1885 Liberty Nickel

rjsvt · November 15, 2015 7:20AM

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...

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

Bayard1908 · November 15, 2015 7:59AM

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 · November 15, 2015 10:39AM

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 · November 15, 2015 11:46AM

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!

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!

).

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!

ricko · November 15, 2015 11:59PM

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 · November 16, 2015 4:24AM

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.

Awesome find!

rjsvt · November 16, 2015 4:50AM

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

Bayard1908 · November 16, 2015 7:01AM

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 · November 16, 2015 7:22AM

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!

Treashunt · December 9, 2015 3:51AM

congrats on the key date.

I have never found one

luckybucks · December 16, 2015 6:17AM

When cleaning that one, give it lots of TLC. You don't want to ruin a key date coin.

AUandAG · December 18, 2015 4:05AM

That is ONE SWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET find!

bob

johnny9434 · December 18, 2015 5:20AM

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 · December 18, 2015 6:01AM

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

1885 Liberty Nickel

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