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 Replies: 15 / Views: 2,289 |
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Valued Member
United States
461 Posts |
How much do you think a jewelers solder effects the value of a coin? I was looking for a T1 Standing Liberty quarter to finish my 4 year olds 20th century Whitman type set I put together for him and I was going to just get him a G or VG of the coin and then all of a sudden I saw this beauty of a coin. Sure it was soldered at one point but I think the details are at least an XF maybe an AU and it was $2 cheaper than a G, I mean I normally don't like damaged coins but this thing is a beauty and I couldn't pass it up plus its going into a 4 year olds type set that has a value of $300 all put together, it also finished the set. Heck I like the coin more than my VF that I have in my 7070. I also wonder if there is anyway to remove the solder without ruining the coin.   |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
3692 Posts |
It lowers the karat by however much you add to it. Using the least amount possible is not only good form but the legal thing to do. If you add too much solder you cannot mark it as the karat with which you started out. On a coin, now it's only worth melt value minus the amount for solder, so less than spot price, and no numismatic value. To lay down the solder you have to heat the item, most times with an open concentrated flame, and then to remove it you do the same thing but I wouldn't advise you try it. You can also file it off but again, don't do it because you're damaging the coin way more than it already was. Through capillary action the solder bonds to the host metal, so removing it is very very tricky and not really recommended.
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Valued Member
 United States
461 Posts |
I beg to differ I think it still has some numismatic value, I think shes a beauty I mean sucks it got soldered but honestly it is very marginal amount of solder that doesn't detract from the coin and the coin has gorgeous details left.
I paid $20 for the coin.
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Moderator
 United States
16679 Posts |
XF45 Details. I'd pay VG money for it so IMO, you did alright. Even though it's a damaged coin, it still has decent details. Don't care for the toning so much.
swcoin.ecrater.com
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Valued Member
United States
461 Posts |
Yea I was pegging it around a high XF, I think shes a beauty and T1 Standing Liberty quarters are my favorite coins. I am very tempted to put it in my 7070 and put the VF in my little boys set :) Although I was going to upgrade my 7070 coin eventually to a XF or an AU and pass on the VF anyways to my 1 year olds 20th century type set. |
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Valued Member
United States
156 Posts |
Well, you can always get some solder and an iron and put some on a test coin and try to remove it to see how it goes. As a test. Just a thought.
I would try removing it with a soldering iron. You won't get it all off imo.
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Valued Member
United States
116 Posts |
I'd pay $20 for that all day and I think most of your average collectors would too. Too bad it was damaged but you can't argue with the extra fine details.
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Pillar of the Community
861 Posts |
Only 2 ways I know of to remove solder:
1. Open flame. The solder will liquefy and be removed, or, if quickly cooled, it may fracture off. The Silver has a higher melting point than the solder and will not harm the coin, but, be careful, use something (not your hands) to hold the coin firmly over the flame.
2. Acid, (H2SO4) is another option. Since Silver is somewhat inert it should hold up well, but, it will probably turn black. If the acid gets to the Copper that's under the Silver, it will react and form Copper Sulfate (Cu2SO4) and turn blue-green.
Edited by g048406
08/19/2014 03:21 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
652 Posts |
With a soldering iron and solder wick you should be able to get most of it off. Solder wick is sold in many places, even Walmart. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1903 Posts |
Just my Two Cents...I think that "weird toning" is actually evidence of this coin residing in a house of heavy smokers...it has that classic cigarette smoke yellow film look to it...acetone I bet will clean that puppy right up |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1211 Posts |
1. That tiny bit of solder most certainly does not make it "less than spot price, and no numismatic value".
2. There is "Copper that's under the Silver" on 90% silver coins?
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
Jeweler's solder is silver alloy hard solder. It cannot be removed without leaving some obvious evidence that it was once there.
In this case the value for me would be about half of it's actual market value, for a small amount such as this.
Larger blobs of silver solder will reduce the coin to bullion value only, irrespective of it's rarity or condition, although it would be easier to sell at the bullion value level.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Quote:
Jeweler's solder is silver alloy hard solder. It cannot be removed without leaving some obvious evidence that it was once there. Unfortunately this is very true. Most people think Solder is just Solder made of Lead. However, there are so many different blends of material to make what is termed Solder, attempts to remove it using almost any method is dangerous. If in fact the Solder is Silver Solder, and that too comes in a variety of blends, attempts to remove it will almost ruin the coin since it is now blended with the material in the coin. In other words you would end up removing part of the coin. Summation is leave it alone. Be happy that you got it for that price and keep it as is. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
937 Posts |
@ just carl  a voice of reason |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1158 Posts |
Looks good! Just enjoy it as I'm sure your child will. I think as collectors it's easy to get caught up in value vs just enjoying a pretty nice looking coin. I'm also working on a Whitman 20th Century type set, so I'm jealous your 4 year old finished his first!  |
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Valued Member
United States
461 Posts |
Hey we can have a race tkbslc I have started one for my 10 month old as well I got 21 coins in that set, 17 to go. Its a race between you and my 10 month old now :) Granted some of them are dog fillers since I just started the set like a dateless buffalo and a terrible V nickel that I will get better copies of. I looked through my 4 year olds set when I finished it last night and realized yea I need to at least upgrade the vnickel the rest I am ok with I wasn't trying to put together a MS set just a nice circulated set. I plan on doing one of these sets for myself as well and that one I will got XF to MS grade for me (xf on Standing Liberty T1 and Barber half, AU on Barber quarter, MS on everything else). But thats a long ways off before I start the 3rd set, I also want to do the Whitman 20th and 21st Century album for myself as well. |
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Replies: 15 / Views: 2,289 |
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Posted 08/18/2014 5:08 pm
