Age of coins by level of tarnish?

Kingdoc · Apr 28, 2013

Hi again folks, I'm back again with another question. So I've been detecting my not so local beach, collecting trash and some coins. I have noticed that modern clad in my area tends to get a fine reddish brown patina. It rubs off easily and the zinklins are pretty chewed up. Is it possible to tell the how long a coin has been in the sand by how tarnished it is? I'm trying to figure out if I'm pulling coins from a few weeks or months or years ago.

Picture time yay!!!!

BentRod · Apr 28, 2013

The level of tarnish per time spent in the ground will probably vary by location (at least in relation to clad), but on the beach or comparing coins within the same vicinity/ground type, you could probably argue that the level of tarnish would probably indicate time spent in the ground pending they were bright and shiny when they were dropped. I think there would be exceptions to the rule though like coins that were already tarnished before they were dropped there.

Silversmith45 · Apr 28, 2013

Clad in wet ground will tarnish faster than those in dry ground.

007tallguy · Apr 28, 2013

i find the soil conditions seems to affect coins as well. dig anything under an apple tree for example, there's a higher acid content in that soil from the apples and it will accelerate the corrosion on coins. pine needles seems to do the same thing. sandy/gravelly soil drains much faster than regular dirt and less water means a slower corrosion rate.
also, living on the coast, i tend to see the affects of the salt air on some of the items i dig up.

Seven · Apr 28, 2013

I personally believe there are too many variables to put together any consistent pattern of tarnishing

Captain Silver · Apr 29, 2013

If the beach clad is green and crusty, it's been there a while...

Age of coins by level of tarnish?

Kingdoc

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