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Replies: 124 / Views: 18,393 |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
737 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
7096 Posts |
It is impossible to remove these coins without the damage showing. At the moment you have a somewhat interesting piece, If you remove the coins you will only end up with 4 pieces of scrap silver.
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
737 Posts |
I figured that thanks, but I'm also thinking that solder's melting point is lower than silver so could carefully heating up the spoon melt off enough solder to release the coins..? Either way, it does look like there is solder residue on the underside similar to the crust you on top of a fresh weld.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1695 Posts |
I don't have any advice, but it sounds like an interesting project. Could you post result pictures when you are done? It will be interesting to see what precise years the coins are from.
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
737 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
7096 Posts |
If the solder used is Silver Solder then you may have a problem trying to melt the solder and not the coin at the same time.
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
737 Posts |
I have used silver solder while soldering copper pipes and it melts like nothing. The coins are cut with either .075 or .200 copper right depending on the date? Not sure about the percentage though but the copper should make the coins harder than the solder which has no copper as far as I know. I'll try to consult with a jeweler before jumping into this. Forewarned is forearmed.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4211 Posts |
Very interesting find for sure.  Good luck!
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Moderator
 Australia
16830 Posts |
I think you will find that the silver solder used to make jewellery is much harder to melt than what you may be used to; jeweller's solder usually melts at temperatures only just under the melting point of the alloy being soldered.
The trouble with solder, particularly silver solder on a silver object, is that the alloys fuse together - when done properly, there is no longer a discernible discontinuity between the solder and the coin. Some of the solder will remain attached to the coin, no matter what you might try to do to separate them. I'm afraid any attempt to do so in this case will merely result in a destroyed spoon.
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
 Canada
737 Posts |
You could be right Sap, I hope not though...lol Don't really care about the spoon, I have a junk silver collection that one day I'll melt and make into a silver kilo bar. Thanks for all the input folks.
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Rest in Peace
United States
17900 Posts |
Please do let us know your results. I'm sure other folks have run up against similar problems. In any case, good luck.
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
737 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
2843 Posts |
I would definitely be in the remove camp. For the fun of it, and to see the dates. As you mentioned, you probably paid melt for it all and you can melt after you are through if it is indeed ruined. Cant wait to see.
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
737 Posts |
That's what I figured. A nice 1936 dot or bar would be nice or the elusive 1921 5 cent...lol I only wish !! ;)
Edited by TaeKenDo 12/16/2016 09:35 am
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
2843 Posts |
TaeKenDo- let me start with a disclaimer- I do not know anything about soldering. I only know what I have observed. Now a short story: I was trying to "learn" about melting silver coins. Basically, adult pyromania. I was using a junk silver coin, and a small butane torch. I was experimenting with containers for holding the subject coin, and my eye fell on this silver plated piece of junk dish. It could hold the coin and it wouldn't melt - cause it was stainless steel. To prevent it from burning the table I propped it up with a piece of brick such that the 3 balls that were the delicate "legs" of this dish were not resting on the table, nor on the brick. With the torch trained on the coin in the center of the dish, I was able to make some progress melting the silver. Suddenly, I heard a clank noise and another. The balls, had melted off the tray and were rolling on the table. (Yes I did burn my finger on one.) Eventually all 3 legs and the handle fell of with a trail of solder leaving strings like when you pull apart 2 slices of extra cheese pizza. My point is, that it is definitely possible in some instances to heat the "spoon" and have the "coins" simply fall off. The torch was rated to like 1400 degrees, but the dish was definitely way less than that, consider that I was training the flame on the coin in the center, and the balls were toward the edges. Just thought I would share my little lesson. - And maybe wear gloves 
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
5394 Posts |
Why ruin a great piece of exonumia. Leave it alone. As Trout said otherwise you will have 4 pieces of scrap silver. We know though that you are just asking for permission as you are going to destroy it anyways. What's that old saying ......oh yeah "curiosity kills the cat" leave it as is.
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Replies: 124 / Views: 18,393 |