Acid Enhanced Dates?

Fr8Tr8n · February 14, 2004 4:33PM

Perhaps this question has been asked before - and my apologies if it has been recent.

I am curious about acid enhancing dates - specifically on Buffalo nickels. What is the most obvious sign (or what are the most obvious signs) of this technique being employed? I have had no experience with this and seriously doubt that - unless there was some change to the color of the surface near the date only - that I would even sense something like this. Any good examples or links available?

Thank you for having a look!

Scott

SarasotaFrank · February 14, 2004 4:38PM

I have never seen this done well. You end up with a splotch around the weak date which you can see from six or eight miles.

at least when rookies try it.

besides, if the date is shot, the rest of the coin can't be much.

coppercoins · February 14, 2004 4:49PM

And if you try covering the whole coin with it, by the time the date actually shows up the whole coin is pitted and matte looking. It might look decent at arm's length, but up close the details will be shallow and there will be little or no shine left on the coin.

LUCKOFTHEIRISH · February 14, 2004 4:53PM

I have found the best way to raise a date is by using pool acid (muratic acid). In the old days they used muratic acid mixed with household chlorine but this makes a deadly gas. The older ones you can tell because it has a greenish stain on it. The ones with just the pool acid have a white stain on it.

Fr8Tr8n · February 14, 2004 5:00PM

I wasn't really sure how to tell - or why it is worth doing in the first place.

As my 12 year old is coming into the hobby (and his spending budget is based on odd jobs that Dad can put him to work doing) he seems to be mainly interested in Buffalos, State Quarters and smaller, affordable pieces. I wanted to be able to pick such a tampered coin (as an 'acid enhanced date') out - I doubt that I'd ever seen one so, I have no idea what the obvious signs would be.

I have read a bit on the topic but (as already mentioned by SarasotaFrank), it seems pointless if the coin is that bad off in the first place. So, since I haven't actually knowingly seen anything of the sort I thought that I would ask.

Thank you for responding - pitted and matte looking is definitely something to go with.

S

coynclecter · February 14, 2004 5:05PM

We used to do this 40 years ago. There were still buffs in circulation but by then most all were dateless. It was a lot of fun to find some really rare dates but it did ruin the coin and you can see it without a glass. I never put it on the whole coin just on the date and it became real dark but a faint date showed through. It never went back to looking original.

Acid Enhanced Dates?

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