1853 Seated Half Dime

I think it may Steve although it may looked like it was cleaned a long time ago. Some collectors have developed a skill in determining that. Just leave it alone and let it tone again. Some people put them on their windowsills to help speed up the process. It does work but just make sure you where gloves when holding it. Mine developed some ugly fingerprints when I tried that method.

chesterb --

A windowsill? That's interesting...

Let me take this just a bit further (since my repeated questions don't seem to have annoyed you quite yet... :) )...as I mentioned in the other thread, I don't intend to sell my coins. I enjoy them too much. BUT -- I recognize that someday, most likely, my daughter will end up inheriting my ever-growing collection, and at that point, SHE may or may not have the sentimental attachment to them that I do -- such that the value in these coins TO HER may someday be to sell them. In that case, I want the value to be as high as possible, down the road. And from that perspective, I've just been putting them in holders, and then into my safe. BUT -- you mentioned "proper storage." If I want a coin to be both "protected," and also have a chance to develop some natural toning, what would you suggest to be "proper storage?"

Also, that "brillo pad" analogy really drives the point home, regarding cleaning. So what would you suggest I do, when I dig a nice, old coin...can you give me a few "rules of thumb" that I should follow, so as to maintain as much value as possible? Most silver comes out of the ground in nice shape, but without the "toning" that we have discussed. Right now, while out detecting, I always take bottled water (for rinsing), and several small medicine bottles for transporting the coins home -- some with water (which is where I put any old but worn coins), and some with cotton balls (which is where I put any coin that I think may be more rare, or may grade higher than usual). Once home, what would you suggest? Water rinse, and that's it -- and then into "proper storage?"

Steve

I forgot to mention, believe it or not wrapping a coin in a taco bell napkin supposedly tones a coin up very nicely.

Thanks, IndianGoldEagle!

basebal21 -- amazingly detailed and helpful info! Wow, there is so much more to it than I would have thought...but it makes sense all that you said. I fully understand that there's a tradeoff between using the "pocket piece" method, which will reduce the grade vs. letting a coin "tone" over time, but at a higher grade.

OK, so here's a question, related to any nice coin that I have dug...I'm trying to figure out how to take it from the dirt, to being a piece with the highest value possible. I used to be confused, before some of you have helped me to understand better, about the "environmental damage" thing. I'm beginning to understand that "damage" doesn't necessarily mean damage the way I would think of damage; more often than not it means the toning/coloring is not what a collector expects to see.

SO -- what I'm asking is this...is there a good "process" for me to follow, for any nice coin I happen to dig? For instance -- if I take any dug coin, rinse it with water, and then pack it in cotton balls until I get home; then, give it an acetone bath, and wrap it in a taco bell napkin, or set it on a window sill...that might be one way to do it, but I have no idea if it's a "proper" way, or maybe the best way...

Can you, or anyone, offer a "method" or "approach" for me to take? I accept that it may not be perfect, but I think most silver coins come out of the ground in decent shape (with the main issue being just how much "wear" on the details of the coin occurred before it was dropped). Most are not pitted in any way, or "damaged" otherwise. just because they were in the dirt. BUT, there is certainly not the toning or patina that is desirable...

Here's another coin I dug, that is in REALLY nice condition in my opinion, details-wise, but which doesn't have the right "toning." What do I do?





Any thoughts as to how to handle dug coins, like this one?

Steve

Very few dug coins will have much value. Only true rarities will possess much beyond the value of their metallic content. Detecting can be fun and profitable if you find silver or gold but expecting real numismatic value from coins coming out of the ground is not realistic 99% of time.

That said, preserving what you do find so it retains (or possibly gains) value is a great idea. Never abrasively clean and letting the coins rest for a few years on unfinished wood can help. Good luck!

Steve

I would probably skip the cotton packing just to make sure no hair line scratches happen. Bring some mylar flips with you and put them in there until you can get them home and rise and acetone them would be my suggestion to play it safe. Your method is likely fine but if you wanted to be extra cautious you could skip that for the coins like the last one you just posted with excellent detail.

For that one you just posted the detail on it is fantastic, the super light color not so much. That one would definitely get a lot of interest with the proper tone on it. Its a perfect candidate to be placed on wood or in an album ect and let nature do its thing.

basebal21 and 52Raymo --

Thanks for the input, guys. I realize that I'm asking questions that wouldn't usually be asked here -- and that most have probably never thought of, but I'm trying to find what to do from the point where my knowledge ends (finding them) and yours begins (how to property handle a coin).

Yeah, basebal21, even I can tell that that coloring on that quarter is "not right" from a collector's perspective, as compared to a nicely toned specimen. I love that coin, and it's one of the nicest I've found, in terms of the amount of detail; but it is frustrating that even a "dug" coin with that much detail on it really "suffers," from a "value" perspective. Again, not that I plan to ever sell it, but I sure would like to see it (and some of the other older/nicer ones I have) end up in nice enough condition from a collector's perspective that if in the future my daughter would wish to sell it, she'd get some value out of it.

THANK YOU all, for your continued help and patience in answering my questions and educating me...

Steve