A SWEET find:clapping:...so I hope most of you fellers' will share this with me....

[Hotcz70]

and give me your suggestions on what to do....and how to properly clean it.

It doesn't get any better than this for me when it comes to finds.

Yep...I'll hunt 5 hours in 95 degree heat.... in a pounded park... to find just ONE coin...if it's one of these

This is EXACTLY what I love about this hobby....the absolute THRILL of the unknown.
[attachment 167615 coins337.jpg]

I am like a kid in a candy store...or at Christmas time.

First off...what a thrill it was to dig the plug and see a coin sticking out of the bottom part of a rusty old bottle cap at about 8" deep...and on edge.
[attachment 167613 coins335.jpg]

I can see exactly why this coin was still in the ground and missed by many other hunters over the years...including me.
[attachment 167614 coins336.jpg]

These explorers are AMAZING...and the explorer 2 takes a back seat to NO other machine... including the E-trac...and I have over 300 hours on the "E"...so that statement comes with honesty and sincerity.

I hunted the nasty iron zone at this site and the EX2 nulled a lot with the settings I run. That's fine by me though...cause' I've said it many times before in my posts...and proven it countless times as well...the constant null is my FRIEND at times.

My absolute best finds over the last 3 years have come from spots where there is absolutely no threshold...only a long dead null.

When I plucked it from it's rusty, bottle cap cradle...I could see a small patch of green showing through the rust stained coin...and could make out feathers.....Injun'.

Then I ever so slightly rubbed just ONCE where I thought the date would be...and 'bout loaded my shorts.
[attachment 167612 coins334.jpg]

As you can see... one rub brought the first three numbers in the date to life...and they are CLEARLY 187...YIPPEE!

It's killing me not knowing what the last number is...but I wanted to share this with all of you just in case it's one of the high dollar Injuns'

It truthfully doesn't matter whether it is or not...because all of the 1870's Injuns' are good ones...which is what makes it fun.

At this point...I don't know whether its the $20 1879...or one of the $100 ones...or the $1000 1877 which I found last year.

To me it's just like pulling a clod from the ground and seeing a silver rime peeking out...you just don't know what's inside.
[attachment 167616 coins338.jpg]

Anyway...please give me your suggestions...ALL of them...on how to get the gunk and crud off of here without screwing the coin up.

As you can see...the back is caked with "rusty-crud-gunk" because it was resting on the rusty bottle cap.
[attachment 167617 coins339.jpg]

Better the back being gunked up than the front.

Even if it is one of the higher dollar ones...I wouldn't send it in to grade anyway...cause' again...I'm not a collector...so fire some cleaning suggestions at me.

After you fellers' have given me your thoughts...I'll rub the date to reveal what it is...post it and show you...and use whatever cleaning process most of you think is best.

What was really cool about this day was that a very good friend of mine..."G-Money"....traveled a long way to hunt with me.
[attachment 167620 meandgmoney.jpg]

He knows pops isn't well and he has driven many miles to meet up with me and hunt on several occasions.

He found an "old sweetie" too...and his was dated 1878.
[attachment 167619 gmoneyinjun2.jpg]

 

[Chris(SoCenWI)]

Should loosen the dirt on front perfectly, back side is probably iffy.

Bryce, never had a bad experience with this method. Leaves the patina.

Chris

 

[SPONNIE73]

Great story and pictures Bryce. Can

 

[captn_se]

Sweet find, Bryce!! I love when there's junk in the hole with your treasure!!

I won't make any cleaning suggestions on that copper...I'll let the experts chime in. I only know how to clean silver.

Real Nice!!

You've got some great hunting buddies too!! So do I!

HH,
Dan
CAPTN SE

 

[Dan-Pa.]

I once devalued a key date coin when I first started the hobby and was told find what you feel is a key date bring it in as its worth more uncleaned and I can clean professionally...Live and learn I guess...and this dealer is a pro....so heed the warning lest you devalue your coin...

 

[mountainplayer]

As Chris said, heated hydrogen peroxide will do a great job. You're probably going to have to give it repeated soaks, and brush it with a soft bristled brush in between.

Cool find, Bryce! Hope it's the '77.

MP

 

[Goes4ever]

if you peroxide it, you will def lose the green patina, I love the green on injuns and refuse to put mine in peroxide just for that reason. I have cleaned well over 100 injuns in last two years and I have never messed one up yet by using warm water, drop of dishsoap and a soft toothbrush, just looks like dried dirt to me, should clean up real nice. here is a 1900 I found a few weeks ago before and after using the method I described. You can also use wooden toothpicks to pick dirt out around the numbers, letters etc.Because wood is softer than copper it will NOT scratch

 

[dewcon4414]

I just found an 1869.... i did the peroxide then gently use a micro cloth on it. The green is still on, but got some flaking. Ive got one of the NOT so key dates in a potatoe i want to see how that works.... I want to ensure it doesnt change the color. Anything you use that might remove the surface ... like vinegar or an active ingredient rinsing it in baking soda and water is a must. Vaseline works fairly well too to loosen and keep it from scratching. Soaking in mineral oil and using a wet q-tip helps. Rose thorns are soft and can be used as can a tooth pick for the difficult spots. There may be a web site to EAC (early american coppers) they have several processes to professionally do it. What i have found is cleaning IHs isnt like wheats.... they are delicate... except the fatties they are so tuff you can almost use sand paper on those babies. The good thing about IHs they dont turn purple like wheats will if you dont properly clean them.

