Becoming a little discouraged

[Wild Colonial Boy]

I have been having great time detecting for a year now, in the north east, mainly bronze and brass items

I loved finding stuff and particularly doing the research on item and previous owners and in habitants of the colonial homesites,
I enjoyed the slow drying of artifact the excitement and anticipation of what it might finally look like, and carefully dry cleaning and sometimes using peroxide, and loved item revealing its details etc.

we have very acidic soil here
after so many cleaning techniques tried and tested, along with good coins with the details falling off when dry,
, i have now stopped cleaning altogether, and really miss the process, and its starting discouraging me from wanting to go out looking, even though I am addicted to the hobby and don't want to give it up

I don't care about value, or condition and do love the history surrounding each item, but getting a little discouraged of how crappy things get when the soil comes off.

I expect I am not alone and this is a phase many experienced detectors went through?

 

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[BigWaveDave]

I too hate it when my treasures degrade and fall apart.... that’s why I only hunt coins, the silver ones I find hold up pretty well.
I hoping that the gold coins come out pretty too.

 

[IDXMonster]

Same here...I only hunt silver,even though it’s alot less frequently I’ll make a find. At least they’re not decayed and a waste of time completely. Most times,wheats and Indians are SCORCHED around here. LCs too...

 

[Joe-Dirt]

Where in the northeast are you? I’m in Massachusetts and more often than not, the coins come out of the ground pretty good. I try not to use any chemicals on coins (only lemon juiced one found on a beach) I just let the dry and then gently brush them. Like anything else, you will get plenty of reply’s here on how to preserve and clean your finds.

 

[ticndig]

I stopped cleaning coppers too , they lose the detail too frequently . but it is just the way it is and still dig all I can get.
it seems like the 1700s coppers are in better shape than the 1800s ones. they must be of higher quality .

 

[Wild Colonial Boy]

Where in the northeast are you? I’m in Massachusetts and more often than not, the coins come out of the ground pretty good. I try not to use any chemicals on coins (only lemon juiced one found on a beach) I just let the dry and then gently brush them. Like anything else, you will get plenty of reply’s here on how to preserve and clean your finds.

In tri state Area NYC & southern CT, I understand its part of the game, I found in the gardens and cellar lips of house the soil is black and granular and they come` out good sometimes, silver is great its a real spirt liftter

 

[Wild Colonial Boy]

Same here...I only hunt silver,even though it’s alot less frequently I’ll make a find. At least they’re not decayed and a waste of time completely. Most times,wheats and Indians are SCORCHED around here. LCs too...

silver is great its a real spirt liftter

 

[CASPER-2]

soil is rough at alot of spots in N.Eng.
lot of farmers used liquid fertilizer up here for awhile and that stuff destroys copper coins
i have rarely gotten a good colonial copper or LG cent from farm fields but i usually get period silver
where i get the old stuff so that is why i keep going to them
i'd rather get a beat copper than none at all
hope you stick with it

 

[TerryC]

I've been detecting since '70, mostly in the midwest or Florida. ANY colonial coins or artifacts from the NE in ANY condition beats what's available in most of the places I've hunted! TTC

 

[Wild Colonial Boy]

I've been detecting since '70, mostly in the midwest or Florida. ANY colonial coins or artifacts from the NE in ANY condition beats what's available in most of the places I've hunted! TTC

Thanks for the important reminder, it about the adventure , of heading out and not knowing how the day goes and then possibly heading home, with something that came from the people that planted the seed to the growth of this great place

 

[Opie]

Amergin, I would suggest contacting a local museum to see what is used on their small artifacts. There are several wax based products that reseal the artifact from air and moisture and prevent degradation. Most of these are pastes you apply with a Qtip and then buff up.
Good Luck!
Stay Gold!
Opie

 

[Trezurehunter]

Talk about acidic, I hunt a lot of farm fields which pretty much say's my Coppers are coming out less than desirable, because of the years of chemicals that they have endured. I pretty much just water them off, and brush lightly with a toothbrush to get the dirt off. I do the same with silver coins, because I like to remember them and look at them the way they came out of the ground. Natural patina is a good thing to me. I have some very nice looking Mercs, and Barbers that are gun metal grey looking. I would not change that look for anything, by using Baking Soda or any other cleaning method. That's just me.