Toasted IH and merc

NMsilver

Elite Member
Joined
Aug 11, 2011
Messages
500
Location
New Mexico
I haven't been detecting much lately, but found a couple decent coins near an old irrigation ditch in a back alley downtown. 1906 IH and 1931 D merc.

The soil here tends to destroy coins and these finds turned into big cleaning experiments. These are after pictures.

I tried hot hydrogen peroxide for the first time on the IH. I did 5 or 6 runs, reheating the peroxide when it cooled down almost to room temp.
It took some of the corrosion off but it still looked really bad. then I resorted to heating with a lighter and dropping it into ice water with another 5 or 6 runs. More corrosion came off. I followed this up with 3 or 4 more peroxide runs.
The next day I bought a brass brush and did some moderate scrubbing.
It still looks bad but I don't care, it's my 4th IH in 8 years woohoo!

On the merc I tried electrolysis, but didn't have sodium carbonate so tried table salt and then baking soda as electrolytes. Both procedures turned the coin even blacker! I'm sure I had the wires in the right positions. Rubbing with baking soda doesn't take the black off.
 

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Just an FYI, you can "make" sodium carbonate from baking soda by slowly heating it in your oven. Tons of videos on YouTube.

As far as the black residue on your coin, I find that it happens sometimes if you use crappy stainless as your cathode. Baking soda and aluminum foil should take it off.
 
Just an FYI, you can "make" sodium carbonate from baking soda by slowly heating it in your oven. Tons of videos on YouTube.

As far as the black residue on your coin, I find that it happens sometimes if you use crappy stainless as your cathode. Baking soda and aluminum foil should take it off.

Thanks for the tips. I did use a cheap spoon as the cathode.

I've used foil and soda successfully before, so I'll try it on the merc.
 
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