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Nancy and Joel please look at this ...
- Thread starter JMorgan
- Start date
Does this look normal? Is it good to have it get like this? Thanks so much for the advice I really appreaciate it
Larry (IL)
Well-known member
I might suggest that you get some advise from your local coin dealer. You might have used some older coin holders that uses a plastic that is not acid free like the newer ones. On a coin that old, I might also suggest spending an extra dollar and go with a better coin holder that is also air tight. Sometimes just the air you breath has enough acids in it to cause that problem on coins, expecially around coal fueled power plants and the like. Your coin dealer could also advise if a cleaning is needed or should be avoided.
Beautiful coin by the way! That looks to be black spots, not patina. A natural patina has the colors of the rainbow and more. They have a purplish tone to them. Joel-Winnipeg
New member
Can't really tell unless I'd see it and handling it. Possible that it could be residue from plastic holders.
Never saw the coin before when you first found it so unsure.
I'd take Larry's advice and have it checked by a coin expert before you try to clean it.
Definitely a coin of value by it's rarity by its old date. Good luck hopes it works out for you.
Never saw the coin before when you first found it so unsure.
I'd take Larry's advice and have it checked by a coin expert before you try to clean it.
Definitely a coin of value by it's rarity by its old date. Good luck hopes it works out for you.
steelheadfever
New member
I would almost bet that you handled the coins with your bare hands before putting them into the coin holders. The oil on your hands will cause metals to turn black after time. Once the coins are cleaned preferably with just soap and water you should not touch the coin again with bare hands before puttying them in their holders. JMHO Dennis in Idaho
Thanks Dennis....I'm testing different methods to clean some of my not so precious or valuable silver coins....I tried this disc thing my wife got for jewelry and while the silver looks cleaner the black stuff is still there. I'm going to try baking soda next and see what happens and has anybody ever heard of this stuff called Nevr-dull? I've seen ads while googling and it has good reviews.
steelheadfever
New member
Nevr-dul has been around for a long time. Used it in the military to polish my brass for my uniform. Try using tooth paste and a tooth brush and maybe a pencil eraser. Just make sure the coin is not valuable either monetarily or historically. HH Dennis in Idaho
Thanks Dennis....I used baking soda without water and it pretty much came off all the coins I used and everything looks good. I don't know what long term effects it will have and hopefully none but for now it worked good and didn't give it that "overly shiny cleaned" look. It just made me sick to see that black stuff on it. Is there long term effects from baking soda that will surface in the future? Thanks for all the good advice I really appreciate it.
That color looks to be coming from inside the metal of the coin itself. If it is that, it will keep coming back. Coins are made up of a mix of different metals and some times a bit of unintended metal can be in the mix and not fully mixed in at that. If I had to guess those are iron/tin spots (or silver sulphites) and will come back. You can take the advise of Larry and put it in an "Air-tite" holder and this will minimize the environment from causing it to come back. Get them at a good coin shop and definitely get the one with a the gasket as it helps to isolate the coin from the air.
PVC flips are the culprit for leaching out the green chlorides that are a slimy mess and destroy coins. You can tell these flips, from others, as they have a flexible,thick, rubbery feel to them. They were stopped being produced 30+ years ago but still show up from accumulations, should be avoided at all costs, and thrown away when encountered.
That is a nice coin! Mexico City mint and a "double strike". If you look, you can see the previous impression to the right on the obverse. It probably has a technical grade higher than is apparent because of not having a "full" strike. (Not as much wear as one would think.) Again...very nice find!!
PVC flips are the culprit for leaching out the green chlorides that are a slimy mess and destroy coins. You can tell these flips, from others, as they have a flexible,thick, rubbery feel to them. They were stopped being produced 30+ years ago but still show up from accumulations, should be avoided at all costs, and thrown away when encountered.
That is a nice coin! Mexico City mint and a "double strike". If you look, you can see the previous impression to the right on the obverse. It probably has a technical grade higher than is apparent because of not having a "full" strike. (Not as much wear as one would think.) Again...very nice find!!
