What's the best way to flatten a bent coin?

Bothuwui · April 22, 2004 10:25AM

I have a couple of bent up 3 cent silvers I'd like to try and flatten. They are well circulated, so I'm not overly concerned about damaging them. I've searched the forums and seen it suggested to put it between a couple thick pieces of leather and beat the living tar out of it. I'm willing to give that a try, but was wondering if anyone has any other methods first. Also, if I use the previous method, should I just use a regular hammer, rubber mallet ...?

Baley · April 22, 2004 10:30AM

I'd try a bench vice before the hammer, put bent coin between two hard flat smooth things (maybe you can find some circles or squares of steel at a hardware store) and squeeeeeze!

ldhair · April 22, 2004 10:31AM

Try leather and a c clamp first.

lathmach · April 22, 2004 10:33AM

If everything else fails, use a BFH.

Ray

kamehameha00 · April 22, 2004 10:34AM

wrong thread sorry

Cratylus · April 22, 2004 10:37AM

I've found that the best way to flatten out a coin is to place it on the railroad tracks and wait for a train to come by... flattens those suckers out better than anything else I've tried.

MacCoin · April 22, 2004 10:37AM

when I was a kid I put pennies on the railroad tracks and the train flatten them fairly well.

MacCoin · April 22, 2004 10:43AM

just kidding. I would try a vice with a couple peices of hard wood (maple, oak, or something) if you nead a shim use a peice of wood.

ScarsdaleCoin · April 22, 2004 11:25AM

you said my magic words 3 cent silvers and my ears perked up....the 2 ways to fix em are either hammering them and you must use leather and plastic pads between the surface and the trime or you can squeeze them in a vise or press...again between two heavy but giving materials, Note that on coins that get rebent to shape the patina usually gets cracked off the metal most of the time

good luck hope this helps....

certifiedsilverdollar · April 22, 2004 11:44AM

Being a machinist, I can give you some good advise here, I think. Use a bench vise, with two pieces of 1/4 inch brass plate on either side of the coin. Brass is soft and will flatten the coin and cause little to no damage to the surfaces.

Libertad · April 22, 2004 12:06PM

Thanks for the advice with the brass. I wondered why most of the circulated examples I find attractive
are bent, seems common. I've been toying with the idea of the vice, too, and thought maybe smooth surface
fiberboard chunks would do a good job?

moosesr · April 22, 2004 12:30PM

Lay it on a piece of soft pine and use a rubber mallet, the type with lead in the middle and rubber on the end used for working sheet metal. I have used this on some coins I found metal detecting and it worked pretty good.

Charlie

lazeroo · April 22, 2004 12:36PM

too funny ray .

ahahahahahahah!!!

loanshark · April 22, 2004 12:49PM

Hammer

Loan Shark

Bothuwui · April 22, 2004 12:53PM

I tried using a vise with pieces of leather and 2 sheets of metal. It took out the big bends, but didn't get it completely flat. Oh well, at least I didn't damage it any more.

cladking · April 23, 2004 2:44AM

Many people can bend these in their hands so they did get bent up a lot. Most
coins can't be successfully straighened but these will show little evidence if they
weren't bent too much. They can be straightened with padded pliers after warm-
ing up the bent area. Concentrate the heat where the bend is greatest.

lathmach · April 23, 2004 5:20AM

<< <i>Many people can bend these in their hands so they did get bent up a lot. Most
coins can't be successfully straighened but these will show little evidence if they
weren't bent too much. They can be straightened with padded pliers after warm-
ing up the bent area. Concentrate the heat where the bend is greatest. >>

Hey if you turn up the heat on that torch when you're doing it, you'll get beautiful rainbow toning to boot.

Ray

Agflyer · April 23, 2004 6:27AM

Appartently someone decided to flatten this 1807 draped bust half dollar. It's a shame too, the details are pretty neat.

What's the best way to flatten a bent coin?

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