Hate to ask this, but how do i clean this...

Rob85635 · April 21, 2007 12:34PM

I have a wartime nickel put away. It looks like it has some kind of odd planchet error, something happened to this coin before it was struck, or at least that is my opinion. I tried to take a pic of it once a while ago but the dang this is so tarnished it is literally black. Shame to because it looks like a nice strike.

Anyway, I have never cleaned anything but I would really love to get opinions on what happened to it (pre or post press damage) and exactly what is wrong with it. It has a "cut" that goes into the coin at a weird angle. Almost looks like the planchet had a sliver of some metal pressed into it when the coin was made. It almost looks like a thin layer of tin foil or something, but thicker.

How or should I even try to clean this coin. I mentioned this coin a long time ago asking how to clean it but everyone said leave it alone. Well, I want your expert opinions. If you still say leave it alone I might be able to use my gimp photoshop elements program to lighten it I guess. I still dont have my copystand but I should be able to get a decent picture and maybe try to lighten it.

Thanks for your help.

TomB · April 21, 2007 12:35PM

Leave the coin alone and give us images.

MidLifeCrisis · April 21, 2007 12:43PM

My first answer is don't! But is NCS an option?

foundinrolls · April 21, 2007 2:28PM

Don't mess with the coin...either scan the coin on a flatbed scanner or provide a picture. Whatever it is, you will ruin it at this point if you clean it in an unacceptable way.

Thanks,
Bill

ScarsdaleCoin · April 21, 2007 9:14PM

hurry you only have til Sun night to buy this

Secret Book That Coin Dealers Dont Want You To Know About!

basestealer · April 21, 2007 9:27PM

First, if it's a silver wartime nickel, it's fine if you ruin it. It's got about 73 cents worth of silver in it. Second, I've never seen a wartime nickel that wasn't black. Third, since it's just tarnished black, and because it's silver, I would just dip it. Ezest or whatever you have laying around.

basestealer · April 21, 2007 9:28PM

<< hurry you only have til Sun night to buy this

Secret Book That Coin Dealers Dont Want You To Know About! >>

For the price of that book, I can get him 80 wartime nickels.

foundinrolls · April 22, 2007 3:32AM

<< First, if it's a silver wartime nickel, it's fine if you ruin it. It's got about 73 cents worth of silver in it. Second, I've never seen a wartime nickel that wasn't black. Third, since it's just tarnished black, and because it's silver, I would just dip it. Ezest or whatever you have laying around. >>

Hi,

Not such a good idea. Remember that the post includes a description of what is at this time an unknown. The coin may be an error. It is likely by the description that it is a "lamination error" which is very common on "War Nickels". On the other hand, it may be a type of error called a "strike through error". In some cases, the description supplied by the original post could indicate that the coin was struck through a fragment of metal which was retained after the strike.

Some folks collect lamination errors if the coin is "peeling" and the peeling piece is still attached and if it is a "strike through" error it could be even more collectible.

Either would be worth more than 73 cents. Use common sense. If you are not sure of what a description is trying to tell us, it is better in my humble opinion to leave the coin alone.

Have Fun,
Bill

basestealer · April 22, 2007 4:23AM

He's asked before, and now he's made it clear he will not leave the coin alone.

Dip it and see what's underneath, that's my advice.

LincolnCentMan · April 22, 2007 5:17AM

Bleach it. If that doesnt work, dip it in acetone. Then set it on fire to burn off the acetone. If that doesnt work, try a wire brush. If you still cant git the results you want, you could use sand paper. ...if all else fails, spend it.

Honestly, I have no clue how to help with such a coin. My inclination is that if it isnt worth sending to NCS, you probably shouldnt mess with it.

-David

Rob85635 · April 23, 2007 3:07AM

<< He's asked before, and now he's made it clear he will not leave the coin alone. >>

Untrue Basestealer. I am not going to mess with it despite my desire to uncover exactly what is wrong with it. I will take a picture and do the best I can to post it. I might have given the impression I was dead set to dip or clean it, but I was only going to do that if I got a consensus it was ok to try it. Like I said, I have never cleaned a coin and it looks like I may never clean one. But if a majority here had told me to try such and such, I would have tried it.

<< Not such a good idea. Remember that the post includes a description of what is at this time an unknown. The coin may be an error. It is likely by the description that it is a "lamination error" which is very common on "War Nickels". On the other hand, it may be a type of error called a "strike through error". In some cases, the description supplied by the original post could indicate that the coin was struck through a fragment of metal which was retained after the strike. >>

Thanks foundinrolls. Your ideas of what might be going on with this coin seem to hit it right on the head. When you talk about "fragment of metal" that seems to be a good posibility, or lamination error. I just dont know enough until I post a pic. Soon as I get my copystand I will work on posting a pic, more to come.

Thanks all.

Outhaul · April 23, 2007 3:13AM

<< how do i clean this... >>

BobaFett72 · April 23, 2007 3:37AM

how about a pic

before/ after
dip that sucker!

Hate to ask this, but how do i clean this...

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