Amazing large cent, and a small 2-ring bullet?

[brianc053]

Hi everyone! Even though it was 90+ degrees today I returned to the farm here in NJ where I found the Dandy button a few days ago and searched for about 45 minutes.
In the first few minutes I was amazingly lucky because I found the 1831 Large Cent pictured below! I feel I'm amazingly lucky because this isn't the first Large Cent I've found here in my town, but this one is in night-and-day better condition than the last one, featured in this thread: http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/coins/617935-cleaning-wheat-pennies.html#post6316929

To me it's amazing how the soil can affect these copper coins so differently in locations that are only a few miles apart!
I haven't cleaned the Large Cent too much because I've read that it's better to keep them in "found condition" - agree? I'm worried about losing that awesome green patina.

In addition to that Large Cent I also found a button (it has writing but I can't read it so dating it will be hard), and a small two-ring bullet. I need help identifying the bullet, please, so I've provided some additional pictures. it's clearly much smaller than the "typical" Civil War-era bullets. Since it looks fired and looks like it hit something it's difficult to determine the actual size, but to me it looks smaller than .32 caliber. Anyone have any ideas on this bullet?

Thanks in advance.

 

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[Tuberale]

Can't help with the bullets. Can confirm 1831 LC though.

 

[Digger RJ]

Nice!!!!! Congrats!!!!! The bullet looks CW to me, just can’t figure out the cal. Have you weighed it?

 

[KeyaPaha]

Bullet looks like it hit something, tumbled and then struck something sideways to flatten it like that.

 

[Silvermonkey]

Great finds! I would agree with Digger RJ- the bullet certainly looks to be civil war era to me. I find those every once in a while up here in Mass. Great LC too!

 

[brianc053]

Nice!!!!! Congrats!!!!! The bullet looks CW to me, just can’t figure out the cal. Have you weighed it?

I didn't think to weigh it - thanks for the suggestion. It weighs 6.7 grams / 0.24 OZ.

I also posted about the same bullet separately here: http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/what/637582-bullet-id-help-please.html

 

[Underwonder]

Love the color and condition of your old large cent! Congrats! The bullet is neat too.

 

[lenmac65]

That LC still has some nice detail. Congrats on a great find.

 

[brianc053]

Hey everyone, if you're still watching this thread I have a follow-up question: is there a way to clean the hard-packed dirt from this coin without losing the green patina?
I've tried a soft toothbrush (dry, and wet with a touch of soap) but light scrubbing isn't taking the dirt away.
If I soak the coin in something (water? hydrogen peroxide?) I'll lose the patina, right?

Any suggestions are welcome. I want to keep that green patina!

 

[thrifty76now]

Nice large cent.

 

[Professor of Engineering]

Nice looking large cent!

 

[Underwonder]

Hi! Coin purists seem to minimize any cleaning, but like you I like to enjoy the coin so try to clean it a bit. I use dry toothpicks and also Andres Pencils https://www.amazon.com/Crayon-Andre...vtargid=pla-568799931286&psc=1&language=en_US (may also be found on auction sites). Enjoy her. Beautiful!

 

[trdking]

civil war? To me it looks like a flattened .22 cal?

 

[pepperj]

Nice copper you found.
The lead is an older one it looks like .32 cal.
All I know they seem to ring up well in the bush with the HF coil.

 

[Trezurehunter]

Congrats on a nice looking LC.

 

[Digger RJ]

I’d have to agree with trdking. Going by the weight it doesn’t come in any CW bullet range.