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 Replies: 17 / Views: 3,415 |
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Rest in Peace
United States
5375 Posts |
So I just got this 1854 dime in the mail for basically nothing, because it had a little bit of solder on the reverse and in the photos it looked really terrible. Thing is, the coin doesn't look anything like in the photos...instead of dull etc it's almost prooflike and rainbow toned....and might even be unc. I'd like to get the solder removed if possible because even if it left a mark it'd probably sell for more to someone budgeting a type set. But I have to be careful given the coin.
Thanks in advance.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
9792 Posts |
If it was that cheap, it might be worth keeping anyways, if it's worth a bunch in the higher grade without the solder look into NCS - http://www.ncscoin.com/Worth at least contacting them for an idea on the cost of conservation. Otherwise I'd just return it for a full refund if you are able. "Buy the Book Before You Buy the Coin" - Aaron R. Feldman - "And read it" - Me 2013! ANA Life Member #3288 in good standing since 1981, ANS, Early American Coppers Member (EAC), Colonial Coin Collectors Club member (C4), Conder Token Collector Club member (CTCC), Civil War Token Society (CWTS) member, Liberty Seated Collectors Club (LSCC) & Numismatic Bibliomania Society member (NBS), USMex, Member in good standing, 2¢ variety collector. See my want page: http://goccf.com/t/140440Edited by westcoin
02/14/2012 01:59 am
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19958 Posts |
Why not just use a soldering iron to reheat it and a desoldering bulb to remove it?
Lincoln Cent Lover!VERDI-CARE™ INVENTOR https://verdi.care/
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
In most instances where people try to melt such solders, they find that they run and spread out. This makes it even more unsightly. Without really knowing what type of Solder it is, and you don't even really know if it is Solder, attempts to just melt it may prove to be a dissaster.
As already noted if the coin could be worth enough, there are professional places that may know how to make it better but probably never really get it all off. There are so many different types of Solder with so many different melting points and without that info, might well completely ruin the coin. And then too, if you plan on keeping it, I'd just leave it alone. If planning reselling it, possibly send to a place that may be able to fix it.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
4411 Posts |
I can put my hand up and say I've ruined a coin by trying to remove solder. It simply spread out and was very hard to actually remove. Went from bad to worse!
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Valued Member
United States
172 Posts |
I would take it to a jeweler who makes and repairs silver jewelry. Induction heating might help.
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Rest in Peace
 United States
5375 Posts |
Thanks for the responses everyone, just have a minute, but to westcoin I got it for basically nothing and I knew the coin was damaged in some way ahead of time so I didn't bid anywhere close to $100. I think it was $15.
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Moderator
 United States
188770 Posts |
I would leave it alone. I would hate for it to end up looking worse.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
14454 Posts |
I am in the leave it alone bunch because you can cause more harm by trying to improve the coins looks. I do not know what it looks like right now since there is no pictures but the only way I would even attempt to do this is if there were big clumps of solder that I could thin out by heating and removing allot of it with a bulb like mentioned above. Even this would be tricky and if I wasn't pretty fluent with a soldering iron I probably wouldn't even attempt this even in that case.
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Rest in Peace
United States
9104 Posts |
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Rest in Peace
United States
5375 Posts |
Yeah, the other issue is that the obverse is unharmed, so ruining it would be really bad if it affected the front. It may be better to just keep it as a 'hey look this coin has an awesome obverse and you won't look at the reverse' kind of type coin.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
Quote:
Why not just use a soldering iron to reheat it and a desoldering bulb to remove it? That might work IF it is a lead or tin based solder. If it is a silver solder forget it. You will have to heat it hot enough that you will lose your rainbow toning and may cause other damage unless you can do your heating in an inert atmosphere. |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1502 Posts |
Quote:
That might work IF it is a lead or tin based solder. If it is a silver solder forget it. You will have to heat it hot enough that you will lose your rainbow toning and may cause other damage unless you can do your heating in an inert atmosphere. Exactly. Tin and Lead solder will come off relatively easily with some copper mesh to soak up the solder (put mesh over solder and iron the mesh). With silver solder there's a good chance that the coin and solder are now one. |
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Valued Member
United States
318 Posts |
Is it possible that the heat from the solder was what caused the toning in the first place?
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
As I noted previously if you do not know what type of Solder was used, there is a good chance you'll ruin the coin long before you get it off. More than likely enough heat was used to place it there to fuse it to the metal of the coin. Removing that so called Solder may also remove some of the coin. As mentioned before Solder could be and usually is composed of a massive variety to substances to produce different end results. Solders melt from about 190 to 840 degrees F, pending on the type so a soldering Iron may prove completely futile and a small torch may prove to end the coins usability completely. One other solution is to use an Arc Welders Torch to melt the entire coin into a lump of Silver. Then you could show it to people and say this is what a coin could be if not messed with.   |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
Lead based solders will usually melt between 400 and 500 degrees F. Silver solders usually start over 1000 degrees F and run up to around 1800 degrees F (The coin will melt at around 1700 degrees F)
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Replies: 17 / Views: 3,415 |
Posted 02/14/2012 09:05 am
