Short hunt, not much but a surprise copper.

WHADIFIND · Apr 8, 2014

Went to a park that is known for being pounded for a short walk. Going along
picking up the usual clad/junk/stuff.

Then, "as I was walking toward my car". LOL

I get one of those SWWwwweeeeet 85-87's "quarter" hit but, a faint one. Deep! But, clean,
consistent, repeatable. I said, probably a clad quarter but I listened to the hit
quite a few times before I dug. (I wanted to live with this beautiful hit for a while. They're so
far between! LOL )

I dug down and after I got to about 7-8 inches and it was still in the hole, I went into Archy mode.
Digging very, very carefully. You know, just in case.

This pops out from around 10 inches down.

Pretty dirty! But, I wouldn't rub in the field.

The flip side was no help. :dontknow:

After about an hour of some very tedious/careful tooth picking
I had to pretty much admit defeat. My eyes just cannot pick out
enough detail to identify.

The back was still no help.

I thought I'd post it to see if anyone with better eyes could
see ANY indication before I just drop it in some hot peroxide and
see what develops. :dontknow:

It weighs in at 9.35 grams, if that helps.
A shame, but, this one, maybe, should just be laid back to rest.

At least Blingie has a new "friend"

?

Thanks for peeking!

justdon · Apr 8, 2014

Some nice looking finds.Congrats.HH

megnpat · Apr 8, 2014

are those quarters next to it?

Evolution · Apr 8, 2014

Congrats on the big copper! :occasion14:

My eyes may be playing tricks on me but I think I can see a bust facing right in the third pic down. Maybe try taking a pencil rubbing of it after its all cleaned up. Maybe there's enough relief left to see on a rubbing.

treblehunter · Apr 8, 2014

I would hot peroxide it, the peroxide is going to clean the dirt and leave the metal. Just what I would do, doesn't mean that it's right. From what I can see in the pix, it should take off the dirt, you might be taking off the metal with a pic? Still I might be wrong, just the way I understand it hot peroxide does not hurt metal.

WHADIFIND · Apr 8, 2014

megnpat said:
are those quarters next to it?

Yep, those are clad quarters. It appears to be the right size for a large cent. :dontknow:

WHADIFIND · Apr 8, 2014

Evolution said:
Congrats on the big copper! My eyes may be playing tricks on me but I think I can see a bust facing right in the third pic down. Maybe try taking a pencil rubbing of it after its all cleaned up. Maybe there's enough relief left to see on a rubbing.

No, I thought I saw the same thing. That's why I oriented the coin in the spot I did. But, it's just a guess on my part.

Thanks!

WHADIFIND · Apr 8, 2014

treblehunter said:
I would hot peroxide it, the peroxide is going to clean the dirt and leave the metal. Just what I would do, doesn't mean that it's right. From what I can see in the pix, it should take off the dirt, you might be taking off the metal with a pic? Still I might be wrong, just the way I understand it hot peroxide does not hurt metal.

Peroxide can work. Trouble is that a coin just has to have some detail left for it to do any good. From my own experience, this coin is not a good candidate for getting much better. Just thought I'd toss it out there first. It's been underground for God knows how long, I felt it deserves a bit of respect. Unfortunately, don't think I'm going to get much off this one. :dontknow:

The toothpick was used very, very gently. So as to not disturb what might be left. It's worked before, sometimes.

Thanks for the help!

megnpat · Apr 8, 2014

looks like a large cent to me think i can see some detail but its hard to say

Old Dude · Apr 10, 2014

Those old coppers without any detail used to be the rarest of the rare colonial coppers ( at least that's what I tell myself that mine are, lol! ). I am sure people are aghast when I use electrolysis on my old dateless LC's, but you can't harm what isn't there. I would never sell any of mine because their value just isn't worth what I place on them simply because I found them doing something I really love doing. Does Blingie like sushi? He looks hungry, lol.

Ahab8 · Apr 10, 2014

I just had a small coin that was one of the worst I'd ever seen. Said what the hell and put it in hp before work. 12 hours later I dipped a qtip in hp and started working it. Unfortunately I didn't get any before pics. The 1760 HIBERNIA I just dug looked terrible too. After the hp it was beautiful. I always figure it's better than having a dirty old coin that you will never see any detail on. Good luck bud

That ih was the worst I'd ever seen. If there's any good defined detail under there you can get to it eventually. Show us how it turns out

cti4sw · Apr 10, 2014

Agreed with the hot peroxide. Looks like a Draped Bust to me.