Dew

 

[G-Money]

Bryce, I would use peroxide cold and let it take time to remove what you want, just change everyday and clean with soft brush and when you are happy its done. I had a good time hunting and as soon as the weather breaks we will do it again. Have a good one bro !!!

 

[LabradorBob]

Cool Bryce,
Many congrats,The suspence is killing me! [attachment 167646 4.gif]
Best of luck on another 7.
LabradorBob

 

[Goes4ever]

every indian or wheat i have put in peroxide has removed the green patina and turned them very dark, if that is what you like then great! but if you like the green patina, I would stay away from peroxide. I still think it will clean easy enough like I described above

 

[Chris(SoCenWI)]

Goes4ever,

I've never lost a patina on an IH with H2O2.

[attachment 167649 Picture140.jpg]

These (and all) my coppers have had a H2O2 bath with good results. Have hundreds of other examples. I have screwed up several trying other methods.

If they are green they stay green, brown stays brown. Copper color stays copper. I just drop them in boiling hydrogen peroxide until it stops fizzing, clean dirt with soft cloth. Repeat if necessary. If they have the green gunkies or are corroded whole another story. I haven't found anything that works then. Hoping to get a regulated variable Voltage/Current DC power supply and try electrolysis on some of my bad ones.

Wondering if we are doing this differently.

Chis

 

[Goes4ever]

I just spoke with Weston and he agreed with me, as we have both tried peroxide on indians. Every one we put in peroxide lost the green and it turned the indian VERY dark. I am just worried the exact thing will happen if he puts his in peroxide. What does he has to lose by trying warm water, a touch of dishsoad and soft toothbrush first? If the dirt does not come off then go for the much more aggresive peroxide. in this pic the 1882 indian was green as grass when I dug it, put in peroxide, and now green is gone and it is dark as coffee grounds, very unpleasing to me now, It looked way better before I put it in peroxide.

I am merely trying to help as I don't want to see him make a possible key date indian extremely dark, once its dark, no way to lighten it

 

[weston]

Bryce, soap and water first DO NOT USE PEROXIDE on a 70s injun!!! alittle soap and water never hurt anything!!!

Weston

 

[DirtFlipper]

Cool find, Bryce. As for cleaning, might consider going from least intrusive to most. Just a rinse with water, then soap, then toothbrush. I used to use peroxide a lot on coppers, but found that it turns them dark (clean, but dark). Lately I've had better luck using Magic Eraser (which really isn't an 'eraser', but a micro sponge made from melamine foam). This works quite well for just dirt (not crustations). I've posted about using this before on the forum here.

Good luck, and hope it's a good one!
DirtFlipper

 

[montanagold]

Well i know people wont like what I do but it works great for me and I haven't screwed up an Indian yet. Anyway I just throw them in the tumbler with fish gravel and check them every 5 minutes I pull them out when I am satisfied with the results but try not to leave them in long enough to take off the patina. Then when I pull them out I put a coat of cooking oil on them for a couple of hours and they turn out pretty good. Mind you that I am allot like you in that I don't plan on selling any coin and if I did its free money so I am not particular on what I get. As you see from my vids I rub the heck out of my coins, I want to see them when I pull them out. Its not about finding an 8,000.00 coin for me its more about seeing what I pull out next. So I say clean that baby up and enjoy her for what she is, a great find. Congrats on the Indian!

 

[niterider_58]

NICE INJUN BRYCE; I LOVE THAT GREEN PATINA..AWESOME . AS FOR CLEANING IT,MY PHONE # IS BR549

 

[N2Treasure]

I really like extra virgin olive oil. I have a small glass jar that I fill up a fourth of the way and drop it in and let it soak. It loosens some of the crud after a day or two and GENTLY use a soft bristle tooth brush. GO EASY...then get your scope out and look, if you want more crust off, drop it back in and let it sit and then repeat. I've had some of mine in there for a month before I was happy with it. All the dirt came off and the beautiful green patina remains along with the details. Only way to fly, you have to be patient...

Congrats, Duane

 

[N2Treasure]

After comparing your pics against other injuns in the 70's, I'm gonna say its an 1871.....Only a guess, we'll see!

Congrats, Duane

 

[onemore]

I have found over 1500 IH's, including two 1877 and a 1909-S. I agree that I would soap and water it first, but no toothpick - you may scratch it. No matter what, don't be tempted to rub too hard.

Then try a little WD40 on a Q-tip just enough to see the last digit. Personal choice, but you do not have to remove all the dirt. Wipe clean with soft cloth.

I've had mixed results with hot peroxide, so test on a couple crappy IH's before you go that route.