Before And After - 1908 V Nickel

That has a lot of very nice detail for a dug coin! Cleaning, in this case, takes a hunk of "something" and turns it into a nice looking coin. I could tell it was a Liberty nickel before the cleaning, but now it looks like it's supposed to. You got the "gunk" off of it! I have no suggestions as I don't clean coins, have no need to. I just wanted to concur that cleaning THIS coin was a wise decision, and made for a great looking coin!

Steve

Generally speaking, you don't clean coins - "originality" is a key factor in what is perceived as "quality." A coin which has been noticeably cleaned loses much of its' value. That is fact.

In this case, though, only the hardest of hardcore anti-cleaners could argue that you haven't improved the coin. I'm not one of them.

It wouldn't grade at a TPG before, it won't now. So what?

A good point. It is most definitely better after the clean-up.

Thanks for posting this. I was seriously considering doing a similar post with some of my finds. Before I started metal detecting I was thoroughly indoctrinated in the "never clean, ever" philosophy. Once I started pulling coins like yours (or worse) out of the ground I quickly became a believer that some coins can be taken from ugly and no value to nice and some value with a careful and proper cleaning.

No coins may ever be taken from Ugly, he hoards them.

There are coins that you may want to keep that are simply in need of cleaning/restoration. Metal detecting and restoration of dug finds is practically a hobby in itself and I don't apply the same rules I'd apply to the buying and selling of coins.

One cleaning method I've mentioned before that doesn't receive a lot of attention outside of coin restoration services is the hot and cold method. Freeze the coin in your freezer and then dip it in hot olive oil (taking the normal precautions). Stuff often just plainly falls off coins without impacting whatever details the coin has. It doesn't always work, sometimes you need to repeat the process etc.. but it's very often effective because the crud on the outside of the coin and the coin metal itself expand and contract at different rates.

In the 80's we did an experiment and took this even further using LN2 out of a Dewar we borrowed from the lab but some coins were noticeably fractured (especially copper) because the cold was simply too intense. Here in Central Ontario a mid winter frosty -50 night is perfect for knocking congealed crud off dug coins after a quick swim in hot oil. I've never tried with dry ice but always intended to do so. Maybe one day.

Thanks all

This coin will go with others that I have found metal detecting, separate from my regular coin collecting.

Let me try to remember everything I tried on this coin
- soap and water with soft tooth brush.
- Lighter fluid
- Alcohol, Was trying to figure out something to dissolve the gunk
- Soaked in Olive oil
- Hot peroxide
edit -- did try acetone also

Once I saw the vinegar was working, I kept changing the vinegar every couple days, soaking it for about 3 weeks. Oh, I only had apple cider vinegar at first then switch to white. Yesterday tried the hot peroxide to lighten a couple dark spots and then some wet baking soda paste.