I found chain cent today.

[Ruslanmd]

I am afraid to clean it.....

 

[SilverDreams]

Congrats on the awesome find!

 

[pointshunter]

NO do not clean it ! I found a large cent from 1813 and it was green I had no idea what it was when I picked it up from the field . I went home and took a toothbrush to it and almost ruined it!

 

[DJWEHAGE]

WOW!! Definately on most THer's wish list. Banner from me.

 

[dig kzoo]

Congrats! what a rare find!!!!!

 

[CMDiamonddawg]

Exciting dig , top on many digger wishlists , may I suggest you try to get some outdoor pics with macro setting on a digital camera .

 

[oldsalty19]

 

[Iron Patch]

Judging by that picture I don't think there's any debate whether to clean because it looks like there's nothing to clean.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Afraid to clean it? You already did, it appears--With WATER!

That's a shame.

 

[granthansen]

Afraid to clean it? You already did, it appears--With WATER!

That's a shame.

Do you really think cleaning it off with water is that bad? It's been subject to abrasive soil, weather, elements, etc., for over 100 years. I would say most coins I find aren't identifiable until I soak the crud off. What would you suggest as an alternative? Not trying to be confrontational, I'm sincerely asking... I'd have a ton of coins with caked on dirt without knowing what they were unless I soaked the mud off. Much better than rubbing it off I'd say!

 

[hamiddetecting]

Nice

 

[LuckyThirteen08]

Awesome,Thanks for sharing!!!

HH,John

 

[Hendrix]

Very cool. I'm ashamed to say that I had to google "chain cent"! I had forgotten about that coin.

 

[CMDiamonddawg]

Maybe it's me , the more I gawk at the pic the less eye see

 

[Ruslanmd]

BucleBoy,had no water on this one, but it did come out of the wet ground

 

[Ruslanmd]

I did put it in olive oil for now.All I can do just wait

 

[RobRieman]

Do you really think cleaning it off with water is that bad? It's been subject to abrasive soil, weather, elements, etc., for over 100 years. I would say most coins I find aren't identifiable until I soak the crud off. What would you suggest as an alternative? Not trying to be confrontational, I'm sincerely asking... I'd have a ton of coins with caked on dirt without knowing what they were unless I soaked the mud off. Much better than rubbing it off I'd say!

What good is a pile of dirt that you think might be a coin? I fully understand that cleaning a coin that is in good shape will lower its value but something that is not even recognizable has nothing to lose on condition. It's neat because you find something very rare and have a piece of history in your hand. But as far as changing the value of a coin that is not even able to be graded by cleaning it I just don't understand the logic. Clean it so you can tell what it is, display it as a cool find and enjoy it.

 

[Erik in NJ]

It's a great find no doubt, but I'm curious as to what a Chain Cent in that condition (barely recognizable) is worth? I'm hoping that someone here can give us an idea. I'd be curious as to what the alternative to using water is too as I would have washed the dirt off with water first, then tried hot peroxide. I'm willing to be educated Buck

 

[bountyhuntergirl86]

~׶•°π√£{BANNER}£√𰕶×~

 

[Iron Patch]

What good is a pile of dirt that you think might be a coin? I fully understand that cleaning a coin that is in good shape will lower its value but something that is not even recognizable has nothing to lose on condition. It's neat because you find something very rare and have a piece of history in your hand. But as far as changing the value of a coin that is not even able to be graded by cleaning it I just don't understand the logic. Clean it so you can tell what it is, display it as a cool find and enjoy it.

There is most definitely is something to lose if you go from identifiable to copper disc. Not all things cleaned come out better.

 

[Iron Patch]

It's a great find no doubt, but I'm curious as to what a Chain Cent in that condition (barely recognizable) is worth? I'm hoping that someone here can give us an idea. I'd be curious as to what the alternative to using water is too as I would have washed the dirt off with water first, then tried hot peroxide. I'm willing to be educated Buck

Worth much more to the finder because very few prospective buyers will take the circumstances of the find into account, because they don't know them, or can't be sure, and with such poor condition I doubt anyone can say with a high degree of certainty it's genuine. I doubt a grading service would touch it for the same reasons, so it's a tough sell. I think you can forget looking at the book value and it's just like a lot of the stuff we find that's only worth what someone is willing to pay. I buy quite a bit of coins and would not touch it, not for what someone would need who found it, because it should mean more to them.


If you want a good example of this Search Higley copper. You should find a thread on a coin that sure looks like it's one... but that finder was in the same boat. It would have been worth thousands, but there's just not enough to say it's genuine, and graders won't guess, they want to be sure. What it's worth now is hard to say, but most definitely WAY WAY less than had he been able to get it authenticated.