My First Crusty Indian

Diggum

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Hi All,

This is the first Indian Head Cent I've ever found, and I want it to look as good as possible. It was very crusty when I found it, so I gave it the hot H2O2 treatment (which improved it considerably) and treated it with olive oil and bamboo toothpick/skewers. Is this as good as I will get this coin, or if I scrub it with bamboo some more, will there be some good metal that I'll uncover?

Thanks!
 

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Congrats on the Indian! I just recently found my first one too.
I just watched a video on you tube for Andre's pencils, looks like it cleans them up nice.
 
Much more cleaning and you'll clean the details right off it...the condition of them depends on ground conditions and I've found good and bad. Most are toast though,it's just what happens to coins of that makeup over time in the elements.
HOWEVER!....if you found THAT,there is ALWAYS the chance that silver, or even gold,COULD be in the vicinity. 1893 would be Barber silvers,two years older than that you're talking Seated! So keep looking,looking,looking...
While that IH is a neat find,it'll pale in comparison if you find silver around that time...or possibly a gold coin.
Keep at it,and...congrats on the first!
 
Thanks all! No more cleaning for this one. It's in my treasure box. I will go back. As i clear out the trash, more goodies should be uncovered!
 
Olive oil, oh no!:lol:
I ruined several coins using it, then I switched to Vasoline/q-tip roll, sometimes toothpick to help. I like the results.

Congrats on your first IH.
 
Olive oil, oh no!:lol:
I ruined several coins using it, then I switched to Vasoline/q-tip roll, sometimes toothpick to help. I like the results.

Congrats on your first IH.

I feel like a broken record telling people they shouldn't use olive oil, but it pains me every time I see it. To each their own I guess. May i reccomend you use distilled water soaks and microcrystaline wax(make sure to dry coin throughly, bake at 250 to drive water off before wax and apply wax gently while warm so it soaks in)? takes a bit longer with the distilled but totally safe and easy.
 
I feel like a broken record telling people they shouldn't use olive oil, but it pains me every time I see it. To each their own I guess. May i reccomend you use distilled water soaks and microcrystaline wax(make sure to dry coin throughly, bake at 250 to drive water off before wax and apply wax gently while warm so it soaks in)? takes a bit longer with the distilled but totally safe and easy.

Thanks. Never heard of this technique. Olive oil is what I've seen as the most common and effective way to clean a copper coin. How is this wax method better, and what is so bad about olive oil? In both cases, I would expect any portion of the coin that is corroded to be removed by the solvent/mechanical adhesion.

Thanks for the congrats, everyone! Hoping that this site produces more than just lumps of molten aluminum and two keepers. :laughing:

Here's the video, in case anyone wants to see the live dig:


Odd, embedding doesn't seem to work. Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qxbQTqLgKc&t=110s
 
1893 - NOT BAD!! I have found more Indian Head pennies than any other coin I have ever found (except wheaties:shock:)...
 
Thanks. Never heard of this technique. Olive oil is what I've seen as the most common and effective way to clean a copper coin. How is this wax method better, and what is so bad about olive oil? In both cases, I would expect any portion of the coin that is corroded to be removed by the solvent/mechanical adhesion.

Thanks for the congrats, everyone! Hoping that this site produces more than just lumps of molten aluminum and two keepers. :laughing:

Here's the video, in case anyone wants to see the live dig:


Odd, embedding doesn't seem to work. Here's the link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2qxbQTqLgKc&t=110s

Olive oil is acidic and can lead to bronze/copper disease down the road. Especially when it goes rancid and triggers more oxidation. The distilled water only breaks down the mineralization and wont eat away the patina like olive oil does, nor will ti darken it. If a coin is beyond saving with really bad or no patina, and you want to use something acidic just to make out more detail; use absorbic acid solution then neutralize when finished with baking soda water. But it works quickly and can be easily overdone. That way theres no acidity when sealing and the wax wont go rancid or allow oxygen to permeate and continue degrading the coin.
 
I got really frustrated with one I found, knew it wasn't anything special and already toast so took some 120 grit sandpaper to it. Cleaned it right up, took the patina and any semblence of detail right off of it. It's an awesome copper disk now. :lol: By they way, congrats on your first. I'd probably leave that one as it is, don't think it's getting much better.
 
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