Pennsylvania's corrosive soil

ksdiver · Feb 25, 2006

Today I found these 3 coins in a field in Chester County. The soil around here is so corrosive it destroys coins ? especially those made of copper.

First coin - 1890 Indian head one cent, Second coin ? 1914 (I think) Buffalo nickel, and the last coin is a one cent piece, but I cannot make out a date because of the corrosion. :?:

I?m really starting to get the hang of my XLT ? now I just have to find some coins that are in better condition. :o(

ksdiver · Feb 25, 2006

Here's the back sides...

angellionel · Feb 25, 2006

Yeah, that soil really does a job on the coins. They are still very nice finds though!

Angel

Krom · Feb 25, 2006

Very nice day...!
Finds like that (with the exception of our "master posters/hunters"), is very rare!

TerryEastTexas · Feb 26, 2006

I found a IH in the red clay that we have around here and it looked just like that. They are good finds bad shape or not. Congrats

hoser · Feb 26, 2006

Yup, I agree, for as bad as they may look, I would still love to find them. Good going.

grinsebring · Feb 26, 2006

KS, That is not uncommon any where in farm country. If cattle grazed there, and didnt use the proper bathroom facilities, the soil becomes acidic from the urea and other chemicals.... Still great finds.

I just did a P.H. test in Florida at a local playground where I was finding old coins in remarkable shape. All the areas I checked registered in at 7 to 7.2 nuetral to slightly alkaline. Some early 1900s still had some of the luster left on the underside of the coins as they laid in the ground. Oak leaves and pine tree needles make the ground very acidic over time. A P.H. (parts hydrogen) meter is relativly inexpensive in a garden center and really should be classified as a sub-tool in your detecting package. If you can borrow one from a gardner friend and test that field where you found those coins, my best guess the readings would be about 5.5 to 6.5 acidic judgeing by the condition of your finds It is a shame the buff was eaten away like that. Any buffalo with the date as clear as that is a "delux" find........ Gil

OkieDigger · Feb 26, 2006

Even in the condition they're in I think they're great finds.

blitz · Feb 26, 2006

I agree that Pa. has corrosive soil. I recently read that if a coin is corroded only on the one side than it was under an oak tree...I am not sure if it is correct but it sounds plausable. They are great finds !
Blitz

Schrecky · Feb 27, 2006

ksdiver, Those coins look like some of the ones I'll dug up here in NW Pa. Don't give up, two Friday's ago I retrieved a 1906 Barber Half from 6 1'2" and let me tell you silver comes out of the ground looking real pretty.

zoyboy · Feb 27, 2006

Now this is what I like to read about! Great finds, man!

Treasurekidd · Feb 27, 2006

Corroded or not, those are still very nice finds. My one and only IH, an 1882, was in about the same condition. Those are great coins, regardless of condition. Congrats!

bearbqd · Feb 27, 2006

After loading that large cent in my Kodak photo shop and manipulating it, I'm pretty certain the last numeral in the date is a 7. That's the only one I can make out. By the shape of the face it's definitely 1816-1839. So, with the last number most likely being 7 it narrows it to a 1817-1837.

ksdiver · Feb 28, 2006

Thanks everyone for your comments.

Very cool bearbqd! Thanks for that info. I too thought the last number may be a "7". Very hard to make out the rest.

~Alan~ · Feb 28, 2006

Similar conditions in our area. A lot is also down to fertilizers.

B. Positive · Feb 27, 2007

I tried manipulating the digital photo, by adjusting the contrast, sharpness, color saturation, even flipping it to negative, to try to read the date on my buffalo. It may work. I was only able to read the date through 2 stacked eye loupes, but with them you could see it, barely. We use the loupes at work so I don't know where you would get one (or two, for that matter). But I needs to get me one for home use.
Here's a link to my post with pics so you can see what I mean about the date.

http://metaldetectingforum.com/index.php/topic,7920.0.html

minereader · Feb 27, 2007

Way to go! Guess most folks know that black soil is ideal, red is acidic. But you gotta dig it all. Nice finds!!

Carol K · Feb 27, 2007

The best product for cleaning nickels is called

Nic-A-Date for Nickels

* Dates are restored by simply placing a drop of Nic-A-Date over the date area of the coin. When the date becomes satisfactorily visible, rinse the coin with water and wipe clean.
* Surfaces may be worn smooth and dates not visible, however, Nic-A-Date will bring out the original date.
* Nic-A-Date works well on Shield, Liberty "V", Buffalo and Jefferson Nickels.

http://www.kaymarie.com/coincleaner.html#nic-a-date

Spider_Man · Feb 27, 2007

Ksdiver,
I know the feeling, I live in Washington PA (SW PA). A lot of the copper I pull out of the ground lookd like there is some kind of copper disease eating at the pennies. HAHA

Still nice finds though.

Keep hunting,
Dan

Carol K · Feb 27, 2007

When we had a hunt in Hartford Ct, the Canadian guys that came, were shocked at how ate up the coins were that they found, especially the large cents.

They said they've never seen such a thing. So I guess we have some bad soil in CT too. :roll:

Pennsylvania's corrosive soil

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