Florida Hoard

Susan, I hope you're having fun with dad's stash. I just love looking through piles of old coins, even if I don't uncover any gems.

I think it is wise to take your time sorting through them and not use any chemicals on them.

Eventually you may want to treat some with harmless acetone to remove gunk, adhesives, PVC, etc. It is almost impossible to hurt silver and gold with acetone. Just use clean, pure acetone from a hardware store. You can dip for minutes or days. No risk or harm.

The question you asked was about brightening silver that has blackened from storage. It will not hurt the value of junk silver, no. If done improperly, it will hurt the value of silver you thought was junk until someone pointed out the VAM or DDO or RPM. Then you're SOL, know what I mean?

So it is best not to dip with eZest (nee Jewel Luster) to remove tarnish from old silver.

Yes, many dealers do it all the time, to our collective chagrin...it is unfortunate that the TPG's and marketplace reward expert dipping. But it is also easy to screw up, and ugly surprises sometimes lurk below dark toning. The risks are big and damage to the coin is irreversible.
Lance.

 

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This is a good point. If you don't like the toning or something, sell the coin and buy one that you do like. There will always be somebody that wants it.

A quick question on this. Does pure acetone do ok with coppers? Or would you only recommend it on silver or gold? I don't have any valuable coppers that I want to use it on, but I do have a few gunk-covered wheat cents that I just want to be able to read the date on, so I know which roll to put them in.

 

I'm told that acetone should not be used on copper. It will turn pink.

Chris

 

I hope you will post the photo before you do anything to your inheritance.
I live in the south and coins don't really tone bad down here but they do tone!

 

Acetone should not be used on red copper. It can turn it pinkish. It is perfectly safe on brown copper, however.

Collectors of old copper often use xylene (commercial brand is Oxylol). It is another cleaner/thinner that works safely and sometimes quite well at removing organic crud.
Lance.

 

Susan, have a safe trip and report back. I am also interested as to where you are going in Florida.

I'm very excited to know what you find.

 

I've used an eyeglass cloth (very soft and less likely to scratch) dipped in olive oil on coppers that are caked with crud so bad you can't see the date or lettering-but never scrape the gunk off because it can take a layer of metal with it! This works best on the stuff that isn't hardened onto the coin. Use it on the crud that fills in between letters and numbers and has a brownish appearance. I had a few wheaties from rolls caked so bad they were unrecognizable so I took the chance and used olive oil, and now they are the prettiest brown wheaties I have! Safe trip susan, and please don't keep us waiting ha ha!

 

Wanted to agree here, and I think the commercial brand is Xylol. But even here, I would not use it on a coin with any mint red left as it can effect the luster, although coins with significant mint red should not have much copper wax built up.

 

Argh. Sometimes my fingers don't obey typing commands. Xylol is correct. Thanks, beef1020!
Lance.

 

Enjoy, and show your enjoyment, so that those who are giving feel good about it.

Can't wait for the report!

 

Thanks for the info on removing gunk on coppers, guys. I've got a few melt-value wheats that I'll try it on, see what I come up with.

 

This is the first chance I've had to post since being down here in Florida.

I've had a chance to do an initial look-see and here's what I've found:

Morgan Dollars - 1879 (2), 1881 (2), 1894, 1921
Peace Dollars - 1922, 1925
Barber Half Dollars - 1908, 1910
Walkers - 1935, 1936, 1941, 1944 (2), 1945
Franklins - 1951, 1953,1957, 1962
Washington Quarters - 1939, 1941 (2), 1943, 1944, 1945 (2), 1946,1957, 1962, 1963 (2), 1964 (6)
Roosevelt Dimes - 33 total
Mercury Dimes - 1926, 1943 (2), 1944 (2)
Assorted Nickels - 2 war nickels
Two Cent Piece - 1866

Bunch of wheaties that I haven't gotten to yet.

Also 2 proof sets each for 1958, 1959, 1960, 1961, 1962, 1963

Susan

 

Some of these coins could be worth considerably more than melt depending on mint mark and condition. Pictures would help when you get home and have the leisure time to take them. One thing though, part of the "condition" is if it has been cleaned or not so don't clean anything! Cleaning is the fastest way to make a good collector coin become junk silver.

 

Generally speaking, it is best to not try and clean coins. I agree

But a variety that cannot be identified because of tarnish or dirt isn't really a variety, is it ?
I have a close friend who has discovered many varieties of US Cents and has over 1400 different ones in his collection. Considered an expert in the field by many, yet he routinely boils all cents before searching through them. It's not a complicated method but does require a large electric frying pan. Seriously, circulated coins are just that............circulated, dirty, corroded, etc.

Hoarded coins may fall into a different category. You first need to identify the coin before you do anything. IMHO

gary

 

Is there any mint marks on any of the coins??
1926-S Mercury Dime in EF or better a good date. plus Morgan Barber Walker and Franklin Half & dollar a mint marks will add and some value,but that all depends on what grade they are.
Plus the 1958-63 Proof set can yield some die varieties too.
:thumb:Photo's would be good to.
:kewl:

 

got some pics of the find? would be fun to see!

 

OOhh. an 1894 Morgan. Nice find!

 

Are we going to see any photo's :kewl:?????

 

Over the weekend ... promise!

 

ICG will conserve and grade for one price. My son and I had found three 1937D 3 legged Buffalo Nickels. One had a little bit of crud on the third side the edge. They were all circulated so the down size risk of one grading service over another is minor as far as to what the resale value is. So if you find any circulated key dates you may want to use them. They are also in Florida.