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 Replies: 42 / Views: 4,564 |
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Valued Member
Canada
453 Posts |
Hi! I'm pretty new to coin collecting, and even newer to the forum. Wow! Information overload :) I found this coin in a jar of old Canadian and U.S. coins that my father had. There were a few Indian Head cents, and amazingly, this one was in the best condition. Did a little research and found that it is a type 2, and somewhat of a scarcity. You'll note that there is some dirt and debris in some of the nooks and crannies. I understand that some of this may be removed with acetone. But my gut says to leave it as it is. What do you suggest? (Pictures taken with a Kodak C195. Cropped with MS Paint.)   |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3546 Posts |
Jerry,  to the CCF forum. Acetone is best used to remove paints, varnishes, or lacquers. Remember to always use adequate ventilation or at least blow the fumes away from your work area when using this solvent. The coin in question really does not look that bad regarding the dirt in the nooks and crannies. If the dirt is still bothering you, however, try using porcupine quills that will be stiff enough to remove the lodged-on dirt without damaging the patina of the coin. ebay has several vendors selling them pretty economically. IMHO, mdpmedia |
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Valued Member
 Canada
453 Posts |
@mdpmedia :
Thank you for your input!!
The soiling was only bothering me to the extent that I was wondering if I should be bothered by it.
I fear that any attempt at cleaning might result in an unnatural, or irregular finish. As you say, the dirt is not all that bad.
When I first learned that this coin had some value, I was eager to find out how much I could get for it. The more I learn, and the more I look at it, I feel that I just want to keep it and enjoy it.
Thank you, mdpmedia.
- Jerry
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Bedrock of the Community
Canada
10743 Posts |
WOW.. What a great find in a jar.  I would leave it alone it's a great looking coin that would at least grade at AU-58 in my opinion. And.. Welcome to the Forum.. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3486 Posts |
Jerry,
Welcome! From time to time a member will ask for opinions and then add:
"My gut says ..."
Gut feeling is as important to a coin collector as any other book, tool or resource.
May yours serve you well. And do enjoy your find.
mdpmedia,
Porcupine quills? Interesting suggestion.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
9160 Posts |
Wow great pics and a great coin.
Also welcome,Jerry
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1436 Posts |
to the forum Jerry. Nice IHC. Would say it is XF. One simple way of cleaning coins that you don't see mentioned very often is to simply soak it for a short time in some warm soapy water, rub gently, and then rinse completely. If that doesn't work, soak it in Acetone (which won't adversely affect the coin in any way), and use Verdi-Care coin preservative as directed. Verdi-Care is manufacured by BadThad on this forum and can be purchased on E-Bay. You can learn more about it doing a search on this site as there have been several posts made for it. Edited by Dave H
10/20/2012 12:54 pm
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Valued Member
Canada
453 Posts |
Thank you all for the helpful tips, and the warm welcome  I think I'll start with the soapy water & rinse. Thanks again! |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1227 Posts |
I'll just be over here, drooling. As far as I'm concerned, if you're bringing us pics like this, we'll keep you! (Joking. Except about the drooling part. I'm actually scrolling up between sentences for another look.) I would add to what others have said: you will see "gentle" cleaning methods from time to time on the forum, like olive oil or white vinegar. Please do not try those on this coin! They are best reserved for "junk" coins and dateless Buffalo nickels. The products listed above by Dave are all you should need to keep this beauty in shape. I'd also advise you to pick up some 2x2 flips or an Air-Tite or something similar to keep her in. This prevents damage (and also horrifying accidents that result in you having to take apart an entire heating vent when you bump your dresser and the coin falls) and will help protect your coin. Cardboard flips are relatively cheap--I pay $4 for a pack of 35--and will also provide a small amount of room to write information about the coin, such as grade, type (important in this case), year, and if necessary, any information you have on how the coin was restored. I have a couple of "cleaned" IHC in my collection where the cleaning was done to remove or lessen damage like hardened solder or corrosion, and on the flips for these coins I have noted what was removed and how and when it was done, so that when my collection is passed along after my death, any future collectors can decide if the cleaning was justified in their eyes, and whether they would judge it (as I do, in these particular cases) to be restoration. This might be a nice tool for you to have, especially if you have small handwriting--you can note how and when you got the coin, which will fascinate young'uns in years to come. |
