When do you give up on a copper????

kryptonitecomics

I bought an 1800 Large Cent off Ebay several month's ago. It was completely green with verdigris or so I thought. After soaking it in Olive oil for several months I saw no change. I then used the potato method that LM told me about and although the potato turned green and black, the coin is still completely covered in green.

So now I have moved on to acetone........Goo Gone.....even peroxide????Any thing I can think of other than scrubbing the surface with something abrasive.

Is there any hope for this copper cent or should I just accept that it is a lost cause???

The coin is no better than an AG or G-4, but I had hope to save it and bring it back to a respectable condition, but other than scrubbing the crap out of it.......I don't know what I can do?

ormandh

Can you post a pic of it? -Dan

GregTheGreat

<< <i>I bought an 1800 Large Cent off Ebay several month's ago. It was completely green with verdigris or so I thought. After soaking it in Olive oil for several months I saw no change. I then used the potato method that LM told me about and although the potato turned green and black, the coin is still completely covered in green.

So now I have moved on to acetone........Goo Gone.....even peroxide????Any thing I can think of other than scrubbing the surface with something abrasive.

Is there any hope for this copper cent or should I just accept that it is a lost cause???

The coin is no better than an AG or G-4, but I had hope to save it and bring it back to a respectable condition, but other than scrubbing the crap out of it.......I don't know what I can do? >>



BLUE RIBBON ----- I heard that it is illeagle now but I hunt some down from time to time.

The original stuff is the best.... (Their might be some board members who would be willing to sell you some).

The best way to use it is with a q-tip.

-Greg U

jacktheknife

A dip in NaCN (sodium cyanide) solution will strip is clean. It will also leave it with an abnormal looking light yellow gold color. I'd just put it in my pocket after that and let it retone over a year.

Harsh, but it will work.

Jack

kryptonitecomics

Here is a picture of it prior to cleaning..........it pretty much still looks the same

BillJones

Yes, that's a lost cause. The coin IS the corrosion. That's what the is made of.

I've heard from old time collectors that arsnic will stop the corrosion and make applied area turn black, but I didn't know if that would help you here very much.

kryptonitecomics

I'll try a few more things, but if it is a lost cause........do I just put it in a 2X2 and forget about it????? Do I take it to the Philadelphia Mint in bury it on the front law????

Conder101

I'd drop it into my pocket with my change and carry it as a pocket piece for a year or two. It will smooth the surfaces some and help to highlight some of the detais. I had a low grade black rough 1802 that I carried for two years and it now looks better.

michael

i would try what conder says!!!!! it works and works well and you will love the results

but the only downside is

it is not a QUICK fix.................you are looking at two to three years


michael

BigGreek

Get it slabbed by ANACS.. feature it!!!

dorkkarl

honestly, that's a hopeless cause, & w/ that in mind, here's what i'd do. dunk that puppy in hydrochloric & let it bubble til all the green crap floats to the top. the coin will be U-G-L-Y at that point. then deller's darkener the he11 out of it. it will instantly turn black, & still be U-G-L-Y. finally, use conder's idea to just carry it in your pocket a couple of years. you'll still end up w/ an U-G-L-Y coin, but at least it won't look like a christmas cookie.

K S

Baley

You could try electrolysis; worked on some "uncleaned" ancients I bought for fun a while back

ziggy29

This looks like one of those exceptions to the rule with respect to not abrasively scrubbing a coin or trying some funny stuff to get the green gunk off of it. It may remove some metal, but in *this* case I think it would still improve the coin if all other non-abrasive methods have been tried and failed.

ozzysdad

I've tried Lemon juice and Lime, I think if you decide to try it, dilute it 50/50 with water.


" I accept no responsibility", Try it on something else first, But, it does remove the Green, but it also cleaned the copper. The Orange spray for wood seems to do well.

mgoodm3

<< <i>I've tried Lemon juice and Lime, I think if you decide to try it, dilute it 50/50 with water.


" I accept no responsibility", Try it on something else first, But, it does remove the Green, but it also cleaned the copper. The Orange spray for wood seems to do well. >>



Plus your coins will smell nice.

Pocket piece it!

ss350camaro

<< <i>you'll still end up w/ an U-G-L-Y coin, but at least it won't look like a christmas cookie. >>





I think in this case a little "abrasive" cleaning would be acceptable. Then pocket piece it for a year or so.

kryptonitecomics

Very good ideas and I appreciate you folks tring to help.........I'll post my after picture with what ever method I choose. I have some type of acid in my garage that cleanes carports etc...I might try diluting that and then give the coin a quick dip. I'll try it on an old wheat penny first just to see what happens....I know I can find some green corroded penny's somewhere in my thousands of wheaties