Hispania Silver and Thanksgiving me the Gold!!!

surfnturf · Nov 29, 2011

Thanksgiving week hunts in the low low tide cut!!! I Love my first 1724 Spanish 2 Reales!!!!! :icon_pirat:

SnT

Mackaydon · Dec 1, 2011

Looking forward to seeing what that 'black' coin looks like after you clean it up.

surfnturf · Dec 1, 2011

SoreKneesDayton said:
Great rings and cool Reale. Are those all Boston area finds?

SKD,
Thanks! Yes all finds were wet sand and water finds at the same spot in Mass!!

SnT

surfnturf · Dec 1, 2011

Mackaydon said:
Looking forward to seeing what that 'black' coin looks like after you clean it up.

Don,
The black coin is the 2 Reales!! Found in the water at chest deep! Had a good feeling about the coin cause I could just make out the shield or it was my imagination wanting to see it!! Some might cringe but I had to find out what it is, soooo in the electrolysis it went 2 Min's. then washed with water and I knew I had a reales!!! 1 more min in and then cleaned with dish soap and toothbrush!!!

Thanks again for the proper ID! Love learning the history!!

Snt

Mackaydon · Dec 1, 2011

OK, the 'hook' on the black coin must have been just crude that came off with your treatment.
Your coin looks great.
Don.......

petersra · Dec 6, 2011

Don,
The black coin is the 2 Reales!! Found in the water at chest deep! Had a good feeling about the coin cause I could just make out the shield or it was my imagination wanting to see it!! Some might cringe but I had to find out what it is, soooo in the electrolysis it went 2 Min's. then washed with water and I knew I had a reales!!! 1 more min in and then cleaned with dish soap and toothbrush!!!

Thanks again for the proper ID! Love learning the history!!

Snt
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I have had difficulty getting your kind of results cleaning crusty silver using electrolysis, or any other method for that matter. That was a real crusty coin. What do you use as your electrolyte in the water when you do electrolysis? I have a stainless steel anode and use washing soda as the electrolyte with a very low amp 7 volt power source....... Beautiful finds by the way. HH, Ralph

Mackaydon · Dec 6, 2011

For those real 'crusties', I place baking soda on a patch of tin foil, place the coin on top and fold up the foil (loosely) around the coin-then submerge in distilled water. Watch it 'boil' and check periodically. The coin may, eventually, come out to be a 'razor' (thin), but at least I can then ID it. No doubt some here will cringe.

surfnturf · Dec 6, 2011

Ralph,
Thanks, I use an old cell phone charger (1A output)! Alligator clips stainless steel spoons, knifes ones I have found hunting!
My solution mix is roughly 1/2 lemon squeezed juice and 4 table spoons salt into 1/2 gallon water! Depending on the ticket I will finish with a jewelers silver cleaning cloth(5$). When electrolyzing make sure the ticket is cover with solution and it starts to bubble with in 20 to 40 sec., when it bubbles it's working! Depending on the ticket, I'll let it cook for 3 to 6 Min's. and or repeat if necessary!!

Good luck hope this helps....... SnT

P.S. always unplug power when handling with H2O!!!!!!

petersra · Dec 10, 2011

I too use a cell phone charger for my power supply. Cost me $1 at a Habitat for Humanity store. I know salt is an effective electrolyte, but I thought that was what you were trying to get out of the silver coin.... Lemon juice is acid so I guess that works too. I will have to try the salt/lemon juice combo on one of my highly tarnished silver items and see how it works. Thanks for sharing. Ralph