch-brite pad to the surface. I could immediately see a shield! A little more light scrubbing and I could see "1867"! Thinking I had found a shield nickel, I turned the coin over and lightly scrubbed. I didn't see any stars showing up, just what appeared to be a wreath. Then realized I had found an 1867 2 cent piece! I immediately put down the scrubbing pad. This coin has a lot if buildup left on it and I'm sure I can get some better detail out of it with some cleaning tips from my fellow T-Netters. Any advice would be greatly appreciated! So stoked right now! By far my oldest and coolest coin.

 

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[cjon455]

nice 2 center!, im no professional when it comes to cleaning, but in my opinion id leave it like it is

 

[JohnnyMac]

Nice..still on my wish list

 

[el remolino]

Cool coin!! Hope to find one of those myself one day.

 

[wheatfinder13]

Whoa, great find. I have yet to find a 2 center

 

[BuckleBoy]

Very Nice! It took me forever to find a 2 cent piece. Seems like I just couldn't get my coil over one for about ten years. Nice detail on that one, in spite of the crust.

BIG congrats,

Buck

 

[relicmeister]

congratulations on an awesome find!

 

[granthansen]

Congrats!! Mine was in similar shape as yours, but you have to be patient with cleaning. I did multiple short sessions of boiling peroxide and then rubbed with a toothpick in between each. Then I just let it sit in peroxide overnight a couple times, and again toothpicked it out. Here's a before and after:

 

[granthansen]

Actually, that's not the most recent state. It's much cleaner now. I'll try to get a pic tonight.

 

[Erik in NJ]

Yes, as Grant said, the 2-centers that I have found have come out quite well with mutiple baths of boiling hydrogen peroxide--you may have to do it 5 or 6 times. Use a tooth brush with dish soap between baths if needed and you can even use a slurry of baking soda and water as a very mild abrasive to remove some of the crud (toothpaste will work too). It's OK to let the coin sit in the peroxide overnight. I definitely would not have used ScotchBrite on it!! After the peroxide treatments, apply a thin coat of bees wax or Verdi-Care as the peroxide in my experience tends to dry out copper coins.

Finding that first two-cent piece is a great feeling...

 

[asmerri]

Congrats!! Mine was in similar shape as yours, but you have to be patient with cleaning. I did multiple short sessions of boiling peroxide and then rubbed with a toothpick in between each. Then I just let it sit in peroxide overnight a couple times, and again toothpicked it out. Here's a before and after:

<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=805071"/>

<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=805072"/>

Sweet! That is a very drastic difference! Do you use standard hydrogen peroxide from Walmart or the heavy duty 20% stuff? Thanks for the advice!

 

[asmerri]

Yes, as Grant said, the 2-centers that I have found have come out quite well with mutiple baths of boiling hydrogen peroxide--you may have to do it 5 or 6 times. Use a tooth brush with dish soap between baths if needed and you can even use a slurry of baking soda and water as a very mild abrasive to remove some of the crud (toothpaste will work too). It's OK to let the coin sit in the peroxide overnight. I definitely would not have used ScotchBrite on it!! After the peroxide treatments, apply a thin coat of bees wax or Verdi-Care as the peroxide in my experience tends to dry out copper coins.

Finding that first two-cent piece is a great feeling...

Hi Erik,

Thanks for the tips. Dumb question but where do I get bees wax? I know, I know I shouldn't have scrubbed it but due to the thickness and strange size of the coin I thought that I was simply working with an old peso or something. Had no idea what was laying below the crust.

I recently saw a post that sscindercoop posted about his 2 cent cleaning method with lemon juice. His coin turned out beautiful. I wonder if it would work on mine. Mine seems to have much more hardened green rust like material on it compared to others that seem to be caked in brown softer material. I just want this coin to look as good as possible without mutilating it! Thoughts

 

[Tedyoh]

You can try Limeaway gel toilet bowl cleaner but I would try it first on a couple crusty pennies to see how it works and if you like the results - soak for 10 or 15 seconds, toothbrush quickly then rinse well - this stuff works almost too well but sometimes it makes an 80 year old penny "too clean" and you lose a lot of details (especially if it's pitted), on others it works great, I'd be carefull though with any chemicals, that's a really cool coin and looks pretty nice the way it is.

 

[Erik in NJ]

Hi, I bought a couple of pounds purified beeswax online -- probably more than I could ever use. Drop me a PM and send me a SASPE (self addressed stamped padded envelope) and I'll drop you a chunk in the mail...I probably have way more than I could ever use as a little goes a long way...bought it from an on-line beekeeper supply business. The Verdi-Care seems to be good stuff too and I have been using it to hydrate and seal coppers and copper-alloy items. I'll tell you in the PM where I got mine (the Verdi-Care). I have not used the lemon juice, but you have to be very careful with that as it will "bleach" the coin if left on too long. I think it will dissolve the green stuff. You will probably end up with a bit of pitting on that coin no matter what you do, so I guess you need to decide if you'd rather see some pitting or the green crust.

 

[Petrie502]

CLR IS WHAT I CLEAN MY LARGE AND HALF CENTS WITH DILUTE IT IN A 50 dollar sonic cleaner from harbor freight! Best 50 bucks you'll ever spend dilute it 9 parts to 1

 

[asmerri]

CLR IS WHAT I CLEAN MY LARGE AND HALF CENTS WITH DILUTE IT IN A 50 dollar sonic cleaner from harbor freight! Best 50 bucks you'll ever spend dilute it 9 parts to 1

Please excuse my ignorance but 9 parts water to 1 part CLR or the opposite?

 

[granthansen]

I use regular old H202.

I have lots of respect for scoop, but I caution you about using lemon juice. After reading his article -- which he includes fair warning himself -- I tested it on an Indian Head penny. I only soaked it for 10 minutes and it bleached it pretty bad. I happen to like dark coppers. He also uses some sort of darkening agent after his lemon juice soak.

Oh yeah, as Erik mentions, a good baking soda paste rub does some good too!

Please post progress pics.

 

[AU Seeker]

Asmerri,

Nice find , if you do get it cleaned up enough to see finer details, check to see if it has a "double die obverse", the 1867 2 cent is a "key date" only IF it has the double die obverse, here a picture of what the error will look like.

PcgsCoinFacts.com : Your Online Reference for U.S. Coins

 

[RelicDude]

Awesome coin that one is one of my goals for the year hh

 

[vpnavy]

Nice find asmerri.