To straighten or not to?

mindcrime1988 · May 9, 2016

I found this 1875 50 Pfennig coin metal detecting but as you can see a possible field plowing has bent the coin. From the research I've done I know the coin is 90% silver and I would think it should be fairly easy to straighten out since it is not bent too badly.

Has anybody had experience in accomplishing this and could give me some sound advice? I have read that the more silver content a coin has, the less chance of breakage.

xr7ator · May 9, 2016

Use wood on both sides and clamp it in a vise??

What have you got to lose?

worldtalker · May 9, 2016

Make sure it's hard wood like oak.

GOD Bless

Chris

kcm · May 9, 2016

If you don't have a vise handy, get 2 pieces of hard wood, or sandwich the coin in several layers of cloth and use with any hard surface; concrete, steel, etc. Use a hammer to lightly tap the coin. Check the coin often for flatness. You may need to flip the coin a few times before getting it really close.

Whether a vise or a hammer, don't use so much force that you disturb the coin detail.

smokeythecat · May 9, 2016

How about a clamp over the wood?

Nitric · May 9, 2016

You can kind of roll it too with wood. Another thing to consider? The damage is done! It may be "stretched" enough that it won't ever go back perfect. All of the stuff mentioned so far works! Get it "close enough" and call it good! I've over played with them and it gets too a point where it starts getting worse! :laughing7:

Flip it over, so it is on the opposite side of picture 2, and get an old maple or similar rolling pin out or hard wood! Put the coin on the counter or good spot on the cutting board! And press down hard on the rolling pin(not by handles, palms above coin) and kind of rock back and forth a couple of times.You may have to flip it over even at one point. This is why people like the wood and vice, it does it all at once. Your not really going to hurt it any worse unless you way way over do it. Pounding on it with a metal hammer will hurt it of course! It is real common to find old dimes and half dimes bent like that too, for some reason. :laughing7:

Or any of the above posts will work too! Just another way that I have seen an old coin dealer do, and he showed me, who knows if it is correct? It works. Again? chances are it will never be perfect, but you can get it a lot flatter than it is, and your not going to hurt it any worse and it will actually improve it.

Cool coin!!

Added....

Don't do this!! :laughing7:

This guy is full of BS if he thinks he isn't adding any scratches to this coin!! The silver is picking up any imperfections from the dirty old RR track or anvil and transferring it to the coin every time he hits the paint stick with the hammer! :laughing7:

I know! I've done something similar not a good idea! :BangHead: