This posting is the result from my leaning experience documented in the thread :
Brown Barber Dime - Can it be cleaned? http://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=28864
****WARNING: Doctoring coins may decrease the value of the coin. Doctoring coins are done at your own risk. Please research the value of the coin BEFORE changing their appearance. ******
I found a barber dime that was heavily tarnished and corroded. It would not come clean using the normal method of warm water and soap or a good thumb rubbing. I checked the value of it and was worth about $3-$4 in good condition. They minted about 16 Million of this variety, so this was definitely not a key date. I wanted to look like my other coins in my coin book, so I decided to "doctor" the coin. I was NOT worried about the value of this coin...
Step 1 - Electrolysis
When you hear "electrolysis" you think of wires, batteries and harmful chemicals. Well, with silver you can have a very easy type of naturally occurring electrolysis. I used a PLASTIC bowl. You can also use ceramic. DO NOT use metal. I added only about 1/4 inch deep of water. I added a 1/8 teaspoon of Baking Soda to the water. I also added a dash of salt. Then I nuked the bowl of water for one minute. Next, cut a piece of aluminum foil roughly twice the size of the coin. Submerge the coin on top of the aluminum foil with the shiny side making good contact with the coin. It will start to give off little bubbles. This is the sign that the electrolysis is working. Only leave it in for about five minutes. For my coin, I had to actually wrap the coin in the foil and let it fizz for about 30 minutes. The tarnish started falling off in clumps. Remove the coin and rinse. I then used a baking soda paste and used it to rub the rest of the tarnish away. The next picture is the result.
Step 2 - Removing stubborn corrosion
After the cleaning, the coin is still visibly corroded and pitted. With my coin I was lucky that it was only on the surface. I took my Dremel with a steel (be sure to wear safety goggles) wire brush cleaner and gently cleaned around the raised relief until the corrosion was gone. (Sorry, no Picture)
Step 3 - Making it Old Again
So now the coin is too shiny and it very undesirable to any collector in this condition so what do you do? I used a hard boiled egg. First, prepare a jar with a good lid. You will need to seal the coin in with the sulfur gases given off by the egg. Make a slip in some plastic rap and set the coin in it. We have to give equal amounts of air to both side of the coin, or you can do this twice per side with the coin laying flat. The coin CAN NOT touch the egg yolk because it will turn it bright orange. When you have the jar ready, crack the hard boiled egg open and remove the yolk. Crumble it up and drop it in the bottom of the jar. Quickly place the plastic wrap with the coin in the jar and screw on the top. Leave overnight.
Step 4 - The Final Touch
Remove the coin after both sides are exposed to the sulfur gasses. It should be dark, maybe black or dark brown. Now clean the coin like you would when you normally find one in the ground. I use a thumb rubbing to take the dirt and tarnish off of the raised relief. The next picture is the final result of the aging process and is ready for the coin book!
Remember that "Doctoring" a coin can hurt the value of a coin. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DO NOT do this to any silver coin that may be of any value.
Thanks for stopping by and happy hunting.
Brown Barber Dime - Can it be cleaned? http://metaldetectingforum.com/showthread.php?t=28864
****WARNING: Doctoring coins may decrease the value of the coin. Doctoring coins are done at your own risk. Please research the value of the coin BEFORE changing their appearance. ******
I found a barber dime that was heavily tarnished and corroded. It would not come clean using the normal method of warm water and soap or a good thumb rubbing. I checked the value of it and was worth about $3-$4 in good condition. They minted about 16 Million of this variety, so this was definitely not a key date. I wanted to look like my other coins in my coin book, so I decided to "doctor" the coin. I was NOT worried about the value of this coin...
Step 1 - Electrolysis
When you hear "electrolysis" you think of wires, batteries and harmful chemicals. Well, with silver you can have a very easy type of naturally occurring electrolysis. I used a PLASTIC bowl. You can also use ceramic. DO NOT use metal. I added only about 1/4 inch deep of water. I added a 1/8 teaspoon of Baking Soda to the water. I also added a dash of salt. Then I nuked the bowl of water for one minute. Next, cut a piece of aluminum foil roughly twice the size of the coin. Submerge the coin on top of the aluminum foil with the shiny side making good contact with the coin. It will start to give off little bubbles. This is the sign that the electrolysis is working. Only leave it in for about five minutes. For my coin, I had to actually wrap the coin in the foil and let it fizz for about 30 minutes. The tarnish started falling off in clumps. Remove the coin and rinse. I then used a baking soda paste and used it to rub the rest of the tarnish away. The next picture is the result.
Step 2 - Removing stubborn corrosion
After the cleaning, the coin is still visibly corroded and pitted. With my coin I was lucky that it was only on the surface. I took my Dremel with a steel (be sure to wear safety goggles) wire brush cleaner and gently cleaned around the raised relief until the corrosion was gone. (Sorry, no Picture)
Step 3 - Making it Old Again
So now the coin is too shiny and it very undesirable to any collector in this condition so what do you do? I used a hard boiled egg. First, prepare a jar with a good lid. You will need to seal the coin in with the sulfur gases given off by the egg. Make a slip in some plastic rap and set the coin in it. We have to give equal amounts of air to both side of the coin, or you can do this twice per side with the coin laying flat. The coin CAN NOT touch the egg yolk because it will turn it bright orange. When you have the jar ready, crack the hard boiled egg open and remove the yolk. Crumble it up and drop it in the bottom of the jar. Quickly place the plastic wrap with the coin in the jar and screw on the top. Leave overnight.
Step 4 - The Final Touch
Remove the coin after both sides are exposed to the sulfur gasses. It should be dark, maybe black or dark brown. Now clean the coin like you would when you normally find one in the ground. I use a thumb rubbing to take the dirt and tarnish off of the raised relief. The next picture is the final result of the aging process and is ready for the coin book!
Remember that "Doctoring" a coin can hurt the value of a coin. PLEASE, PLEASE, PLEASE DO NOT do this to any silver coin that may be of any value.
Thanks for stopping by and happy hunting.
