Im pretty sure i ruined an 1813 large cent

[borntohunt460]

Sorry that I don't have any before pictures but here it is. I hunted a spot that's been producing some awesome coins and after all afternoon this was my last hole. I nicked the back of the coin with my shovel but I wasn't really that tore up about it. When I got home and rinsed it off I saw that it was an 1813 and my oldest coin ever. I figured that since I already screwed it up with my shovel id give peroxide a chance. In hindsight I wouldn't have done it. The LC seemed like a good candidate and there didn't seem to be corrosion. But it's so dark now and on the back it looks like the "N" in one came off. Not sure but it's a orange color and not raised

Oh well. I'm pretty bummed and will take all cleaning advice with a grain of salt from now on

 

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[grasshopper]

Personally, I have never had luck with peroxide, olive oil, or any other cleaning agents for copper coins. It seems that even water makes them look worse.

Unless it's already at the point where I can't read anything, I usually just leave them alone or just brush with dry toothbrush.

 

[detroitdigger]

Really cool find regardless! You could try boiling peroxide, just heat it up in microwave for 10 seconds, repeat as necessary. HH.

 

[testing123]

I tried warm peroxide before and wasn't a fan of the results. I think it made it worse for me too so I don't do it anymore. I just use mineral oil now. But either way a classic head is a scarce LC to find!

 

[gleaner1]

If you never boogered up a lc, you aint never tected.

 

[Iron Patch]

I can guarantee there's just as much metal on that coin as you started with. The only difference is the peroxide cleaned the dirt away, and some of the lighter corrosion that was on the coin. Actually, water, either before or after the hp soak would have done that. So you definitely have nothing to be bothered about.

 

[gleaner1]

It was a gonner right out of the ground. Some judicious peroxide would have been complimentary at best. At least you did not sand blast it like I did with my first, an 1809 of all.

 

[treblehunter]

You didn't hurt it, at least you didn't get the dremel out and grind off everything, ha you still got a coin I can read the date on your pic. Iv'e dug LC's you can't barely figure out what they are and some I still don't know what they are. You have a nice find there, go back and find another one close by where you found that one. I like grasshoppers method, at least starting out.

 

[ironhorse]

Experience cleaning coins only comes by doing it


An all but worthless coin is the ones to practice on , and practice will be your only way of getting better at it

at least you used a sensible method, there are lots of people f-ing up better coins with harsher methods and results,
not every coin needs to be cleaned, some are ruined by nature and that's something cleaning won't improve

 

[mariposagold]

1813 LC, Wow. Condition out the window. that is an excellent find. If you don't feel like doing a happy dance, I'll do it for you.

Congrats

HH
Mariposa Gold.

 

[CladGrabber]

I personally have never had any luck with peroxide.

 

[gleaner1]

Peroxide is amazing.

 

[CladGrabber]

Always makes mine looked dryed out

 

[Msbeepbeep]

Congrats none the less, you did save it, while you could still read the date!
I have a LC chain cent can't read the date it's been soaking in olive oil for years, not getting any better.
I also scratched my first Barber dime...sigh, hard lesson.

 

[Mach1Pilot]

Don't worry so much about the condition at this point - any copper dug makes for a good day. Congrats on your oldest coin!

 

[eagleforce]

That coin is still on my list. Congrats on that find!!

 

[fmerg]

have a life time count of 108 large copper coins i can tell ya that when they come out of the ground you get what you get

 

[gsxraddict]

if you think it's ruined, then you can't hurt it to put it back in some peroxide and finish the process...

 

[Kaleb71386]

I never clean my older coins with any thing but water. It works if you freeze the coin in water then thaw it out repeat it a few times. I did it with a 1901 penny worked good. But I know vinegar and salt works,I only clean coins I'm going to cash in. I feel your pain I hit a larg international harvester token from the 30s

 

[Papa Bear]

Really cool find regardless! You could try boiling peroxide, just heat it up in microwave for 10 seconds, repeat as necessary. HH.

Agreed! Boiling works.