How to clean this Shield Nickel

ajbauman

When I was going though some of my wheaties today... I found a shield nickel!! I was pretty stoked...but it's in pretty bad shape.

I think that the details are probably "fine" but I can't see anything under all of this junk!!

Anybody have any ideas as to the best way to clean this (someday I might want to submit this to a grader, if it is a rare year or type), so please keep that in mind in your recommendations.

Obverse:


Reverse:

bigmansam88

It's corroded, and therefore nothing can be done to save it.

A dip in acetone may be able to get some crud off, but will never remove corrosion.

COALPORTER

I doubt it's that rare, so you don't have anything to lose.
Try a soaking in a solvent, like acetone.

KurtHorn

BRILLO!

rec78

Why clean it? just spend it.

LickThoseStamps

I like the condition of the SAC dollars found in Cheerios much better.

lcoopie

that's an interesting find
but it's surface is destroyed and cannot be saved,
it may be worth a little more than a nickle, but not much
you would have a hard time getting a store to accept this
for payment

au58

No kidding.
Since it looks to be beyond hope, try Liquid Wrench.
It's a penetrant, with some solvent traits.

The best suggestion so far though is to sepnd it.

ziggy29

<< <i>The best suggestion so far though is to sepnd it. >>

I'd at least want to know the date first. All we know is that it's apparently not 1866 since we see no trace of rays.

cinman14

Good luck spending it. That thing is so corroded you would spend five minutes trying to get a clerk to accept it.

If you are serious, soak it in olive oil like I do Ancients for about 3 months. Good luck on the submitting part

TwoSides2aCoin

It's beyond cleaning, friend.
It's ready for HYPE and eBay.

Tvac897

Yeah that nickel is dunzo

PerryHall

Don't soak it. The acetone will cost more than the coin is worth.

kevinstang

try sticking in a potato for a night or two, I do this with the copper coins I find while metal detecting, it will remove some of the junk. A soak in some hot olive oil might help as well- I also do this with dug copper and have used on a few nickels. Nothing will remove the pitting on the coins surface.