Apush: To Nic-a-Date or Not??? (Added Question)

[apush]

New Question: To Nic-a-Date?

Would one use the product on a partial date? For example, I pulled a buff last night that shows the last two digits (25) but not the first two digits (19). So, I have a 1925 (nmm).

Thanks!
apush




Well, I went ahead and purchased a bottle of Nic-a-Date. Should arrive soon. I am pondering actually using this to see the dates on the "dateless buffs" I have collected over the last 2 years. But, at the same time, I know that it will destroy the coin--but the coin is worth 5 cents with out a date nonetheless.

Any opinions? I know this subject has been posted many a time, but I am not sure I can do it.

Happy Silver Hunting,
apush

 

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[BuffaloBoy]

Re: Apush: To Nic-a-Date or Not

apush, go for it. Like you said, the coin is only worth 5 cents dateless anyway!!! you might have a key, even nic-a-dated, could be worth a shiny penny or two

Nic-a-date works literally in less than 20 seconds, I have it, and the bottle will literally outlive most people.
BuffaloBoy

edit: my 1 1/4 oz bottle has about 90% of the nic-a-date remaining in the bottle, and I have nica-dated over 250 buffalo nickels.

 

[ImpurestStewart]

Re: Apush: To Nic-a-Date or Not

You've already spent the money to buy the stuff now, Go for it. Maybe you'll find that 1913S amongest them.

 

[waseeker]

Re: Apush: To Nic-a-Date or Not

I agree do it. You won't do any more harm and you can start on your set of acid date buffalo nickels. I've started a set and the challenge is to find nickels from the late 30's that don't have a date

 

[Generic_Lad]

Re: Apush: To Nic-a-Date or Not

For completely dateless buffaloes you have nothing to lose

 

[Argentium]

Re: Apush: To Nic-a-Date or Not

Apush , It's nice when you pop in for a visit ! There really is no downside to nic-a dating
since these coins are in no way valuable or rare - this will allow you to fill your buff nickel
album ! Argentium

 

[ckrakowski]

Re: Apush: To Nic-a-Date or Not

where do you get nic-a-date from?? where can you buy it from

 

[apush]

Re: Apush: To Nic-a-Date or Not

I order all of my coin supplies from JP coins. Perhaps you can find it cheaper elsewhere, but I also purchase other items there as well. I have always had good service.

I have 3 box containers each of cents and nickels (holds 100 tubes each) that I am attempting to fill with all dates and mint marks. Yeah, I never will get there . . . be long dead and gone . . . but I have three children (all grown) that can fight over these and the silver some day.

Argentium--hope you are doing great and finding loads of silver!

apush

 

[ArkieBassMan]

Re: Apush: To Nic-a-Date or Not

This is truly one of those "you have nothing to lose" situations. A chemically dated common date buffalo will be worth exactly the same amount as a no-date buffalo. However, should a rare date (like a type 2 1913S) chemically appear, then the coin instantly increases in value. You can't lose anything, other than the cost of the nic-a-date, and that money is already spent. You can only "win" in this situation. Best of luck!

Should I ever run into a batch of cheap no-date buffs at a yard sale or flea market or the like, this is exactly what I will do.

Let us know how it turns out.

 

[GPURS]

Re: Apush: To Nic-a-Date or Not

Ran across a large hoard of buffalo and Liberty heads back in the fall and have many dateless buffaloes that I was planning on acid dating when I get the chance. Got nothing to lose! Good luck.

 

[mts]

Re: Apush: To Nic-a-Date or Not

Just curious.... once you've used Nic-a-Date does the revealed date stay there permanently or does it fade away? I've never used the stuff but I'd be willing to do so if the results mostly permanent.

 

[GPURS]

Re: Apush: To Nic-a-Date or Not

Mts, whatever date that is retrieved will remain, but there will also remain a stain the size of the drop of acid that you put on the date. In other words, you will be able to tell that it has been acid treated. However, this is usually not a problem if you are honest and up front with a potential buyer that it is a "date restored" nickel.

 

[ArkieBassMan]

Re: Apush: To Nic-a-Date or Not

Just curious.... once you've used Nic-a-Date does the revealed date stay there permanently or does it fade away? I've never used the stuff but I'd be willing to do so if the results mostly permanent.

I know you detect, so just an FYI: Nic-a-date will NOT work on dug nickels. Dunno why.

 

[mts]

Re: Apush: To Nic-a-Date or Not

Thanks for the info. I'm surprised that this won't work for dug coins though. I guess you learn something new every day.

By the way, I read elsewhere that the active ingredient in nic-a-date is ferric chloride. This is the same chemical sold at Radio Shack for etching copper circuit boards. It is a pretty nasty acid and leaves stains on everything it touches. I'm not sure if nic-a-date leaves the same yellow stains but if it does be careful. It will stain your sink and toilet if you aren't careful. Also, don't use this on copper coins!

After hearing that it was basically just PC board etchant solution I went ahead and mixed up a small batch of my own solution: 1 part muriatic acid added to 2 parts hydrogen peroxide. I've been using this to make circuit boards instead of ferric chloride. It is much cheaper and doesn't stain as easily. Plus you can make it from readily available chemicals.

The results were probably similar to nic-a-date. Two dateless nickels yielded 1923 and 1925 dates within a few seconds of rubbing with a q-tip. And yes, the standard acid stain is also visible.

So if you have some muriatic acid and hydrogen peroxide laying around you can achieve the same effect as nic-a-date.

 

[mts]

Re: Apush: To Nic-a-Date or Not

By the way, here are the two nickels that I used to test my homemade nic-a-date solution. You can tell from the pics that both of these were VERY well worn. I used the solution all over the nickel on the left. You can see that it looks etched all over. For the nickel on the right, I just dabbed the solution on the date portion.

 

[jeff of pa]

Re: Apush: To Nic-a-Date or Not

again you can sell a dateless Buffalo
to someone for a quarter or so.

you can sell a dateless 1918D 8 0ver 7 Buffalo
for a Quarter or so.

if someone Buys it from you even for $1.00

puts NicO on it & sees it's a 1918D 8 0ver 7 Buffalo

Who Won ?

Not you

 

[GPURS]

Re: Apush: To Nic-a-Date or Not

Mts, that is exactly the stain that you will get from the nic-a-date. And Jeff's example above is exactly why it is a good idea to go ahead and restore the dates...

 

[Argentium]

Re: Apush: To Nic-a-Date or Not

Apush , Thank you for your kind note - I'm doing fine , perhaps not pulling in huge silver ,
but rather nice CWR's over the last three months or so - boxes kind of a trickle - no complaints.
Argentium.

 

[ArkieBassMan]

New Question: To Nic-a-Date?

Would one use the product on a partial date? For example, I pulled a buff last night that shows the last two digits (25) but not the first two digits (19). So, I have a 1925 (nmm).

Thanks!
apush

I personally wouldn't. The whole purpose of using the nic-a-date is to determine the date. Therefore, if you can determine the date, there is no need for the chemical. In my opinion it makes little sense to chemically date a coin that you can see enough of the date to determine what it is, or can determine the date of by another method...i.e. if its a type 1, then you know it has to be a 1913. I think in your example of being able to see the "25" but not the "19", I believe you would actually lower the value of the coin by using the nic-a-date on it. Being that a 1925P isn't a rare date, it probably wouldn't really matter much either way. However, you definitely wouldn't want to do that to a key or even semi-key partial date IMO.

Thats my opinion anyway.