Back to the hunted out school

[Pdr206]

Hey all. Pulled up a ton of garbage and iron a few days ago along with some silver. Came back for a two hour power hunt. Cleared more iron, current and square nails (still in the truck.). But found some neat items by my barber quarter find.

Looks like another barber quarter but its badly tarnished. Dont want to even lightly brush it, havent even ran water over it yet. Any tips on what to do to clean it up??

Found what looks like a graduation pin and some sort of art pin, both bronze and one backing. Also a bronze clip for a medal or pendent maybe.

Last but not least the button. Square shank, badly corroded backside. Looks like a two piece maybe? The front is glinting at me under the lights here and it has concentric circle pattern on it. Pretty but filthy.

Ive read about cleaning these items but dont want to destroy them. Tips and answers?

Thanks!

 

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[Pdr206]

Also why am i finding old poptops, really old iron, 60's era an up clad and yet zero other old cents (no wheaties or rosies etc) besides three silver (1900s barber quarters and a war nickel)? Its a 50 foot by 50 foot frontage to a school thats 100 years old. Did someone just cherry pick it to death? Just seems odd.

 

[Evolution]

Sounds like it was cherry picked but it was nice that you pulled out a little silver. Did you have a picture of the possible barber quarter?

 

[Evolution]

The coin next to the nickel looks like it could be a 2 cent piece. It's certainly the right size for that.

 

[Pdr206]

Hmm shows my inexperience. I thought the coin that is in the picture (all gunked up) was possibly a barber.

 

[Pdr206]

Also how do i clean the brown off the coin without damaging coin itself? Ran it under cool water and can see a bust facing left with a tiara. Says 1908. Reverse side i cant see anything.

Thank you!

 

[Evolution]

Hmm shows my inexperience. I thought the coin that is in the picture (all gunked up) was possibly a barber.

There's nothing wrong with inexperience. Time and future hunts will remedy that. You will learn as you go. Silver almost always comes out of the ground relatively clean. Once in a while if it was near water or in damp ground for a long time it might have a black tarnish to it. I've seen a few fire damaged silver coins that are barely recognizable as well. That coin looks like its made of copper to me (although a two center would be bronze.....which is 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc. Hope it turns out to be a two center. That would be cool.

 

[Pdr206]

1908 V Nickel. Hot dang!

 

[grasshopper]

The gunky coin looks copper, not silver - silver doesn't tarnish like that. Might have some black crud on it once in a while, but you can pretty much always tell when you have silver cause it doesn't corrode like other materials.

 

[grasshopper]

1908 V Nickel. Hot dang!

Guess I was a little slow there - there ya go!!

 

[Evolution]

Also how do i clean the brown off the coin without damaging coin itself? Ran it under cool water and can see a bust facing left with a tiara. Says 1908. Reverse side i cant see anything.

Thank you!

interesting. Maybe its a "V" nickel. Your description sounds like that might possibly be it. If it were there would be a "V" in the center of the reverse of the coin.

 

[Evolution]

interesting. Maybe its a "V" nickel. Your description sounds like that might possibly be it. If it were there would be a "V" in the center of the reverse of the coin.

I was a little slow with my response as well.... Congrats on the V nickel.

 

[Pdr206]

Thanks! Do i want to remove the brown from the coin? I am thinking that is corroded nickel plate? Just do not want to damage it but am thinking if i remove the brown ill be able to see more definition of the coin.

 

[grasshopper]

People will probably recommend boiling peroxide...personally I've had mixed results with this method. But I've also seen it work very well. Just depends if you're willing to risk the possibility of making it look worse...

 

[vpnavy]

Great finds! Thanks for sharing...

 

[NW Digger]

Very cool, hopefully many more soon!

 

[Pdr206]

Turns out the pins are Webelos pins. Theyre pre-Boy Scouts. Knew I recognized them from my youth!