Redish black colored buffalo nickel

[oxfordbrent]

The other day I found a indian head nickel, a 1923 merc dime, and a 1935 wheatie in the same hole. I soaked the nickel and the wheatie in simple green cleaner as I had read somewhere that this would clean them up. The wheatie cleaned up to a more natural light brown color and it started out black. The nickel was black and it did lighten up some, but it is now more of a reddish black color. It was a very worn nickel; the date is worn off it, so I wonder if since its worn down and the outer finish is gone, that the metal itself is just chemacally changed from being in the ground so long. Does anyone know if there is a way to clean it up so that it's more like the color it was originally? Also, why did it change to black in color? I've seen pictures of other buffs and they are usually silver in color I suppose if they have not been in the ground.

 

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[Lowbatts]

Nope, that nickel finish suffers greatly from oxidation in the dirt. ?You might find one on occassion with a lot of nickel finish still on it but only if it has been in a oxygen-deprived environment. ?Kinda like modern clad. ?But they are still cool finds! ?Nice digs!

 

[oxfordbrent]

Thanks for your replys . I didn't figure there was any way of making it look more silver colored, but I thought I'd ask.

 

[bigrig40]

nice finds! havent dug up any V or buffalo nickles that had alot of shine myself.

bigrig

 

[TORRERO]

Nickels are real bad about that, the only time I've seen a nice buffalo nickel come out of the
ground is when I've dug them in SAND...
Not on the beach, of course....
But you know I was thinking, I dug about 8 buffalo nickels on Daytona beach last Sept.
leftovers from the Hurricanes, and they all came up like black lumps of coal, only knew they were
what they were once we busted off the outer shell..
The ocean silver although blackish / gray did not come up lumped like that....

 

[gldhntr]

not that it has much to do with nickels but they are the very best thing to very gently rub its edge on your blued gun barrell to remove surface rust....just remember GENTLY!

 

[Cladius]

I have some nickles that are orange great shape just came out of a gravely beach with i assume a lot of iron in the water. Cladius.

 

[treasure_lady]

Congratulations on the neat finds!

 

[spotz]

It often pays a benefit to recheck a hole before you fill it in & move on. Good job. Spotz

 

[oxfordbrent]

It does pay to recheck the hole. I dug the hole because of the merc dime, rechecked it, found the buff, rechecked it again, found the wheatie, rechecked it again and I think there may be another coin there or two, but it was blocked by a big root and I was out of time because the Superbowl was about to start. The sight is on our farm, what was once my great grandmother's house; now my brother lives there. Next chance I get I'm going to bring a saw for the root and dig it out again.

 

[TORRERO]

It does pay to recheck the hole.? I dug the hole because of the merc dime, rechecked it, found the buff, rechecked it again, found the wheatie, rechecked it again and I think there may be another coin there or two, but it was? blocked by a big root and I was out of time because the Superbowl was about to start.? The sight is on our farm, what was once my great grandmother's house; now my brother lives there.? Next chance I get I'm going to bring a saw for the root and dig it out again.

Here's what I do,
If I get a coin in a hole and then get another, I then switch it to all metal and dig any signal within an inch or 2 of the original target,
Many times dimes and quarters and pennies will come up good, but the nickels won't read at all because of soil type or angle in the ground.
Just a suggestion.
Richard

 

[oxfordbrent]

Good suggestion Richard. I did notice that the nickel was very faint when I had it in all metal mode.