Spend it? Under all the gunk is a corroded, environmentally damaged dime, which probably grades VF details, net VG. Even if you found a way to remove the corrosion, the coin underneath has been damaged beyond repair.
I was a baby , only three things I was doing then...eating, sleeping, and....well I'll leave the last one for you to fill in. As for the dime I'd keep it, soak it in acetone and the verdicare. But heck, ain't much I could say that you don't already know 10 times over, which to me is way more valuable.
This can't hurt either; before you try acetone, smear heavy vaseline on both sides and set it aside for a week. When you remove the vaseline, rub as little as possible, not because vaseline is an abrasive (it's not) but because you don't want a mottled appearance. Vaseline is a gentler solvent than acetone.
I would keep it if I were you. I should say continue to keep it since you have had it for over 40 years. I think it's nice, especially if you can clean it up properly (as others have said). There also has to be some sentimental value in it by now having had it so long, no?
Not at all amigo! I've come to the conclusion that stuff is stuff. A scarce or rare date? Just the happenstance of a number . I ain't no museum, an' don't wanna be!
I think the coin has been in a fire, and that underneath, it's a good deal better than you believe. Go into Google and type: "How do i restore coins burned in a fire?" You will get 1.7 million hits. Read the first 100. Of course, don't try the "extreme" methods, but you will surely get some useful ideas. I think the key will be some solvent that removes charred organic debris bonded (physically, not chemically) to the surface. You could also get a quote from a restoration company. I have no idea what they charge, but it's surely a type of damage they've seen many times. Just being in the ground does not produce the appearance of this coin; when I had a metal detector, I found the occasional silver dime or quarter that responded admirably to S&S (spit and shirt-tail ). ===== Is it just a coincidence that 1895 nickels, dimes, and especially dollars are relatively rare, while quarters and half dollars are no more scarce than other dates of the mid-90s? Was the Philadelphia Mint told to produce the higher-denomination coins to support the growing population and commerce of the big East Coast cities? Or maybe pressured by silver industry lobbyists to reduce inventory?
