"V" for Very unreadable

[kbmetald]

"V" for Very unreadable

Well, the rain finally stopped. I quickly grabbed the XLT and headed out to an old youth camp with an open field. I only had a couple of hours before it would get dark but I kept the swinging steady and consistant. Along with the clad money I found three Wheaties: 39, 40, and unreadable. I also pulled out a V nickel. I'll be real lucky if I can ever pull the date off of this one. it is very worn and very corroded, but a "V" nickel is still a "V" nickel.

Ken

 

[Mona Lisa]

Re: "V" for Very unreadable

Hey..you must be hunting in my territory. My coins have that same high quality patina!

Somewhere on tnet there's a thread about removing the red color from dug nickles. I'll see if I can find it for you.

 

[kbmetald]

Re: "V" for Very unreadable

That would be excellent! Appreciate that. Not in all the areas I hunt do the coins look like this but in this particular field the red is on everything including the clads.

Ken

 

[nebstater]

Re: "V" for Very unreadable

Don't know if it will work all of the time, but many of the coins out here come out of the ground with that red patina on them. I just throw them in the rock tumbler for about 3 hours, and it takes it all off, and doesn't hurt the coins. If you leave them in there much longer, I'm sure that it would. I just use plain old gravel and water.

 

[Mona Lisa]

Re: "V" for Very unreadable

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,151030.msg1088512.html#msg1088512

Here ya go...here's one method. I'll copy and paste for you.

The salt and vinegar is KEY for nickels. I read about it here in the cleaning forum and in an old coinshooting book by Charles Garrett. Here's what you do:

1.) Take a small plastic bowl and pour in enough white vinegar to adequately cover the coin(s) you're cleaning.
2.) Then stir in a couple of tablespoons of salt (try to get all or most of it to dissolve).
3.) Drop in the coin(s) and let it sit for a few minutes. Then you have to keep an eye on it. The red staining should start to lighten. After a few minutes take a Q-tip and start rubbing the coin (still in vinegar). The red should start disappearing before your eyes. Keep going until it's all or almost completely gone. (Don't the leave the coin in any longer than necessary, or it will start to turn dull.)
4.) Take the coin out and rinse well under the faucet.
5.) Take some baking soda mixed with water, and rub the coin with it for a minute or so (this neutralizes the reaction from the salt and vinegar).
6.) Rinse again and let air dry.
7.) (Optional) Finish with a light coat of Blue Ribbon Coin Conditioner, to "seal" it and bring back some of the natural lustre.

This works like a charm! I've used it on the Buffalo, V Nickels, Flying Eagles, and more, and it works every time.

 

[kbmetald]

Re: "V" for Very unreadable

http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,151030.msg1088512.html#msg1088512

Here ya go...here's one method. I'll copy and paste for you.

Thanks, I'll give this a try. I have been doing something very similar with some decent results.

Ken

 

[kbmetald]

Re: "V" for Very unreadable

As it turns out. I was able to clean that nickel up and I got a date off of it. It was still very dificult to read but it's there--1912.

Ken