Thread: solder removal

Has anyone out there ever successfully removed solder from a coin once used as jewelry? If so, can you give a guy a few pointers? Alternatively, has anyone ever sent one to a conservationist for this purpose? If so, what were the results? I won an 1865 24 skilling coin from Norway. Only 79,000 minted it's pretty rare. Nobody else bid and I got it for $2, to find out that in EF40 or so they go for around $375. Now I'm itching to save this coin. just 3 spots on it where a pin was once attatched... Hoping for some good advice in conservation. Thanks all.

There is a tool, conveniently called a solder remover, that works pretty well. You have to be extremely careful because the tip gets incredibly hot. The problem is that you will remove the solder but there will always be "marks" there from where the solder was put there in the first place. There is no removing heat damage from initial solder that I'm aware of.

Yeah, once its mounted most likely there is heat damage already there. I doubt it will ever be worth what an unmounted example will be.

Damaged goods, you can't grade damaged unfortunately.

A manufacturing jeweler removed solder from a gold coin for me, and it is not noticeable at less than 5x magnification, but under a loupe it is quite obvious.

All I can say is, lots of luck!

Once damaged it is always damaged. There is no fixing it.

Soldering iron and some solder wick should do the job, it acts as a sponge once the solder is heated up to melting point with the solder iron. I have a 1925 or 26 peace dollar with solder on the face (will take a pic and share later) that I bought for under melt for scrap. I have not even attempted to remove the solder because I believe the damage is already done.

Of course you can't FIX it, but that can often be made better. At least better than having a big lump of solder on the coin. Most people think "just use a soldering iron and some soldering wick". That might work if is is cheap lead solder (400 - 500 degree F), but that is seldom used for jewelry etc. Usually you run into silver or gold solders that your going to have to heat to 1100 degrees of more. Without some special fluxes and/or the capability to work in an inert atmosphere you are going to run into some serious heat discoloration problems and you are going to be using a torch not a soldering iron. A jeweler could do it, but you would need to talk it over with them first to explain the special "problems" with fixing coins. Otherwise you will find that they will remove the solder and then just buff the coin up nice and shiny to remove the heat discoloration.

And even once the work is done don't expect to get more than a third the value of an undamaged piece. Still you have $2 in it, might cost $40 or so to have the solder removed and you end up with maybe a $100 coin (assuming it is an EF) so there is some potential there.

well I brought it to my local jeweler, a man with decades in the trade who can't seem to retire. He won't touch it. My dad's tools are more for plumbing and are too big and unwieldy. The tips for the torch are bulky, so I could get a finer one... I'm not doing a very good job of keeping up with my recent auction binge, but I'll post a pic soon. Let's talk professional conservation. Who resurrects coins for a living? Do you pay an additional fee at a TPG? Does a TPG provide this service in-house or send it to an outside agency and if so, who? It just bothers me, really, that someone did this at all to such a rare piece

ok here are some pics. Obv. and Rev. with and without flash. I will be posting the rest of my binge buys soon...

Sorry but I believe the coin is probably toast. You could try, but I do not think you would ever be happy with the results.

Some coins just make you sad. I have a similar coin, an 1854 half in BU condition on the obverse but with similar mounts, and the reverse is planed down and engraved. I have another a 1818 quarter, nice pleasant AU but with a hole.

There is a guy in KY. His name was Paul Stockton. He is dead now but his son Allen apprenticed with him and is just as good. He used to advertise in The Numismatist. I don't know if he still does. He does have a website. He can do some amazing work but he will leave it so the repair is detectable under close examination.

Originally Posted by Conder101

There is a guy in KY. His name was Paul Stockton. He is dead now but his son Allen apprenticed with him and is just as good. He used to advertise in The Numismatist. I don't know if he still does. He does have a website. He can do some amazing work but he will leave it so the repair is detectable under close examination.

Thanks, I will see what he thinks.

Originally Posted by medoraman

Sorry but I believe the coin is probably toast. You could try, but I do not think you would ever be happy with the results.

Some coins just make you sad. I have a similar coin, an 1854 half in BU condition on the obverse but with similar mounts, and the reverse is planed down and engraved. I have another a 1818 quarter, nice pleasant AU but with a hole.

My favorite coin dealer showed me a 1917 half dollar MS60+ , all but for the ugly X someone carved between the eagle's wings. Regardless, for $2, even with the solder it's still undoubtedly one of few minted. Nice curveball for determining value. It's just sad too because I think without these blemishes it would have been every bit of EF40, maybe better!