Buffalo Nickel: Working On A Dateless Nickel With Weak Acid.

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Author	Replies: 8 / Views: 434
Brandmeister Pillar of the Community United States 6451 Posts	Posted 03/15/2026 11:02 pm On a prior thread about Nic-a-date, I remembered someone (possibly Jbuck) describe soaking a dateless Buffalo nickel in vinegar and peroxide. I found a dateless buff while CRH, so I decided to try it out. I think Nic-a-date nickels look terrible with the big stains, so I hoped this would be more subtle. After 36 hours of soaking in vinegar and salt (I didn't have peroxide), the date is now barely visible. The coin surface is stripped and dull, partly from losing the dirt and partly from metal damage. But it was neat to try the technique. I might bury the coin in my windowsill plant and see if I can get some of the character back. =) Report this Post to the Staff

nickelsearcher Moderator United States 15386 Posts	Posted 03/16/2026 06:00 am Interesting experiment. Let us know how the retoning goes. Take a look at my other hobby ... http://www.jk-dk.art Report this Post to the Staff
jbuck Moderator United States 187582 Posts	Posted 03/16/2026 11:22 am A worthy experiment. I may have been the one who pointed you to CCF member weerdsteev, who was pretty adept at treating whole nickels to prevent that ugly spot in the date area. Coin Collector Since 1978 Avatar Old Avatar 7070 Eisenhower Australia Canada World CCF Members on eBay CCF eBay Search Engine Report this Post to the Staff
Errers and Varietys Bedrock of the Community United States 73606 Posts	Posted 03/16/2026 9:17 pm It worked. Errers and Varietys. Report this Post to the Staff
Dearborn Moderator United States 94672 Posts	Posted 03/16/2026 9:20 pm pretty nice work Brand! So now we wait to see what the wet dirt will do to it... Collecting since 1972. Learning from then on "Tell me and I forget. Teach me and I remember. Involve me and I learn." - Benjamin Franklin 7070 type set coin count: 51/76 Uncirculated American Silver Eagles My American Silver Eagle Proof Collection Sacagawea Dollars Innovation Dollars Eisenhower-Dollars Kennedy-Half Dollars Washington-Quarters Roosevelt-Dimes Buffalo-Nickels 1938-2005 Jefferson-Nickels Lincoln-Cents Report this Post to the Staff
Ballyhoo Pillar of the Community United States 1613 Posts	Posted 03/17/2026 08:26 am That's a concoction I haven't heard of. Vinegar is obviously acidic, which is not good for metal, while peroxide works to remove organic material. Salt, I believe, may be corrosive to nickel. Long term after the fact? Either way, that was a great coin to experiment with, and the rusults were surprisingly somewhat possitive. ANA member - PAN Member - BCCS Member There are no problems only solutions - the late, great John Lennon Report this Post to the Staff
Brandmeister Pillar of the Community United States 6451 Posts	Posted 03/17/2026 12:16 pm Well, two days in the houseplant soil produced a lot of staining. I snapped these pics and re-buried the nickel. The surface still has that too-smooth feeling of being overly cleaned. I don't think that burial is going to result in the same staining pattern as decades of wear and use. Report this Post to the Staff
jbuck Moderator United States 187582 Posts	Posted 03/17/2026 12:33 pm Interesting. Coin Collector Since 1978 Avatar Old Avatar 7070 Eisenhower Australia Canada World CCF Members on eBay CCF eBay Search Engine Report this Post to the Staff
52Raymo Pillar of the Community United States 8515 Posts	Posted 03/18/2026 8:42 pm The date will be very fragile and will disappear just by touching it. White vinegar and salt works best but it will make the coin look funky. Oregon coin geek.....* GO BEAVS ! ! ! * Report this Post to the Staff
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