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 Replies: 89 / Views: 32,417 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6478 Posts |
I have a few dateless buffs and one dateless SLQ. Is vinegar good to try and date them? If so how long should I let them soak?
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Pillar of the Community
798 Posts |
I think acetone was the thing for that and as for soaking maybe like for a day or something. That's all I got.  |
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Moderator
 Australia
16845 Posts |
Acetone won't reveal dates. If anything, acetone could hide whatever remnant of a date might still be being made visible by removing the small amount of dirt and gunk trapped around the date. Vinegar will work for cupronickel coins like the Buffalo nickel. I don't think it works on silver. "Nic-a-Date" certainly does not work on silver, because the active ingredient they use in Nic-a-Date is hydrochloric acid. You'll probably need something stronger, like dilute nitric acid. That's assuming the acid etching trick even actually works for silver. Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1314 Posts |
I think I recall commercial solutions available to "antique" silver by causing a darkening to the alloy. It may reveal a date, and I would think a jeweler might be able to help. (It may have been an aqueous solution of liver of sulfur?)
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Pillar of the Community
United States
946 Posts |
I had a whole bunch of dateless Buffalos,and I heard about the vinegar trick. I let the coins sit for about 3 weeks or so and you will be amazed at the process. I had a worn smooth Shield nickel that I wanted to see specifically if it would work on. Found it out to be a 1869 Shield after some time in the vinegar! It works |
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Rest in Peace
United States
18456 Posts |
If I'm not mistaken " edweather" knows about vinegar used to bring up dates on nickels. try giving him a shout.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7375 Posts |
Yes 5% acetic acid white vinegar will work on nickels. Just let them soak and check them every few days. When check them I usually give them a rub between my thumb and forefinger under some running water to refresh the surface. If they are really worn flat it might take a couple of weeks, but the date will eventually appear. Let us know how it turns out  I haven't seen anything about SLQs though. Edited by edweather
05/16/2015 10:55 am
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Yes it does work with Vinegar but remember it does discolor the coins and they would have to be a highly valuable one to make it all worth the trouble. Normally it is difficult to sell such coins.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
5828 Posts |
What? I just put my buffs in a cup, fill it up with run of the mill viniger and squirt some hydrogen peroxide in. Works in about 2-4 hours.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7375 Posts |
Yeah, I've heard of adding hydrogen peroxide to the vinegar. Maybe next time I'll experiment  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7390 Posts |
I have a handful of em from my S&O. I think it's gonna be fun to watch the dates come back to life. I think Ill try child's way... ps, which necro'ed buffs are valuable?
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
6478 Posts |
Thank you for all of the responses. I left the buff siting in 5% acidic vinegar last night. I rubbed it off and now it is still in there. I wonder how long I will have to weight for this one. I will have to go exploring around my house for some hydrogen peroxide. Lol.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7390 Posts |
I just put 2 in regular white vinegar from the cupboard with a dash of peroxide. I'll let you know how they do. My first attempt at date nicking
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Valued Member
United States
415 Posts |
Mix vinegar and hydrogen peroxide for nickels. Works WAY faster than just vinegar. This method will pull a date off of pretty much any dateless buff within a few hours.
Just Carl: You have to realize that the coins being put in vinegar are dateless and thus worth barely more than 5 cents. Revealing the date can only increase the value as it holds the possibility of pulling a key date.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6478 Posts |
Just poured some peroxide in there. Should have results soon.
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Valued Member
United States
415 Posts |
Just so you are aware, some coins will take longer for a date to come up than others. The quick ones will reveal in maybe 3-4 hours. Some you might have to leave in as much as 8 hours or more to reveal. Just be patient though, because pretty much every single one will reveal a date eventually. And if the MM area is rubbed off as well, you will have to flip the coin over and let it soak several hours on that side as well.
If you are able to when acquiring dateless buffs, I would pretty much only go for ones that have a visible mint mark. That is where all of your key dates are going to come.
Also, never acid date a 13 T1, 20, 21, or 24 dated coin. Those have features that can identify the coin even if the date is worn off. The 13 T1 I obvious with the raised mound. I will try to find the picture that details the others.
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Replies: 89 / Views: 32,417 |
Posted 05/16/2015 04:49 am
