Lunchtime 1859 Indian Head... To clean or not to clean

[GKMan]

Wasn't expecting this.. Rang up as 12 22. This was found at an estate along the Hudson River that I have been detecting for a couple years.
You can see it has some detail as is. Not sure what is left under the flaking material
[attachment 292436 1859.JPG]

 

[surfman]

Leave it alone. I think it looks great. I found one a couple weeks ago. Yours looks great compared to mine. All the fatty Indian Heads I've found ring up 12-22 as well. Congrats, that's a great find. Joe

 

[Larry (IL)]

She is in nice condition for a "fatty", I would use soap and water with your fingers or a soft toothbrush. Anything more might do more damage than good.

 

[Stever0812]

I would do nothing looks good as is.

 

[GKMan]

Thanks for the responses guys, That's all I did Larry, the reverse is shot and barely worth photographing....oh well...At least I have a date...

What a difference a little lighting from the side makes....
[attachment 292443 Capture.JPG][attachment 292444 1859.JPG]

Reverse
[attachment 292445 Capture2.JPG]

 

[Bell-Two]

I have found two 1859 Indians and I just did some soap and water and I think that they looked better before I did that. In the future on most fatties I will at most dry brush them.

 

[GKMan]

I hear you Bell! That is what I may try next time... Those Indians are funny coins.. Sometimes you can peroxide them and they come out beautiful, other times...Obviously, peroxide would have destroyed this one.

 

[coondog]

The olive oil soak works well for me. Gets under dirt but leaves the patina alone. I have found that vinegar will remove green patina but what's under it is a pitted unrecognizable surface.

 

[Bell-Two]

I hear you Bell! That is what I may try next time... Those Indians are funny coins.. Sometimes you can peroxide them and they come out beautiful, other times...Obviously, peroxide would have destroyed this one.

Here is what I am talking about.

 

[GateKeeper]

I recently found a 1859 Indian with a man's wedding ring inside a 3 merry widows container. That was cool and I wonder if the man got hit with a frying pan for losing it.

 

[GKMan]

No Kidding! That is a really cool find. I would so like to know how that ended up happening. Do you have a picture? I wonder who the contents of the the 3MW container was utilized hehe..

 

[unluckylester]

Nice find. pick at it with a toothpick. try the back first to see if it helps.

 

[sube]

You will notice that the patinae is already flaking off the rim of the coin which is a bad candidate for peroxide , Any coin that shows pitting should not be put in peroxide pits or the pits nothing you can do about them . I have found about a dozen merry widow makers and have never found anything in them sube

 

[Mason Jarr]

I cleaned the ones I found on my trip with a bamboo skewer...just lightly scraping off the dirt. 18 of the 19 turned out very well. The one that didn't was the most valuable one (1872), of course.

 

["Dr.Tones"]

Try some sand paper and SOS pads

 

[GKMan]

That did not improve it's appearance

[attachment 292665 il_fullxfull.378026244_rc3q.jpg]

 

[mcb613]

You are kidding with the sand paper, right? I was thinking more of course sandblasting. I like how little detail is left and I can call them 1877s , all day long

 

[GKMan]

Hey! It really cleaned up my colonial coppers and large cents just as nice!



[attachment 292680 1.JPG]

 

[mcb613]

Ok , great!!! Looks like there finally ready for scrap. Awesome process, wonder if Smithsonian would like to get that process? Maybe something to patent. Have a good week people!

 

[Big Boys Hobbies]

Nice Indian!