1885 Liberty Nickel

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rjsvt
rjsvt Posts: 163 ✭
in Metal Detecting
Went out detecting with a friend today. She got permission to detect around an old stone house built in the early 1800s. It's right on the main road, I think it's been detected before, found nothing but trash, and then finally hit this V nickel. It's beat, but it's a rare date, 1885.

Some iPhone pics...
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I haven't even tried rinsing it off yet, looks like there's a little detail under the dirt. What's the best thing to do with it as far as cleaning if anything?

Thanks,
Bob

Bob

Comments

  • Bayard1908
    Bayard1908 Posts: 4,184 ✭✭✭✭
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    I normally give old dug nickels a chemical cleaning; but, that coin is nice enough that I might leave it alone other than getting the dirt off.
  • pcgs69
    pcgs69 Posts: 4,406 ✭✭✭✭
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    nice key date! She's a little toasty but being able to read the date is the important part.



    In terms of cleaning, I wouldn't do much. Maybe a dry toothbrush, but I don't think much else can be done to make it better. Wait for others to chime in before doing anything.
  • Zot
    Zot Posts: 825 ✭✭✭
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    Very nice find! I'm not too familiar with these, so I had to look it up in the PCGS price guide. Key date indeed! image



    I've never had much luck cleaning this type of coins. There are various ways to get the dirt off, but the appearance may not improve at all...

    I've found that you can often actually see the details better when the dirt is on there. In this case, you can clearly see the portrait, date, and most of the stars - and the obverse has a "balanced" appearance to it overall (in metal detecting terms, that is! image ).

    I think if you clean it, it will look flatter and some details (e.g. lady liberty's eye) won't be as clear. Some dirt might also come off while some of it sticks, which would make it uglier, etc.

    I would leave it.



    You can always change your mind if it ages "badly". For example, I have some crusty old coins that looked fine when I found them, but now that they're completely dry they're dropping stuff like old Christmas trees if I even think about touching them! image
    Minelab: GPX 5000, Excalibur II, Explorer SE. White's: MXT, PI Pro
  • ricko
    ricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I would give it a vigorous rinse in high grade acetone..... that should remove all the crud.

    You said you were searching around an old stone house... we have many of those in this

    area of NYS. Where are you located??

    Cheers, RickO
  • asheland
    asheland Posts: 24,545 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Originally posted by: pcgs69
    nice key date! She's a little toasty but being able to read the date is the important part.

    In terms of cleaning, I wouldn't do much. Maybe a dry toothbrush, but I don't think much else can be done to make it better. Wait for others to chime in before doing anything.

    image



    Awesome find! image

    My YouTube Channel

  • rjsvt
    rjsvt Posts: 163 ✭
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    Hi Ricko,
    I'm in the northwest corner of Vermont. There are quarries on some of the islands in Lake Champlain that provided the stone for quite a few stone houses in the area near me.
    Bob


    Originally posted by: ricko
    I would give it a vigorous rinse in high grade acetone..... that should remove all the crud.
    You said you were searching around an old stone house... we have many of those in this
    area of NYS. Where are you located??
    Cheers, RickO

    Bob
  • Bayard1908
    Bayard1908 Posts: 4,184 ✭✭✭✭
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    On second thought, I would give that nickel a chemical cleaning. I soak them in Aluminum Jelly and then finish them off with a Nic-A-Date acid rinse. I dug a Buffalo nickel today and am cleaning it now.
  • lordmarcovan
    lordmarcovan Posts: 45,335 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    WOW! That's awesome!



    I've seen lots worse come outta the ground in terms of V-nix, too. Nice that you got one with a clear date!

    Collector since 1976. On the CU forums here since 2001.

  • Treashunt
    Treashunt Posts: 6,748 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    congrats on the key date.



    I have never found one
    Frank

    BHNC #203

  • luckybucks
    luckybucks Posts: 1,318 ✭✭✭
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    When cleaning that one, give it lots of TLC. You don't want to ruin a key date coin.
  • AUandAG
    AUandAG Posts: 25,050 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    That is ONE SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET find!





    bob
    Registry: CC lowballs (boblindstrom), bobinvegas1989@yahoo.com
  • johnny9434
    johnny9434 Posts: 34,049 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Originally posted by: luckybucks
    When cleaning that one, give it lots of TLC. You don't want to ruin a key date coin.


    no doubts about that one.
  • ricko
    ricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Thanks Bob...

    I am in the Hudson Valley...this area was settled in the late 1600's and a lot of stone houses

    were built (lots of quarries etc.). I am hoping to one day find some old colonial copper ...

    Cheers, RickO

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