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does nic a date work on silver

I have several standing liberty quarters, and walking liberty halves, that I would love to be able to determine the date.

Can these be acid treated like the buffalo nickels?

Rob
image

Comments

  • mrpotatoheaddmrpotatoheadd Posts: 7,576 ✭✭✭


    << <i>does nic a date work on silver >>

    I've never tried myself, but I have heard that Nic-a-Date doesn't work on silver.
  • dcamp78dcamp78 Posts: 1,082 ✭✭
    I would not suggest using this stuff on any coins.
    I took a nickel to my coin dealer and had him clean it for me with the NicADate.
    He scratched the living crap out of the coin and it turned pink. (but the date was visible)

    JMO,
    Big Dave
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  • I have a couple of Standing Liberty quarters that are better dates, but were so worn someone put some kind of acid to pull up the dates. So I can read the date right through the huge acid burn. Yikes!
  • cladkingcladking Posts: 28,741 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I've seen it work but it seems to be a fluke when it does.
    tempus fugit extra philosophiam.
  • I had a 1895-O $ I won from a board members mailbid that was acid date. I sent it to SEGS and it came back a AG03 labeled Acid Date. It was ugly. I sent it to another dealer in NC for show and tell at his local club.


  • << <i>I would not suggest using this stuff on any coins.
    I took a nickel to my coin dealer and had him clean it for me with the NicADate.
    He scratched the living crap out of the coin and it turned pink. (but the date was visible)

    JMO, >>





    NAD toning I guess.
  • I tried it ona standing lib quarter. It ruined it. It left a big black spot where the nic-a-date was applied. DO NOT USE ON SILVER!!!!

    Edited to add: I forgot to add that the chemical did nothing to the date. I was left with a dateless coin with a big black spot where the date should be.
  • holeinone1972holeinone1972 Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭
    So I am left with no date junk silver in the end.

    No good way to determine the dates.

    I know for a fact that the standing liberties are not 1916 because there are stars under the eagle, but I would still like to know.

    Bummer
    image
  • They used to make a product that was effective on 90% silver coins. I have used it on SLQ's and Merc dimes. I know everybody calls it nic-o-date, but I distinctly remember it as Coin Date (for nickels) and Coin Date for silver. They were nasty acids and they ruined the coins that I tried them on. They silver one would leave a black mark on the coin, but they would allow the date to be read. I think it was nitric acid, although I am not sure. I do remember the last time I used it was on about two rolls of dateless SLQ's. I wasn't careful about the acid and the next day........my hands turned PURPLE/BLACK. Could not wash or bleach my hands back to their original color. In two weeks, they turned back to pink after the old stained cells died and were replaced by healthy ones. I couldn't work that day because my hands were discolored. Last time I used it, about 1966.
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  • Steve27Steve27 Posts: 13,275 ✭✭✭
    " So I am left with no date junk silver in the end.

    No good way to determine the dates."


    Well, you can tell the 17-D/S. Here's a 17-S

    image
    "It's far easier to fight for principles, than to live up to them." Adlai Stevenson
  • lkrarecoinslkrarecoins Posts: 2,137 ✭✭✭
    Nope, it only works on Nickel...and does a pretty crappy job

    I just like using it because I just HAVE to know what date a Buffalo is....Its like a an acid-treated Treasure hunt!!! image
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  • cladkingcladking Posts: 28,741 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>They used to make a product that was effective on 90% silver coins. I have used it on SLQ's and Merc dimes. I know everybody calls it nic-o-date, but I distinctly remember it as Coin Date (for nickels) and Coin Date for silver. They were nasty acids and they ruined the coins that I tried them on. They silver one would leave a black mark on the coin, but they would allow the date to be read. I think it was nitric acid, although I am not sure. I do remember the last time I used it was on about two rolls of dateless SLQ's. I wasn't careful about the acid and the next day........my hands turned PURPLE/BLACK. Could not wash or bleach my hands back to their original color. In two weeks, they turned back to pink after the old stained cells died and were replaced by healthy ones. I couldn't work that day because my hands were discolored. Last time I used it, about 1966. >>




    This sounds like a weak silver nitrate solution. If you got it from the coin it might have just
    been nitric acid in the formula. Nitric would dissolve silver and form silver nitrate which is the
    basis of photographic film.
    tempus fugit extra philosophiam.
  • Nic-a-date for nickels is a ferric chloride solution. Nic-a-date for silver was a nitric acid solution. The nitric acid does react with the silver in the coin to form silver nitrate. Silver nitrate will react with your skin staining it purple-black.
    Jim Hodgson



    Collector of US Small Size currency, Atlanta FRNs, and Georgia nationals since 1977. Researcher of small size US type - seeking serial number data for all FRN star notes, Series 1928 to 1934-D. Life member SPMC.



  • holeinone1972holeinone1972 Posts: 5,368 ✭✭✭
    So can you still get nitric acid?

    If so where?

    Rob
    image

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