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 Replies: 20 / Views: 7,755 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3283 Posts |
I need some opinions here. This is a nice grade nickel but has an obvious problem. Can I clean this without harming it.  (almost full horn) |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2661 Posts |
It would seem to have a little verdigris from the copper content. I may be wrong, but that is what it looks like to me. Ask BadThad if Verdi-gone will get it off. It is made for copper cents mostly, but might work on this. It can be purchased at http://www.wizardcoinsupply.com/ |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1409 Posts |
Check out his verdi-care thread also.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4212 Posts |
Is that purple, or is it my monitor?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4846 Posts |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10284 Posts |
I have one in very similar condition that is going to be Verdi-cared with BadThad's beta formula before the end of this month. Check out his thread as it was suggested above. https://goccf.com/t/62434#62434 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
968 Posts |
Purple corrosion isn't unusual if the coin was in the ground or exposed to the elements for a long time. I wouldn't be surprised at all if that coin was a metal detecting find at some point.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
3283 Posts |
Yes, the purple hue is accurate. I'd love to get it cleaned, it's got about 90% of the horn intact on the reverse.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1523 Posts |
I don't know if I would mess with it.He has character.If so, just a soak in white vinegar would do the trick IMO.
Edited by Halfwitty
04/26/2010 1:12 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3283 Posts |
Hey is it worth a premium for the unique toning  |
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Valued Member
United States
470 Posts |
Spend it ..and go get a better quality coin.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3283 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3294 Posts |
Spend it? Even with some verdigres, a 1916S nickel is worth more then $0.05
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Pending on what your plans are for that coin, you might try some experimenting. By plans I mean if your not planning on selling it, why not try some things to clean it up.
First try the Acetone method. You could do a search on this forum for all the methods of using Acetone including the rinse with distilled water. If still there you could try some of the many, many other coin cleaning methods constantly mentioned on this forum. However, remember that if noticably cleaned, the value goes down. But if your not selling that coin nor have any intension of selling it, then the amount of cleaning is up to you. The more you do clean a coin, the more the value drops.
Many people have stated they get great results with lighter fluid, tomato paste, lemon juice, Vinegar, battery acid, spit, kitchen clenser, wire wheels, pensil erasers and on and on and on. Most are just repeating what someone else said though and just want to pretend to know what they are saying so if you do try some of those, you still have a Nickel that is still worth a Nickel you know.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
968 Posts |
I can't see what acetone would do in this situation. It won't hurt anything, but as far as I understand acetone primarily removes organic residue and that isn't organic residue.
Vinegar or lemon juice will definitely turn the nickel silver again. I've done it many times. It may take up to 3 days or so and you need to wipe the coin from time to time. It will turn the coin red and then pink before finally becoming silver.
What it will not do is give you a glossy silver colored coin. It will be more of a rough silver-white finish. The question is if it is better than how it looks now. This a question of personal preference and what you think a buyer might prefer. There is nothing that I know of that will return the coin to a "normal" appearance. As a test I soaked a modern Jefferson in AU condition for 3 days. It came out with a matte finish but the details weren't affected greatly. I'd say it dropped a grade or so to XF, But if you are dealing with a low grade coin that isn't a big deal.
For most of my finds vinegar is better than leaving it alone because the ones I've found were in the ground, or worse yet, the beach since the days when Buffalos were in circulation. They are nearly unrecognizable. Yours is really borderline, so I have no opinion about what is the better strategy in your case.
Edited by Saruma
04/28/2010 10:14 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1934 Posts |
I thinkhope "spend it" was joking.
Be very sure and very clear about what you're going to do to that coin before you do anything to it because I think it'll look cleaned after you clean it no matter what you clean it with.
Can we see the reverse?
Jim
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Replies: 20 / Views: 7,755 |
Posted 04/25/2010 6:44 pm