WHADIFIND · Apr 10, 2014

Here's a little object lesson in the cleaning of coins.

First of all, let me make sure that no one thinks I'm putting anyone or anything down. Nor am I trying to say I'm the be all to end all of cleaning coins. But, after all these years, I have developed a knack for recognizing when a coin will lend itself to being improved.

Let's face it, sometimes, more than 100 years in the ground is just too much. Sometimes, it's not and recognizing when it's better to not try can be tricky. I knew, for sure, that this coin was saying, "I'm tired! Please just let me rest!"

LOL I knew that any attempt to improve what I showed in the pics above would just take away from this coin. I knew I had nothing to lose on this one so for those who are great proponents of the hot peroxide techniques. Be careful and evaluate your coin well. Or it just might come out like this:

And, don't try to tell me, you left it in too long, you didn't use a cotton swab, or it was too hot, or I shouldn't have used the brillo pad. LOL

I have had a LOT of beautiful results with this technique. But, the coins had potential. This one, did not.

Ok, school's out!

Now go find some more!

LOL

Ahab8 · Apr 11, 2014

WHADIFIND said:
Here's a little object lesson in the cleaning of coins. First of all, let me make sure that no one thinks I'm putting anyone or anything down. Nor am I trying to say I'm the be all to end all of cleaning coins. But, after all these years, I have developed a knack for recognizing when a coin will lend itself to being improved. Let's face it, sometimes, more than 100 years in the ground is just too much. Sometimes, it's not and recognizing when it's better to not try can be tricky. I knew, for sure, that this coin was saying, "I'm tired! Please just let me rest!" LOL I knew that any attempt to improve what I showed in the pics above would just take away from this coin. I knew I had nothing to lose on this one so for those who are great proponents of the hot peroxide techniques. Be careful and evaluate your coin well. Or it just might come out like this: <img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=976245"/><img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=976246"/> And, don't try to tell me, you left it in too long, you didn't use a cotton swab, or it was too hot, or I shouldn't have used the brillo pad. LOL I have had a LOT of beautiful results with this technique. But, the coins had potential. This one, did not. Ok, school's out! Now go find some more! LOL

You are absolutely right! The coin has got to have some definition and relief to the detail. My point was that if I have a coin that I can't see anything on and never will be able to then I will always attempt something. If it doesn't work I've still just got an unidentified coin with less crud :-)

AnnieF · Apr 11, 2014

How about just boiling water? What could that hurt? I mean, I get it, but water? That can't hurt anything can it? Just let it sit and boil a while.

WHADIFIND · Apr 11, 2014

AnnieF said:
How about just boiling water? What could that hurt? I mean, I get it, but water? That can't hurt anything can it? Just let it sit and boil a while.

Some will tell you that even plain water can destroy a coin.

It all depends on the condition of the coin. Take for example one of those indian head pennies that has that wonderful, smooth, green patina. Lot's of detail showing. Now, I'm not in anyway a chemistry major but believe that all that green is oxidation. Simple water would probably not harm it much and it should remove the soil. Leaving a very nice old coin, with lots of detail, just green. But, if you decide to go further, trying to get the penny closer to the original penny color. You remove the green and , (if it runs deep enough into the coin), you wind up with one that looks like my coin up there.

You have to determine where the detail lies. Is it actual metal of the coin or is it in the oxidation or, (like my coin), is the detail visible only the difference between the light and shadows of the raised, dry soil&corrosion on the coin.

If it's the latter and you wash away the soil, you also wash away the details.

Just have to be careful and decide if anything is to be gained. I've learned to recognize ones that will lend themselves to improvement.
I've had beautiful results on some, the others, I just don't try. My take on it, that's all.

HH!

SCDigginWithAK · Apr 11, 2014

The water can destroy a copper coin. I have learned the hard way. I don't use water on anything copper anymore. I even ruined a first year copper Yale lock by doing so. I highly regret it.