Thanks nw1886.....I used baking soda and most of it came off....it's funny though it looks good in the light but when not in the light you can still see more of a "shadow" of where the black spots were. Here's what it looks like now that it is "clean". I wish I could find a good way to clean copper coins as I have many that are pretty mucked up. I am going to the coin shop ASAP to get some air-tite holders and we'll see what happens.....if it comes back in the same spots again I'll now what it's from that's good advice. Thanks again.
Wow! You were careful at dealing with that coin! You didn't push it too far at all and it presents itself very well! (I was hopeful that that would have been your approach.)
Copper is a completely different animal. It is the most reactive metal in all of coin production. As soon as the metal surfaces of a coin are exposed to air, nature begins the process of turning it back into it's most stable condition...oxide. Messing with that is generally not the thing to do as in an untrained hand, a mess is left behind with little value (There is only one acceptable color for an old copper coin that has been exposed to normal circulation and that is brown.) When pulled from the ground, a copper coin can run the gamut from a light brown to a corroded black. It is what it is but...a well thought out approach can enhance what it is. Would I put a lot of effort into a 1947 penny...of course not. Give me an ancient bronze and I'll put hours into it. With these, the whole thing is not to move the metal around and stay within the encrustation. There are people out there who do have no such compunction and will completely resurface the thing, put bondo in the pits and give it a few good coats of shoe polish! (I've held these and when you hand it back...your hand is brown!) Buyer Beware!
American copper is hugely different than ancient bronze coins. For the most part, our population's beginnings were centered in soil that has wetter climates, with a large amount of decomposing vegetation and natural mineralization. This does not bode well for such a reactive metal such as copper. (Still...some rarities are only known from ground retrieval and is just an acceptable fact of circumstance.) Patinas can and do develop attractively in soil but this is a rather uncommon circumstance. Mostly a granular pitting occurs and this is the surface that is best left alone because of the actual bright copper being just under the surface (with almost no actual "encrustation") and trying to remove any roughness will only expose an unnatural appearance. We had two early Draped Bust large cent come through the shop, last month, that had a very uniform light granular appearance and they still sold for $750.00 each.
There are ways to improve but a good long olive oil soak is generally the best and safest for most people to undertake (including me) with American type copper. Now...that perfect glossy green it can take on...ahhh...needs nothing but a light wipe with oil.
Copper is a completely different animal. It is the most reactive metal in all of coin production. As soon as the metal surfaces of a coin are exposed to air, nature begins the process of turning it back into it's most stable condition...oxide. Messing with that is generally not the thing to do as in an untrained hand, a mess is left behind with little value (There is only one acceptable color for an old copper coin that has been exposed to normal circulation and that is brown.) When pulled from the ground, a copper coin can run the gamut from a light brown to a corroded black. It is what it is but...a well thought out approach can enhance what it is. Would I put a lot of effort into a 1947 penny...of course not. Give me an ancient bronze and I'll put hours into it. With these, the whole thing is not to move the metal around and stay within the encrustation. There are people out there who do have no such compunction and will completely resurface the thing, put bondo in the pits and give it a few good coats of shoe polish! (I've held these and when you hand it back...your hand is brown!) Buyer Beware!
American copper is hugely different than ancient bronze coins. For the most part, our population's beginnings were centered in soil that has wetter climates, with a large amount of decomposing vegetation and natural mineralization. This does not bode well for such a reactive metal such as copper. (Still...some rarities are only known from ground retrieval and is just an acceptable fact of circumstance.) Patinas can and do develop attractively in soil but this is a rather uncommon circumstance. Mostly a granular pitting occurs and this is the surface that is best left alone because of the actual bright copper being just under the surface (with almost no actual "encrustation") and trying to remove any roughness will only expose an unnatural appearance. We had two early Draped Bust large cent come through the shop, last month, that had a very uniform light granular appearance and they still sold for $750.00 each.
There are ways to improve but a good long olive oil soak is generally the best and safest for most people to undertake (including me) with American type copper. Now...that perfect glossy green it can take on...ahhh...needs nothing but a light wipe with oil.