what is the equivalent of nic-a-date for silver coins?

sinin1

anybody know what the product is/was called that shows the date on old silver?

MICHAELDIXON

There isn't one that I know of.

nwcs

The properties of silver don't lend itself to a nic-a-date like product as well as nickel. You can sometimes determine the date by evaluating the die variety (if possible) and spending some research time.

wayneherndon

Not aware of one. However, I am saving a dateless Type I SLQ until someone comes up with this product in case it might be a 1916.

nwcs

I believe you can tell the 1916 by the dot and a half bead at the head and by the drapery (how far it goes down).

PerryHall

<< <i>I believe you can tell the 1916 by the dot and a half bead at the head and by the drapery (how far it goes down). >>



There was a thread a few months ago discussing the diagnostics of the 1916 vs the 1917 standing liberty quarter.

koynekwest

Many years ago there WAS a date restorer for SLQ's that was made by the same company that sold nic-a-date. There should be a few bottles of this stuff around somewhere, but I'm sure it's very difficult to find.

SmallSizedGuy

Many years ago there WAS a date restorer for SLQ's that was made by the same company that sold nic-a-date. There should be a few bottles of this stuff around somewhere, but I'm sure it's very difficult to find.

Yes, about 25 years ago this stuff was available. It was diluted nitric acid. Nasty stuff. Left some pretty good stains on the coins, plus would leave stains on your fingers if you weren't careful. I had OK results, but many times you had to be "imaginative" to read the dates.

Even when you were careful and tried to recreate the date by wiping the coin with a cloth with the solution on the cloth, it still left nasty stains on the coins.

If you have a coin that may be a 1916, I would rely on other die characteristics to determine the date and not use Nic-a-Date. It would ruin the coin.

RYK

A small chisel?

MrHalfDime

I have often wondered what is the point of such chemicals in numismatics. If you have a coin that is so badly worn that the date cannot be read, so you apply acid to the date area, what do you have? A worthless, damaged coin, worth perhaps bullion value. Why would anyone use such a product, other than for sheer curiosity? Better living through chemistry.

RYK

If you have a coin that is so badly worn that the date cannot be read, so you apply acid to the date area, what do you have? A worthless, damaged coin, worth perhaps bullion value. Why would anyone use such a product?

I purchased a nic-a-date 1918/17-D 5c for my son's Whitman album. The overdate is very clear since treatment, and it is the only way that I would have ever filled that hole. If, when he is older, he wants an original, unaltered coin to fill the hole, that will be up to him.

koynekwest

Yeah-I would pay $0 for a restored date coin, but acid dates sell all the time on ebay. Half the Buffalo nickels on ebay are restored dates.