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

[cosmic]

If you want to know the date first apply some tape pushing down gently and remove.. Or Elmer's glue.. You might have to do this a few times.. I use a different method for cleaning than usually used..

 

[deeponedge]

Nice find bud. I say 1879 or 1874 but Ive seen it in person and its still just a guess. Now let's hit the pizza joint then do some hunting.

 

[OhioCoinHunter]

I don't recommend electrolysis. I have a three part video on youtube where I clean various finds with electrolysis. It does a wonderful job of cleaning copper but removes the patina. As an experiment, at the end of part II I took an 1887 Indian Head cent with a pretty green patina and subjected it to electro for 5 minutes on each side. Here are the before & after pics:

BEFORE ELECTROLYSIS

AFTER ELECTROLYSIS
OUCH!

Whatever elements comprise the green patina actually take the place of the copper underneath. When you remove it, well, you see what the result may be. (It hurts me to look at those pics!)

On the other hand, I had a wheaty with a heavy, green, cement-like buildup on the front of it. I couldn't make out any details. After electrolysis, there was a definite improvement.

BEFORE

AFTER

The result is better with the wheaty. However, at best, electrolysis is a big gamble...especially with a potentially rare coin. I wouldn't take the chance of ruining it. You may want to have it professionally cleaned. I don't know how much you know about it. However a friend of mine, Nick_A, who is the president of the detecting club I belong to and a poster here on the forum, has had a rare coin professionally cleaned, graded and slabbed. I'm sure he'd be happy to share all the details about that if you pm'ed him.

[size=large]I sure hope that last digit is a 7![/size]

 

[Dave-IL]

I hope the rest of the indian looks as good as what is showing through. No matter what the date is it is a good find.

 

[Knipper]

Maybe my eyes are fooling me, but I'll bet that's an 1874, Bryce...

Knipper

 

[DoughBoyDoug]

wtg you guys. I think yours looks like an 1874 1871 0r 1879 bryce. sure has a nice green color to it.

 

[silverfix]

I hope its the biggie but whatever it is its nice. gmoney made a nice find too.

 

[TURNMASTER]

Soap and water, anything else risks the flaking of the patina and pitting. A slightly dirty looking coin looks better than a flaked out or pitted one. A light ultra sonic may be ok with a mild cleaner in it. I used ours at work (heavy duty industrial) with a strong cleaner and got horible results on some wheats. and my worst Injun flaked. I did not try it with the better Injuns, just soap and water. Some Mothers Metal polish worked real good on a couple of nickels, and a copper 5 Centavo, haven't tried it on on Indian yet (I have so few).

Maybe this is one to try something new (???).

Do not like flakey coins. Probably just me and yet I will rub a "V" or Buff so I can see the coins details, go figure.
Jeff

 

[Aaron]

n/t

 

[Aaron]

n/t

 

[Aaron]

n/t

 

[born2hunt]

Every injun I've cleaned in boiling peroxide turned a dark chocolate brown, which I'm okay with, but I wasn't sure if it was the peroxide or the heat that made the patina turn. Never tried one in cold peroxide. Since we're guessing I'll give Bryce the benefit and say it's a "77. Anyone who finds ten seated coins in one season has gotta have some kind of mojo on his side.

 

[Hotcz70]

I CRAPPED OUT

I first lightly rubbed where the last number is to see just what it is....
[attachment 167891 1874.jpg]

NOT one of the high $$ ones but WOW did it clean up nice
[attachment 167893 1874b2.jpg]

The back is what amazed me....WOW...from caked on crap to ...
[attachment 167913 back.jpg] [attachment 167894 1874c.jpg]

Since I dug an 1877 last year...I was more than thrilled to see the date as an 1874.

I was missing only the 1871 and the 1874 from having dug all the 1870's Injuns' in my detecting career.

THANK YOU fellers' who gave me cleaning tips. I am STOKED at the gorgeous patina on this baby.

 

[Goes4ever]

how did you clean it? it turned out GREAT!

 

[utahshovelhead]

Bryce,
Great thread and lots of info on cleaning that coin...the anticipation is fun just to see what you were going to do with it. Mabey if it gets any hotter you can just pour peroxide in the hole when you dig!

Good luck to you.
utahshovelhead

 

[capri_auto]

That is a sweet indian, good work

 

[Chris(SoCenWI)]

n/t

 

[Hotcz70]

warm water...dawn dish soap...my fingers...and a toothbrush.

 

[Chris(SoCenWI)]

Bryce,

I'm still missing many of the 1870s but alot of the others I've found are in pretty sweet shape, bet most are VF to EF. Still needing a 77.

Chris

 

[Hotcz70]

ALL THE 1860's FATTIES but one ....because I suck at lower conductor hits

I have found only one fattie in my detecting career and that came a couple of years ago. I believe it's an 1863 if I remember correctly.

Other than the fatties...I now just need the 1871 and 1909s.