No Gold, But silver Will do

angellionel · Nov 4, 2006

The weather finally cooperated today, so I hit a beach for a few hours at low tide. I initially hit the beach with the PI Pro, but the amount of trash at this particular beach was too overwhelming for the PI. I ran out of room for the trash, and had yet to pick up any good targets. I walked back to the car to get the Excal and empty the pouch. This time I was able to pick up mostly coins. I skunked out on the gold, but at least I picked up two silver coins, one Barber Half, dated 1903-O, and a merc.

The Barber Half is in fair condition, considering it's been in saltwater for so long. The poor merc didn't do too well though. I didn't even bother to scan it. I didn't take my camera with me today, so there are no pics, just the scan. Meager finds, but it was fun being out.

Before and after cleaning scans:

HH!

Angel

JimInPhilly · Nov 4, 2006

Nice job...finding a 1903-o half would make my day :grin:

hoser · Nov 5, 2006

Way cool Angel. The half really cleaned up well. Nice going my friend. :yes:

Cfmct · Nov 5, 2006

Silvers better than bobbiepins Angel

Nice

spittfire · Nov 5, 2006

Oh sweet! Nice coins....

Homerun04 · Nov 5, 2006

How did you clean that Barber to make it so nice...?

wayne_casino · Nov 5, 2006

great coin, I'm envious.

angellionel · Nov 5, 2006

Thanks for the comments all.

user18 said:
Angel, your meager finds would be my great finds I for one am glad you are pulling them out of the water now because I was worried that after you got through with the dirt, there would be none left for the rest of us! j/k Great finds!

LOL Yeah, right. :lol:

You're kind, Epi.

I am having fun detecting the shallow water. It's relaxing, at least when I'm not getting pelted by rogue waves.

Cfmct-PI said:
Silvers better than bobbiepins Angel Nice

No doubt.

Homerun04 said:
How did you clean that Barber to make it so nice...?

I have been using a method similar to the one described here:
http://www.darylscience.com/Demos/Silver.html

Instead of the suggested one or two cups of baking soda, I use three or four tablespoons, and I still obtain nice results. To me the suggested amount seemed excessive, but that's just my opinion. I include 1/2 a teaspoon of salt in the mix, which I then add to about a quart of boiling water. Stir until the baking soda is completely dissolved.

The only thing is that some silver does remain kind of dull in color. To bring some life to it, I wet the coin, sprinkled some baking soda on it, and used a very soft toothbrush to lightly work it on the coin. The coin still has that old look - not artificially shiny. The described method doesn't damage the coin, like Tarn-X or other harsh methods would, since those do strip silver from the coin. It's one suggested by a chemist who also happens to be a coin collector. On heavily tarnished coins the process may need to be repeated.

The last part, use of baking soda directly on the coin, is a step I added. It's not included in the article. This step removes any leftover loosened sulfide. I always use a very soft toothbrush, not the fingers. I leave it up to the reader to determine if he/she wants to try this last step.

I hope you find the information helpful.

Waterman · Nov 6, 2006

Very nice Silver half, those are hard to come by! H.H.:-)

SteveMN · Nov 6, 2006

Nice going angel!! The half looks similar to the one I found last year. Been dirt hunting much?

angellionel · Nov 6, 2006

Waterman said:
Very nice Silver half, those are hard to come by! H.H.:-)

Thanks! I hope you've been getting in your share of detecting. The water is getting colder out here, but it's still manageable.

SteveMN said:
Nice going angel!! The half looks similar to the one I found last year. Been dirt hunting much?

Thanks, Steve. I've done some dirt digging, but not as much as I would like. Some of the places I had frequented earlier in the year are beginning to look good again, since much of the weeds have been dying off, so I may get some more time in. The water side of the hobby has been keeping me busy anyway. I blame Craig for that. :lol:

GaBeachsweeper · Nov 6, 2006

Yep... Sigh,... a fella sure kin git tuckered diggin all them trash signals with a PI that the Old EXCAL just nulls out over huh Craig? :lol:

TEE HEE

Cfmct · Nov 6, 2006

GaBeachsweeper said:
Yep... Sigh,... a fella sure kin git tuckered diggin all them trash signals with a PI that the Old EXCAL just nulls out over huh Craig?
TEE HEE

I'll tell ya what Jim... If I was older I might consider a detector that discriminates but for now I'll take the bad with the good :lol:

You can also say the PI is great for the environment, I'll clean up the trash you leave behind :P

Xray · Nov 7, 2006

Great find ... And to each their own, but keep in mind that whizzing a coin will knock 50-75% off of its value.

angellionel · Nov 7, 2006

Thanks, Xray.

As for the cleaning, if you mean with methods such as dips, Tarn-X or other types of abrasives, I do agree that this would cause a degree of loss in numismatic value, though I highly doubt the oft quoted high percentages. Of course, the advise is well worth heeding, and I certainly strongly discourage the use of the methods just mentioned.

However, dealers would have us believe that all cleaning is bad. This simply isn't so. There are relatively safe methods that even dealers use to make a coin more presentable while not harming it. The two methods I use are known to be safe for silver coins, and in fact, if done properly, dealers are hard pressed to tell if any cleaning has taken place. Of course, a coin that has pitting or has a sandblasted look, as those found in the water tend to aquire, will tend to stand out. The use of baking soda directly on the coin isn't one I would recommend on a coin of some value, though I won't hesitate to use it on such coins as the one above.

Xray · Nov 7, 2006

Its all in the eye of the beholder angel. Personally I like the natural look of dug coins, and never go any further than a mild soap & water toothbrushing, rinse and wipe .. But then again I have no experience with corroded salt water finds, which just might change my perspective.
The process you use, which is a chemical process, many stay clear away from because it can and does have unpredictable long term effects - But after long exposure to salt water, I suppose that point may weaken a bit.

You are right, the percentages are largely conjecture, as the value of any item is precisely what you can get someone to pay for it.
Among knowlegable collectors, I think the percentage would hold true, as most tend to avoid spiffed up coins like the plague.
Among novices and casual collectors, I'm sure the percentage is much lower ... As eye appeal is first and foremost of their considerations.

mxtswinger · Nov 9, 2006

Killer finds Angel. Congrats!

No Gold, But silver Will do

angellionel

Elite Member

JimInPhilly

Full Member

hoser

Cfmct

Administrator

spittfire

Elite Member

Homerun04

Elite Member

wayne_casino

Full Member

angellionel

Elite Member

Waterman

Full Member

SteveMN

angellionel

Elite Member

GaBeachsweeper

Cfmct

Administrator

Xray

angellionel

Elite Member

Xray

mxtswinger

Elite Member

Similar threads