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 Replies: 29 / Views: 3,247 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4132 Posts |
Dissolving salt in the vinegar will speed up the process dramatically (a few hours or a day versus several weeks).
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Valued Member
United States
279 Posts |
Quote:
Dissolving salt in the vinegar will speed up the process dramatically (a few hours or a day versus several weeks). I never knew that. I'm going to try it just to see how much faster it makes it. Thanks. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
652 Posts |
But vinegar eats away at the whole surface of the coin - I'd rather have most of the coin look untouched.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4132 Posts |
I agree, which is why I use the Nic-a-Date method. Actually, I use PCB Etchant (available at Radio Shack), which is the same stuff as Nic-a-Date but much cheaper.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
652 Posts |
Thanks for the tip on the PCB Etchant!
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Valued Member
 United States
148 Posts |
Ok, I soaked 3 nickels in salt/vinegar for about 6 hours and it worked. Someone asked to post pics, I do not have the before pictures, but here are the after pictures. Notice the streaking that they have. They feel a little frosty, but I don't mind. From left to right, 1915, 1920, 1923. I could have let them soak a little longer, but I thought as long as I can make out the date, it's good enough.    |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
652 Posts |
That "frosty" feeling and dull, streaky look are due to the vinegar eating away at the whole surface of the coin. Nice job getting the dates to show though!
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Valued Member
United States
148 Posts |
I'm still impressed that the date appears, when it was totally worn away before.
So my next question is, how does the date appear, when it was totally worn away before?
I have about 35 more nickels to go. Should be a busy weekend.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
652 Posts |
It has something to do with the way the die pressure during minting affects the metal differently between the date digits and the surrounding field. Or you can just say it's magic!
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
It is nice that those dates are now visible. Only problem is what do you do with them now? If a rare date, you could get a little for them but for common ones, difficult to sell. Not nice in an Album.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
592 Posts |
If common and treated, why not spend them? Eventually some kid might wind up with one and develop an interest.
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Valued Member
United States
148 Posts |
Keep them. They are now old, no longer in circulation, millions are lost, a few thousand are saved.
In my opinion it doesn't matter if it was 'treated'. It's like a wrecked car getting fixed. It's not perfect, but it's better than it was.
Edited by ilzho
07/06/2012 07:29 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
652 Posts |
I'm acid treating to fill in empty spaces in an album I started as a kid - when they were still common in circulation. I've already found a few key & semi-key dates that I wasn't able to get back then. It's a bit of a fun project, and even the acid dated keys are worth more than a dateless one.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1944 Posts |
i have added 16 coins to an old childhood folder also. its something of a fun project and costs very little money - and abit of time and attention.
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Replies: 29 / Views: 3,247 |
First Page
Posted 07/04/2012 4:02 pm
