The side in the picture is the good side. The other side has various layers of green and a little purple around the rim of one side. Would someone please give me some cleaning tips that won't damage it? Thanks and happy digging.
It can never be restored to a pre dirt condition but it can be preserved. First when you get home ID the coin and when its not epic rare and you are going to keep it anyway clean it with soap and water like Smokey says. I've been toothpicking them on occasion but its a dangerous game. When the coin is really dry I seal mine with a finger dab of Vaseline and put it in my book or in a container with other largies and one of those moisture sucking caplets that come inside pill bottles. The Vaseline keeps air off it. Air and moisture lead to further decay. It also gives it a more legible look like when its wet but Vaseline does not have a PH so it does not seem to damage the coin and loosens grit over time.
congratulations, it is so much fun pulling a large cent out of the ground, cause you know that it is old before you clean it off. I have 4 of them, and they all have a hole in them
Thanks everyone - I worked a long time to finally find a gem. It was green and heavy and I knew it was special. Funny how I used to dig 3 feet to find a penny from the 90's when it only took a few inches to find an old one!