Need help with Half Cent year

ResurrectedVirginia · Dec 2, 2014

I have an early half cent here. Ik its got to be between 1809 - 1836. Looks like and 1809. It looks like the year is right there in front of me but I don't trust the overall size of the "0" it just looks off. What's your opinion? I can get a caliper on it if that helps.

coachbedford · Dec 2, 2014

I was going to say that you can't trust your eyes with corroded coppers like this, but y know, I believe I see the shadowy '09' too. Plus on the reverse, the fairly bold style lettering of Half Cent, also fits the style of a Classic Head half cent. So I think you are right... 1809 half cent!

EasternShoreMetal · Dec 3, 2014

I'm not sure about this coin, but I might be able to help with the discovery. I have found that by creatively lighting the coins, I can get much better photographs, and by viewing the much enlarged coin,
by virtue of the photo itself, I can see details clearer than I can see in any other way, much better than direct observation. (need a camera that takes great close-ups)
Double sided lighting works very well. strong direct overhead does for certain conditions. Single side lighting is my standard. So, I start with that and slowly rotate the light 360 degrees around the sides of the coin.
Double sided is where you place one light source from one side, esp. perpendicular to the sides of each letter or number. Then the second light source is moved using direct side lighting or raising it up a little
and continually moving it until you can maximize the details. You can also add more lights, but usually need no more than 2.
Getting rubbings can be helpful as well.
If you already know all this, sorry..

ResurrectedVirginia · Dec 3, 2014

Thanks EasternShoreMetal, I am aware of the light tricks. They have helped me out with a couple of other coins. I tried my best in the pictures but they didn't come out real good and obviously the coins condition is no help either. I am not aware of "rubbings" however. What are they?

EasternShoreMetal · Dec 3, 2014

ResurrectedVirginia said:
Thanks EasternShoreMetal, I am aware of the light tricks. They have helped me out with a couple of other coins. I tried my best in the pictures but they didn't come out real good and obviously the coins condition is no help either. I am not aware of "rubbings" however. What are they?

Take a thin but strong piece of paper, like tracing paper. and place it over your coin.Then, gently, using a pc. of flat crayon or the flat side of a well sharpened pencil.. or the dull rounded tip (its just smaller) anything like that, and just rub it across your coin in one direction. It will pick up every raised area better than we can often discern them with our eyes which are confused by color variations and such.
Don't forget to rub in more than one direction too, you may pick up other details. It's not perfect, but is def. another tool in the box of discovery.
With a really corroded coin, it can be hard to tell, but on a coin with a fairly featureless surface, it can help a lot!
I should say, with each direction, move the coin on the paper... lol

EasternShoreMetal · Dec 3, 2014

There are several other techniques I have found helpful.. once you get a good photo.. as good as you can anyway, goto a graphics or photo program and play with the settings.
Making the photo greyscale helps, changing color settings can be very helpful. making a negative is amazing in what it may reveal. Adding sharpness, changing contrast, there are lots
of interesting tools that can help. That might help with this coin.

Did you clean it at all? if so, How did you clean it ? There are ways to do that that can help too.

ResurrectedVirginia · Dec 3, 2014

Ahhh gotch ya. I figured that's what you were talking about. I'll give it a try and I haven't played with any photo shops yet either. They do help a lot!!!

I cleaned it how I normally clean my good finds. First off I found it in a grazing field so almost all the dirt came right off when I pulled it out. But I clean coins by soaking them in distilled water for a while. Sometimes over night, sometimes much longer (if I forget about them

) Then I will use q tips and go to work on them till they are pretty clean or until I'm satisfied with their appearance.
It depends on the coin but sometimes I will use toothbrushes or olive oil or olive oil and baking soda. Also I often use picks.

This coin however I tried something new. I used hydrogen peroxide for one of my first times but didn't have much luck. What you see in the pics is pretty much how it came out of the ground and after the distilled water/q tip cleaning. The peroxide didn't do much but I have had good success with it on 2 other coins out of 3 total including this half cent. From now on I will try to clean with peroxide as soon as I get it out of the ground.

How do you usually clean your coins? Any secrets I haven't heard of yet? Like I said I've only tried peroxide a few times and I have never tried electrolysis.

EasternShoreMetal · Dec 3, 2014

I clean the same way, I also use an inexpensive ultrasonic cleaner that does wonders. It will not do much on corrosion, but will get dirt out of the microscopic holes in the metal.
I will private post you about others you may be interested in.

Showtime2385 · Dec 3, 2014

I just recently tried electrolysis for the first time on some flat buttons I found that came out looking like coral. Peroxide didn't make a dent. The results were amazing and I was able to read the back marks for identification.

ResurrectedVirginia · Dec 4, 2014

Thanks. I have a couple of buttons I would like to try that on.

68K · Dec 4, 2014

Here is my 1809 Half Cent I found in slightly better shape than yours.

ResurrectedVirginia · Dec 5, 2014

68k Thanks a lot for posting your coin this is what I was waiting for. Yours is beautiful by the way.

ResurrectedVirginia · Dec 6, 2014

I just looked at it some more yesterday. Pretty sure it is an 1809. Unfortunately its to beat up to see if the 9 is an error or not but I'm not complaining its still over 200 years old!!!!!