Silver and corrosion

[robaz]

I live in Arizona, when I dig up coins they always have the same deep reddish/brown corrosion on them that makes reading dates almost impossible. I was wondering what happens to silver in this hot dry climate. If I was to dig a silver dime or quarter, would it also have the same look? The reason I ask is that I would prefer not to clean every coin I find in the hopes that under the corrosion is a silver coin. I collect coins as well, so I am not one for cleaning any coin but if they are all clad I plan on getting a tumbler when I get enough of them and just use that to get them to go through a coinstar or take to the bank.

Robaz

 

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[SusanMN]

Can't say what happens in Arizona, but generally silver doesn't corrode unless it sits in or under water for years. As to clad, there is no need to tumble discolored clad coins. As long as they are free of dirt they will run through coin counting machines just fine. The only thing coin star type machines kick out are silver coins, bent or damaged coins and foreign coins.

 

[bfloyd4445]

I would guess there is lots of iron in the soil and what you are seeing is iron oxide sticking to the coins. Is the soil a bit redish in color?

 

[Tom_in_CA]

my guess is that the color of the clad you are getting, is going to be vastly different than the color of silver coins you will get. The silver will either be shiny and nice. Or if it IS discolored and tarnished, it certainly won't be the same color/type corrosion you've been seeing on your clad. Perhaps it will be greyish. Versus that brownish orange seen on clad.

In extreme cases of silver corrosion (like wet beach salt), it will turn silver coins black. But we spot silver coins from a mile away when beach hunting, because clad will turn green-ish, whereas silver turns grey-ish black with salt.

 

[robaz]

I would guess there is lots of iron in the soil and what you are seeing is iron oxide sticking to the coins. Is the soil a bit redish in color?

A bit nah, pretty darn red, yeah.