What makes old nickels red?

[wheatfinder13]

I always find the red nickels what is that and is there any way to get that off? Thanks

 

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[CRUSADER]

iron-oxide. why get it off?

 

[wheatfinder13]

iron-oxide. why get it off?

Just curios

 

[Seener53]

If you don't have anything special you can tumble them or soak them in hot sauce but then they will turn grey.

 

[Goes4ever]

I sos all of mine, they come out awesome.... Here is a link to my site with how I do it
How To Clean your Finds | Goes4Ever

 

[wheatfinder13]

I sos all of mine, they come out awesome.... Here is a link to my site with how I do it
How To Clean your Finds | Goes4Ever

Hey thanks

 

[dougofpa]

Thanks man..I just found a buffalo the other day and wondering how to clean it...its all red as well

 

[Erik in NJ]

One word: ketchup

Put some in a small plastic bag and soak the nickel in it for a few days. Replace ketchup when it turns brown. Wash nickel with soap and water. Done.

 

[JT1080]

I sos all of mine, they come out awesome.... Here is a link to my site with how I do it
How To Clean your Finds | Goes4Ever

Thanks for this

 

[Rick (Nova Scotia)]

The main reason and answer to the question, is because your "nickels" are 75% copper. Our Canadian nickels are the same composition since 1982, and even much newer that that can come out of the ground looking bad, while the nearly pure (99%) nickel coins, prior to 1982, and back to 1922 look good.

 

[Argentium]

What we call nickels in the U.S. , Since 1866 have been composed of 75% copper /25%nickel - so I'm pretty sure that some of that copper
is leached out to the surface ,accounting for a ruddy appearance , the iron oxide mentioned by Cru, is something I hadn't considered .
Argentium.

 

[cti4sw]

iron-oxide. why get it off?

Be kinda odd to find iron oxide on a coin that doesn't contain any iron... Nickels are made of...well, nickel, with a copper core - just like quarters and dimes. The red you see is the copper leaching through and reacting with acidic chemicals in the dirt. Pre-1982 Memorial pennies do the same thing.

 

[JoeB_OH]

I find them also. Some are in fairly good condition though.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Well, they do have Indians on 'em.

 

[DCMatt]

Well, they do have Indians on 'em.

Dude... NO you didn't... Living in a town where we take crap about the name of our football team... I have no comment.

DCMatt

 

[freddy williams]

Why take away the character of the coin. Red is good... HH everyone.

 

[CRUSADER]

Be kinda odd to find iron oxide on a coin that doesn't contain any iron... Nickels are made of...well, nickel, with a copper core - just like quarters and dimes. The red you see is the copper leaching through and reacting with acidic chemicals in the dirt. Pre-1982 Memorial pennies do the same thing.

Sorry, I thought traces of iron got in most coins. Also I find coins that have picked up natural iron in the soils.

 

[Rick (Nova Scotia)]

Sorry, I thought traces of iron got in most coins. Also I find coins that have picked up natural iron in the soils.

Don't think any appology is necessary.
No question, all soils contain some amount of iron, and every find has it's own unique character / properties, like finding a good coin next to a toasted one, but like I said earlier "most" 1982 and newer Canadian nickels (75% copper) are red, black or otherwise crapy looking, while the pre 1982 Canadian nickels (99% nickel) are "usually" decent looking. Point being, Nickel is far less reactive, like the chrome on your car.

 

[BuckleBoy]

Dude... NO you didn't... Living in a town where we take crap about the name of our football team... I have no comment.

DCMatt

I'm 1/8th Cherokee and...yes I did!

 

[curbdiggercarl57]

Maybe they read a lot of Lenin and Marx?
Sorry, sorry, sorry.
Carl