Why do dug U.S. buffalo nickels look semi rough ?

[NWMP]

Good day gentlemen. I have dug some nice U.S. coins up here, Barber silvers, Indian heads etc. I would dearly love to pop a buffalo nickel out some day. So I have taken notice of this coin when watching U.S. video digs. What puzzles me is that this coin often seems to fair a little badly from being in the ground. Is it the coins composition ?

 

[nsdq]

chemicals used over the years for weed killers fertilizers road salts etc... along with soil type and ph levels in soil

 

[Frankn]

Age takes it's toll! Frank

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

Yea, I have had Buffalos come out looking Red...Green..Black...sometimes a mixture of all of them...But again I find IH's that come out that way too

But as mentioned, its all about the chemicals and soils they are in...Ive dug some really bad looking silver near swimming pools, and they have no hope

 

[Carolina Tom]

Nickels are made of copper and nickel. These metals oxidize while in the ground. Silver does not oxidize very much. Nickel and copper oxidize quickly, especially when exposed to fertilizer... so nickels are always going to look bad coming out of the dirt. War nickels have silver instead of copper (30%), that is why they come out of the ground looking better. GL&HH!

 

[CincinnatiKid]

Great thread and comments.
Take a piece of stainless steel and lay it on top of a piece of copper for a few months. Metals react strange without fertilizers.
GL
Peace

 

[NWMP]

Thanks for the input everyone.

 

[luvsdux]

As unlikely as it would seem, soaking old red nickles in Worcestershire sauce for several days does wonders for restoring the silvery color.
luvsdux

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

As unlikely as it would seem, soaking old red nickles in Worcestershire sauce for several days does wonders for restoring the silvery color.
luvsdux

uh....WHAT?? Does it really? I have a couple Vnicks that are in great shape, just super dark colored.....You just gave me something to do tonight..lol

 

[ShovelNose]

Copper silver and Manganese. Nickel being used in tanks and other military vehicles due to the hardness.