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 Replies: 11 / Views: 1,426 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5208 Posts |
Can you oversoak a Buffalo in vinegar?
Last week I took some of my roll hunting dateless Buffalos and put them in some vinegar. After 6 days 5 of the 7 had dates but the other 2 showed somewhat but I wasn't positive about the date. 3 days later they have not improved.
Is there a past the point of no return where there will be more damage done and the date lost for good?
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Valued Member
United States
156 Posts |
If the platform of relief that the date was struck on is worn significantly enough before the vinegar(acetic acid) soak, not even nitric acid will bring out the date numerals. Remember, buffnicks are 75% copper. Prolonged exposure to any acid, however mild the pH, will eventually degrade the entire surface of the coin.
Edited by judd1552
07/14/2014 11:25 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4809 Posts |
Yes - diminishing returns at some point to the point it finally eats away everything. Straight vinegar slows down the reaction rate as opposed to a 50/50 mix of vinegar and H202, so you don't have to stand over it while it goes to work, but left unattended, it will destroy the coin.
Any interesting dates/MMs lifted during the pickling process?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1158 Posts |
The point of no return where you do more harm than good happens at the 1 second mark!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4692 Posts |
It seems to me that prolonged exposure to vinegar without revealing a date probably does not have much of an impact on value.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7375 Posts |
I think the vinegar loses it's acidity after a while and needs to be freshened to continue it's work.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4809 Posts |
I'd say that you are right Jim - still worth a nickel with or without the date. The only thing lost is an opportunity to know what you have in hand. In my mind, it isn't very collectable in either the dateless or pickled state. I suppose folks making jewelry might pay a bit over face, but not much.
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
I hope the buffalo doesn't mind!  My mother saw a recipe for braised camel's feet in a very old French cook book. The camel's feet were to be soaked in water for 24 hours before starting with the actual cooking. What she wanted to know was: 'How it was possible the get a camel to stand patiently for 24 hours, with a bucket of water tied to each of it's feet   ?' --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- What I have noticed with many buffaloes in VF or less, is that they tend to have a very dark patina. Why is that? I guess vinegar may help to reveal the date, but the coin will also very obviously reveal the fact that it has been cleaned. The metal in the date shoulder pad in and around the date is compressed differently. I was just figuring if that factor could be used in conjuction with reflected polarised light to reveal the date, even if the date shoulder pad was worn flat. (Just thinkin') |
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Rest in Peace
United States
4078 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
5208 Posts |
Quote:
Any interesting dates/MMs lifted during the pickling process? 1914, 1915, 1915D, 1916S, 1918, and a 1920S (after the date showed up I realized the 1920S hole in my album was already filled with a dateless one that I had already identified by the ribbon) |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4809 Posts |
Pretty cool Jack! I have an old nickel folder I stick them in - a shrine to what could have been. I've found around 12 Buffalos CRHing, about half were dateless.
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Valued Member
United States
292 Posts |
Quote:
My mother saw a recipe for braised camel's feet in a very old French cook book. The camel's feet were to be soaked in water for 24 hours before starting with the actual cooking.
What she wanted to know was: 'How it was possible the get a camel to stand patiently for 24 hours, with a bucket of water tied to each of it's feet This reminded me of my aunt. She was told she could pay her bill on the computer, and she asked "Where do you stick the money in?"  |
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Replies: 11 / Views: 1,426 |
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Posted 07/14/2014 11:38 pm
