I found this Delaware quarter in the bottom of a box of office stuff. Not sure what happened to it, but it looks like the edge has been removed or something. Any ideas?
You used to be able to get acids in the drugstore, and I experimented a lot as a kid. They used to sell "Coin-Date" to bring up dates on Buffalo nickels (Nitric Acid?). Somewhere I have a Whitman board with an almost-complete set of Buffalos with "restored" dates. Hydrochloric and sulfuric acids will dissolve copper, time depending on the strength of the acid. The copper-nickel exterior of a modern US coin will discolor, but resist the acids. Crime lab scientists can bring up serial numbers of firearms the same way that you can bring up a nickel date. The acid etches away the softer background and exposes the more compressed metal that has been struck up or punched down into the surface. In the 1960s, collectors wanted their coins clean-looking, and a lot of copper coins were ruined by soaking in vinegar and salt. Ugh!
Disclaimer: While a tremendous amount of effort goes into ensuring the accuracy of the information contained in this site, Coin Community assumes no liability for errors. Copyright 2005 - 2026 Coin Community Family- all rights reserved worldwide. Use of any images or content on this website without prior written permission of Coin Community or the original lender is strictly prohibited. Contact Us | Advertise Here | Privacy Policy / Terms of Use