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1964 Nickels Wrecked With Tarn-X

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Pillar of the Community
United States
968 Posts
 Posted 09/15/2011  02:01 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Saruma to your friends list
I assume he means that he thought TarnX would make the coins nice and shiny and silver colored again. I'm guessing it turned the nickels reddish brown. At least that was what I was thinking when I posted above.


Pinky, I guess I should add that there are very few situations where you want to clean a coin. Your coins are already trashed so my suggestions won't hurt. Don't use TarnX again even if you have a real silver coin and don't wipe them either.
Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts
 Posted 09/15/2011  3:07 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add just carl to your friends list

Many substances can change the color of coins. Some dishsoaps change coins blue for example. Tarn-X is basically for cleaning metals of all types. However, pending on if the stuff you used was also used prrviously for something else, could have left a layer of something on the coins too. Also, it is obvious that the Tarn-X reacted with Nickel/Copper.
It is possible to make them look like a Nickel again but might mess them up even more and the cost is really not worth the effort. If you feel like experimenting, you could try dipping them further in Olive Oil, boiling them in water on the stove, soaking them in Vinegar or even Lemon Juice. Some people use Tomato Juice, Lime Juice, battery acid or Acetone too. You could check to see if there is any Jewlery cleaner in the house and use some of that.
HOWEVER, since some are 1964, I'd just spend those.
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 Posted 09/15/2011  4:49 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add pinky to your friends list
Well, you guys are sure helpful, and friendly too! As if you couldn't tell, I don't know anything about coins. I had this roll of nickels which had belonged to my grandparents and my grandfather had written 'silver' on the roll... so, I guess what I'm getting from you guys is that there were no silver nickels. I had expected to sell them.

Thanks for the responses!

Valued Member
United States
370 Posts
 Posted 09/15/2011  4:56 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Lion4Life to your friends list

Quote:
guess what I'm getting from you guys is that there were no silver nickels.


The only silver nickels made were from 1942 to 1945, they can be easily identified by the large mint mark over the dome of Monticello.
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United States
19964 Posts
 Posted 09/15/2011  5:45 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add BadThad to your friends list
Welcome to CC!

1) NEVER clean coins
2) Once cleaned, you've crossed the line and there's no turning back.
Lincoln Cent Lover!
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https://verdi.care/
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United States
3039 Posts
 Posted 09/15/2011  8:30 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add numismo to your friends list
pinky. As you saw, you'll always get helpful advice from the forum members.
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 Posted 09/15/2011  11:06 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add murrellington to your friends list

Quote:
Well, you guys are sure helpful, and friendly too! As if you couldn't tell, I don't know anything about coins. I had this roll of nickels which had belonged to my grandparents and my grandfather had written 'silver' on the roll... so, I guess what I'm getting from you guys is that there were no silver nickels. I had expected to sell them.

Thanks for the responses!


Like previously mentioned, silver nickels were minted during World War II and can be identified by the large mint mark on the reverse above the Monticello building. If they were not in that great of condition and you cleaned them, then it still isn't that big of a deal. There were no real key dates for War Nickels. You could still sell them for their silver value. Although you won't get as close to the spot price because the nickels are only like 35% silver or something like that.
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 Posted 08/02/2014  11:31 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add TheSilversmith to your friends list
Tarn-X is Dangerous & Destructive!

As a specialist in silver restoration, conservation, and preservation, I have many years of knowledge about chemical dips, especially Tarn-X. I routinely receive objects for refinishing due to damage from this horribly destructive product.

Tarn-X works by dissolving the tarnish (and silver!) on an object at an accelerated rate.

Tarn-X will quickly remove factory-applied patinas (if left in the solution for more than a few seconds) or gradually (if dipped quickly each time the object requires cleaning). You'll notice a soft white surface develop over time.

Tarn-X will quickly strip the shine from silver, leaving a dull, lifeless appearance.

Tarn-X will cause pitting of the object's surface. These surface defects will act like a sponge and more readily absorb tarnish-producing gases and moisture. The object will eventually require professional polishing to restore the original finish.

Tarn-X is made up of acidified thiourea (a known carcinogen). Acids are corrosive and will damage silver, niello, bronze, stainless steel knife blades, and organic materials such as wood and ivory.

Tarn-X, when used on objects that have sealed components, such as candlesticks and trophies with hollow feet, or teapots with hollow handles, may leak into the cavity through small holes or imperfections in the joints. At this point, it becomes virtually impossible to wash the chemical out. If you're working on a baby cup with this type of rim, do you really want an infant drinking from it after using Tarn-X?

And these are the results from using Tarn-X: http://www.hermansilver.com/tarn-x.htm.


1964-Nickels-Wrecked-With-Tarn-X
Edited by TheSilversmith
08/02/2014 11:32 pm
Pillar of the Community
United States
2368 Posts
 Posted 08/03/2014  07:28 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add wheatchaser140 to your friends list
Knowing not to clean coins is an important lesson to learn. I'm glad that the coins you learned this on weren't worth much to begin with! Well, now you know and keep enjoying the hobby!
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 Posted 08/03/2014  12:44 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add BadToTheBone to your friends list
Cleaning coins is really not the best way to go....One must be careful with what one uses but more on that later.
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 Posted 08/03/2014  2:00 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add denco7 to your friends list
to the forum Silversmith'

Always good to have people knowledgeable in precious metals.
Just curious though, what brought you here to reply to a three year old thread ?
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2 Posts
 Posted 08/03/2014  2:30 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add TheSilversmith to your friends list
The reason for my post is that I travel the Web looking for mention of Tarn-X so I can educate the public. As you saw from the images, Tarn-X is nothing but dangerous to you and your metal. Jel-Mar, makers of Tarn-X, has never debated my findings and probably never will.
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56855 Posts
 Posted 08/03/2014  4:10 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add John1 to your friends list
TheSilversmith,
Being a professional can you recommend the safest cleaner for silver and for copper and nickel?
John1
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1247 Posts
 Posted 08/03/2014  5:13 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add stampvirgin to your friends list
There is probably nothing really safe to clean metals with..
People clean silver to make it shiny, not to keep a patina..

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United States
396 Posts
 Posted 08/04/2014  12:19 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add BigAppleBucky to your friends list

Quote:
vanbroj

If it makes you feel any better those coins are most likely not high value...


Twice, when coin roll hunting, I saved out enough 1964 Jeffersons to make entire rolls of 40 with left over coins.

1919 Lincoln cents and 1964 Jefferson nickels seem to follow me. I don't exactly hate them because, afterall, they are coins, but I'm far from thrilled when seeing them.
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