frustrated with cookie coins

[ceejay64]

i found these 2 cookies some time ago, and they have been soaking in olive oil for over a year now with little to show for it. they are just slightly larger in circumference than a modern nickle, but much thinner (even with the crust on). i can see no areas of detail to help with an i.d.
if anyone has any thoughts on what they might be or how to more effectively get them cleaned up and out of their cookie prisons, i'd love to hear from you!!
if it's of any assistance, they were both found in NH - one on the grounds of the university in durham and the other in what is now a small park in farmington.
thanks in advance!!

 

[steelheadwill]

Hey Steelheadwill: Just wondering, what ferrous magnetic coins have you found that were worth all the effort you mentioned?

I have one seemingly 1943 penny, but no hope of any actual verification. I have some zincs that the bank wouldn't even buy, and those probably after only a couple of years.

Hi High Plains Digger,
That's an easy one, exactly zero.
Which is why I'm interested in finding out what is inside the magnetic OP cookies.
the only steel coins I know of are the US war Cents, and a few fairly modern foreigns.
I would think that steel/iron would rust away long before forming a thick encrustation,
and if it did, would show rust stains, my best guess would be a hot dip galvanized something

 

[CrazySlasher]

I usually just crack them open something sharp. Probably a bad way to do it

 

[High Plains Digger]

The only coin that I believe could have been a 1943 was so corroded there will never be any detail, but it is sized about right (give or take a little for the corrosion) and was within a carat or two of being the right weight. Which, of course, didn't mean a thing. I have found knock outs, and they are bigger than a nickel, smaller than a quarter, as I remember.

Could you shoot us another picture with a quarter and nickel with you two ferrous pieces?

Steelheadwill--I am enlightened and humored by your ferrous escapades. My number, if it would be possible, would be in the negative.

 

[steelheadwill]

The only coin that I believe could have been a 1943 was so corroded there will never be any detail, but it is sized about right (give or take a little for the corrosion) and was within a carat or two of being the right weight. Which, of course, didn't mean a thing. I have found knock outs, and they are bigger than a nickel, smaller than a quarter, as I remember.

Could you shoot us another picture with a quarter and nickel with you two ferrous pieces?

Steelheadwill--I am enlightened and humored by your ferrous escapades. My number, if it would be possible, would be in the negative.

 

[petersra]

You may find the contents of this website to be useful if you decide to go the electrolysis route of consering your cookies. http://nautarch.tamu.edu/crl/conservationmanual/File13.htm#ELECTROLYTIC REDUCTION HH, Ralph PS. I used an old cell phone charger as my power source, and cut a piece of junk stainless steel for my annode.

Thanks for the link, that looks like a great site with alot of information.

Why are there three alligator clips on your arrangement? I only have a postive and negative.

And I hope you didn't accidentally erase some photos with your electrolysis setup, all you pics are titled "Deanna Birthday Party"

I hadn't noticed that I had 2 clips on the anode. I had just set it up and had purchased what I thought was a pair of clips with lead wires that I could splice into my cell phone charger. As it turned out, what was in the package was clips on both ends of the wires like jumper cables. Since I had double ended clips and being not sure if it would make a difference I put a positive clip on both sides of the anode to be sure the charge was balanced across the anode. It didn't seem to matter whether I had one clip on the anode or 2. Hope this clarifies what I did and why..... By the way, the electrolyte I used in the water was Arm & Hammer Washing Soda for a silver ring and not 5% Formic Acid as was recommended in the web site. Electrolysis worked by getting the crud off the ring, but it certainly did not make the silver shiny, just a dull gray. Not sure if Formic Acid would have made a significant difference in the results. I found a quart of 90% Formic Acid on the internet for about $13 so I may try to obtain some and see if the results on the silver come out different.

 

[Treasure Tours]

We have the same here with many Roman coins, I think there comes a point when you just have to accept the coin has suffered....get your boots on and find a better one!...all the time spent trying to clean it you could have unearthed something far more exciting…

Good luck though!..

 

[btornado71]

Ive had some good luck. You get yerself a potato and cut it in half. Then with yor thumb press them coins into that potato. Your thumb may get sore a little becasue you have to press preety hard sometimes. Bury that coin right down in that potato as far as you can if you can cover it all up the better. Thne wait a day and that potato will get all black and grren an blue sometimes. the potato will get dry to but do not let that werry you at all. split them coins out of the potato. If you got strong fingers you can pull them coins out or pull that potato apart. If you donot have strong fingers get yerself a knive and cut carefull a round that coin. Donot cut yerself or that coin becaus you can damage the coin or hurt yorself. this hobbie is suposed to be fun and not dangorus if you catch my drift.

 

[btornado71]

I fergot to menshon that you should keep the other half of that potato. put it in a plastic baggy and zip tie it up good so no air can get in. then if you need too you can repeet that process again. you'll be suprized how nasty that potato gets while it's pullin all that gunk off yer coin. Good luck to you. If I get up that way sometime I could show you how it all works good. Good nite

 

[romeo-1]

Olive oil? Potatos? We're trying to clean coins not make a potato salad...