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Valued Member
Canada
453 Posts |
@Ninamason: That's a great idea about putting additional notes on the 2x2's. I have lots of those, so no problem that way I decided to take the plunge! First with soapy water. It didn't do much. The black blobs had a tar-like consistency. I couldn't find a candidate donor that would surrender a porcupine quill, so I used a pointed toothpick. Acetone removed a lot of the black stuff. Maybe someday I'll have a better photography setup, but for now, this $100 Kodak and table lamp will have to do Here are the results:   There is still some debris on the surface of the coin, but I'm not going to tamper with it any further, lest I mess up.  Edited by Jerry_B
10/21/2012 6:55 pm
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Moderator
 United States
23522 Posts |
Quote:
but I'm not going to tamper with it any further, lest I mess up.
You may have already done, having used soap and water on it. I won't judge by photographs, but soap and water can sometimes impart a color to the surfaces of a coin which a sharp collector would see as "unnatural" in view of the level of wear. On the bright side, although "scarce," it's estimated that something over two million of these were minted, and the price differential in this grade isn't huge. |
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Valued Member
Canada
453 Posts |
Thank you SsuperDdave! That's good to know.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1659 Posts |
I would say this coin is easily an XF and maybe even a low AU. The 1886 Type II is fairly easy to come by and relatively inexpensive in grades below XF. They are significantly more difficult to locate, and therefore more expensive, in XF and above. Indian cents are highly sought after in grades above XF. This coin could very easily be worth around $150-200 if the surfaces were original. Unfortunately...judging from the pics, I think you've likely done more harm than good with the "cleaning". |
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Pillar of the Community
1028 Posts |
I agree that the coin is XF-40, a little too much wear to go higher IMO.
Now, as far as the treatment. With respect, I don't really know what you were thinking. Several people in this thread have commented that you should leave it alone. You seem to be aware the "cleaning" is considered bad for coins in 99% of cases (and this certainly wasn't in the 1%.) The new coin has obviously unoriginal surfaces to someone that has seen many IHCs. I think you left it in the acetone for way too long..and why was acetone used anyway?
I have bought and sold this exact date (86 t2) in similar grades a couple of times over the last year. IMO, the coin you had, I'd give you about $150 for it. The coin with an unappealing yellow glow later on, I'll give you $75....maybe. Unless the buyer doesn't notice anything's wrong, but if they do, you just cut your coin's value in half.
Edit to say...actually I take back my original $150 estimate only because the coin looks like it could have had an old cleaning anyway. I'd need to see it in hand, but I'd probably have low ball-ed it anyway to be safe. None the less, the after coin is a no-brainer for me.
Edited by hesgut
10/22/2012 03:29 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1436 Posts |
As MANY on this forum have already indicated, soaking a coin in Acetone doesn't do anything adverse to the coin, but does help remove the organic debris on them. It helped remove it from this coin...
What would the prevailing opinion of the cent have been if Jerry only posted the after pictures and said he found it in that condition?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3755 Posts |
I see absolutely nothing wrong with the coin and pretty sure had you posted just the pics of it after you cleaned it, and not mentioned the cleaning, the commentary would be different. There is no additional scratching or the like. The color is pretty much the same. It is is simply free of the gunk that was on it before. NOTHING described would alter the surface of the coin. I think you did a fantastic job of properly cleaning a somewhat cruddy coin and making it look all the nicer.
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Replies: 42 / Views: 4,564 |
Posted 10/20/2012 03:32 am
