1883/2 "Racketeer Practice" Shield Nickel Needs "De-Racketering"

If its plated with actual gold, you would need a gold etchant (aqua regia) to strip the gold off the surface. I'm not sure what that would do to the nickel and copper underneath it though and its quite dangerous to use. If its paint, you could try using a stronger solvent like xylene.

Bikercoinguy: The coin you have may be an actual "Racketeer's Nickel. Story behind this is that the V nickel as first issued did not have "CENTS" on it. A fellow (conman) by the name of Josh Tatum. He painted the nickels gold and passed them off on 5 & 10 stores, he'd pick up a 5 ,cent item, give the clerk his nickel hoping to be mistaken for a $5 coin. If he left with $4.95, he did good!

Now, yes I did attempt to remove a gold coating of a cent, to not very good results. I would try first turpentine, if that is an oil base paint, that may take it off. If it is electroplated with "goldtone" like watches etc. then there's not much hope. Next try a furniture stripper, that is stronger than turpentine on old paint. As a last resort, since it is nickel, try a 50%/50% solution of vinegar and hydrogen peroxide. This makes a lite acid that will eat away the surface material, BOTH the gold AND the nickel, Keep checking after an hour, could take up to 4 or more. Darn thing is , if it's a real one, that's worth more than just plain nickel! Don't know how you'd authenticate it tho, many "copys" have been made.

Good luck!

Crazyb0, it's a Shield nickel, but being 1883, I think it was used for practice to get the coating process down. If you think about it, most of those were passed of in the wild west, and supplies of the new V nickel would be trickling in from Philadelphia, and probably in short supply, and the window of opportunity to pass them off would have been short as well. So, with that in mind, if you were a flim-flam man, you would probably frequent saloons catering to stagecoach passengers from the East, and try to pick up the new nickels there. They would have been in short supply during the short time the scam would have worked, so you would want to get it right the first time, and what better to practice on than another nickel?

I don't think they had spray paint in 1883....

Okay, I'm with you now. Some DA just read about 1883 nickels being passed off and didn't bother to note that there were 2 nickels minted in 1883. I guess it could be that. Whatever is on this one is tougher than the last one though. I'll try some xylene or toluene and see if I have better luck. Thanks to everyone for all the input, and keep 'em coming!

I'm not posting any suggested solutions unless I see pictures.

Biker - Show us some pics or I'm going to shoot your dog.