Odd Indian Cents - Coin Community Forum

To participate in the forum you must log in or register.

Author	Replies: 6 / Views: 1,296
Coins.Guide New Member United States 18 Posts	Posted 09/29/2006 9:51 pm I purchased a lot of 78 Indian Head pennies which were part of an estate collection. The coins were all loose in a baggie (rather than in an album or 2x2's.) However, there is something odd about most of these coins: they look like they've been coated in clear shellac or something. 3 of them have been painted black. I've seen this sort of phenomenon on Indian Head pennies before, and I was wondering if anybody knows the history behind this kind of thing. Was there some particular reason people painted and coated Indian cents (but not other coins from the period?) Was there a fad for doing this at some point? What, exactly, are coins of this type coated in? Can it be removed without ruining the coin? How? And some of them are stunningly toned in gorgeous rainbow colors as a result of this stuff on them. If I remove the stuff, will the rainbow remain? I have attached a photo which I hope show the clear shellac (I wasn't able to photograph the rainbows); the second photo shows 2 of the black-painted coins. Thank you in advance for any help, suggestions, or observations! =) Susan Image: indians.jpg 72.97 KB Image: indians-painted.jpg 52.9 KB Report this Post to the Staff

OldDan Pillar of the Community United States 1203 Posts	Posted 09/29/2006 10:20 pm Coin Guide the coloration of certain coins has over time occured when they are placed in contact with Epoxy and the results can make the Bronze coins turn black if not properly enclosed. This was not a problem with those coins (1859-64) that were Copper-Nickel as it didn't seem to have the same effect. But when they added the Zinc and came up with the Bronze they had problems when they would encase them in a layer of plastic. Also the removal of the stuff can cause all sorts of problems. This is only a guess and may not be the case at all. I hope you find the answer and let the rest of us know what you have discovered. Report this Post to the Staff
Irishraider Pillar of the Community United States 1454 Posts	Posted 09/29/2006 10:21 pm Hi Susan, It's hard to say. Could have been some kids at Sunday School or even regular school. Some teacher came up with some crafts idea and thought it would be neat to decorate some pennies? Just a guess since they didn't have TV's, computers, video games, malls, etc., back then. As far as cleaning them I don't really know of a good way of cleaning copper. There really isn't a good way to clean coins period. Maybe NCS could have a go at them if any of them are the super key dates. I don't know much about Indian Head cents. Report this Post to the Staff
fastfords1 Valued Member United States 179 Posts	Posted 09/30/2006 08:45 am Hi Coins.guide, if this is an old application of actual shellac, it should come off with paint thinner...you might try it on the worst looking, least valuable example. I'm not absolutely sure of the reaction of paint thinner to the coin metal, but there should be none. Good luck!! Report this Post to the Staff
Coins.Guide New Member United States 18 Posts	Posted 09/30/2006 7:07 pm I was thinking I would try acetone on my Indian pennies. Acetone can remove PVC damage without having any effect at all on the coin, so I thought maybe I'd try that. Also, it looks like some of the Buffalo nickels in this lot are coated too! Has anybody ever seen a rainbow patina on a Buffalo nickel? =) Susan Report this Post to the Staff
AuldFartte Pillar of the Community United States 830 Posts	Posted 10/01/2006 12:07 pm quote: Originally posted by Coins.Guide I was thinking I would try acetone on my Indian pennies. Acetone can remove PVC damage without having any effect at all on the coin, so I thought maybe I'd try that. Good idea, Susan It might take a few long soaks in acetone to loosen and dissolve the laquer if indeed that is what's on the coins. DO NOT use paint thinner. That could damage the surfaces of the coin. Be sure to rinse the coins with distilled water after dipping them in the acetone, and dry them thoroughly. Let us know the results. Report this Post to the Staff
Susanlynn9 Forum Mom United States 5877 Posts	Posted 10/02/2006 4:54 pm It used to be common practice to coat old copper coins with shellac or some other "protective" substance. Many also coated them with olive oil to preserve them. This actually started with the large cents and Half Cents. You will also find many examples of those with the same issues. I tend to think that Old Dan is correct that the black ones are due to a reaction being in contact with a substance. It could be that a type of clear glue or something was used to coat these instead of shellac and caused the coin to turn black over time. Please try the acetone idea on one invaluable coin first. I have heard different stories. Some say it does not change the color; some say that it has turned copper-based coins an orange-like color. I have never used acetone on any coins that were not made of noble metals (gold, silver, platinum) so I do not know the results on cents. I am very interested in your results. We have members who collect cents that will probably be able to give you more accurate results of using acetone. Good luck! Report this Post to the Staff
	Replies: 6 / Views: 1,296

To participate in the forum you must log in or register.

All Forums Category: US Coins and Currency Forums Forum: US Classic and Colonial Coins

The First Dollar, your premier source for bullion and rare coins. See our bullion list on the site and the coin inventory on ebay.

Silver Gold Bull US is the United States leading bullion dealer. We deliver gold coins, gold bars, silver coins, silver bars and precious metals to your door. Order today!

View Last 100 New Topics

View Last 100 Active Topics

Disclaimer: While a tremendous amount of effort goes into ensuring the accuracy of the information contained in this site, Coin Community assumes no liability for errors. Copyright 2005 - 2026 Coin Community Family- all rights reserved worldwide. Use of any images or content on this website without prior written permission of Coin Community or the original lender is strictly prohibited.
Contact Us | Advertise Here | Privacy Policy / Terms of Use

Coin Community Forum

It took 0.3 seconds to rattle this change.