General Help with coin

I need help with a old large cent penny that was dug from underground awhile ago and put in a capsule. I noticed the is fuzzy briwn and green. I think the coin kept growing stuff from underground. its an 1820 i think what to do with that???

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

I think it's small date but not in my wheelhouse at the very least it's 201 years old

 

I know , we dig it up from flower bed years ago- the problem is in the capsule it's growing more moss and algae - what do I do?

 

Soak it in distilled water for a couple days, and see if it is helping,
If you need something a little stronger. Soak it in olive oil. Always follow up with a distilled water soak.
I really don't think acetone will help.

 

Soak it in acetone for a day. Should kill anything that is growing.

 

ok thank you. I want to save the poor thing and I don't clean coins so I didn't have a clue. Would acetone be harsh on coin if I had to use that?

 

Honestly acetone will sometimes create a bigger problem. When you do not know what is on the coin. Start with the water, then olive oil, then something stronger.
Acetone isn't always the best treatment for a coin.
If you have any questions after the first two post the coin again with the results, and we can help.

 

Thank you it didn't sound like a first choice. I will try these things after I buy some distilled water I will let you know the results.

 

Your question would be better in coin chat, but what you are seeing is probably verdigris. It will eat your coin up if you just leave it. Easy to deal with though. The distilled water is a good idea, but I would just start with hot tap water. Rinse the coin thoroughly to get off any grit or dirt or other chemical particles. Next brush with a soft toothbrush to make sure you get everything off. Now a soak in distilled water (1-2 days) would be good. Blot the coin dry (generally avoid rubbing or scrubbing) and dry it for a few hours in an oven set on low. Keep it in a capsule to keep it relatively dry. The one you are using now may be contaminated, so I would use a new one. Let us know how it goes.

 

It's not a US large cent, it's a Canadian 1/2 penny token. There are a number of diff varieties of the bust and harp type

https://coinsandcanada.com/tokens-m...bust-and-harp-1/2-penny-1820&cat_id=36&id=240

 

And be responsible, keep it away from your other coins. The CDC recommends six feet. Think of their safety, too.

 

Yeah I would think so I will probably dispose of. Well this isn't coin we dug up then My hubby might have found it metal detecting because I have no idea where it came from but thank you for that identification. The CDC looks out for my coins too?? They the best Should I inject the distilled water then?????

 

Yep that looks like it. But we did a large us center so no clue on this .

 

Just stay away from bleach!!

 

I would never use bleach on a coin. I don't even like using water

 

Any reason why?

 

If we’re trying to kill microbes 80%+ alcohol won’t hurt and is pretty inert and won’t harm the coin. Should kill just about anything

 

I guess sodium hypochlorite is a base, which impact the fabric of a coin. I don’t think any soaks less than 24 hours would really matter, but to each their own

 

Try the bleach and see... I was actually asking why he doesn't "even like using water"

 

Some people assume that water instantly rusts metal, which may be true for some types and for un-pure water.

might be a retained misconceptions or something