Question about Silver finds

[N2Treasure]

Hi all, has anyone seen a silver coin (any silver coin) come out of the ground with oxidation or corrosion all over it? If you have, do you remember what kind of situation the coin was in the ground? I mean clay, water, sand, lime coated farm fields etc...also, how old a coin was it and how deep?

Thanks,

Duane

 

[MA Hole]

Hi Duane,

I've gotten tons of black silvers - as well as all shades of grey. It comes from exposure to sulfur in the environment - and deepens from lighter colors to black over time. Anything that makes it easier for the coin to be exposed promotes the oxidation to silver sulfide. Sometimes there's no telling if a coin will come out of the ground black or clean. Sometimes one side is bright and the other badly tarnished. Generally, though, drier, well-drained earth gives me better coins than wet. My absolute best ones have come out of pine forests or sandy (non-beach) soil. Worst ones have been in polluted water. HH, Dan

 

[Nick A]

Saltwater silver looks like crap - it can be black, corroded and crusted. Water seems to react with something and turn silver black. I have dug silver with black marks from blades of grass showing on one side out of parks. I think the water reacts with the silver if it is in contact for too long. I remember digging a Barber dime in the muck near a small stream that was completely black.

 

[Eu_citzen]

Yes salt water silver, got at roughly 3". 1961, 25