old buffalo nickles something to get the date to show

just bought a roll of 1917 buffalo nickles and many of the dates are weak but it looks like the coin was dipped in something to get the date to appear. Is this possible? and what is the chemical?

 

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See http://www.cointalk.com/t55417/ or do a search for nic-a-date. You will find lots of info and an occasional picture.

 

Funny you should be talking about NicADate. I found a dateless V nickel in a roll yesterday and tried to restore the date with NicADate. Here are before and after pictures.

 

Hillbilly: Yes, it is possible, and it was probably Nic-A-Date, as stated. A coin treated in this manner is severely decreased in value, but if a rare date, can still retain some value. A low-grade coin that is normally valued at $100, may only be valued at $5-$10 if the date is restored in this fashion.

Malak: Nice. I did that to a Liberty nickel also. I didn't do the whole coin, though....just the date. It turned out to be the semi-key date 1886.

 

I have a lincoln 191?, maybe I should try it on that.....I've never heard of this before.

 

Nic-A-Date

Bob,

The Nic-A-Date shouldn't work on the Lincoln. It only works on nickles. This is because of the composition of the metal. Nickels are 75% copper and 25% nickel. The Nic-A-Date eats away at the copper, leaving behind the remaining nickel.

This doesn't work on silver coins of any type, nor copper coins. Just nickels.

 

Although many state that if you can restore those dates and it does turn out to be a valuable one, still try to find someone to purchase such a coin for even that lowered amount. I guess there may be some out there that would, but not many.

 

That is not the reason nor the method nic-a-date works. It works because the minting process produces different densities of the metal - the date being different than the surrounding material. The different densities dissolve at different rates. It is the same as restoring the serial number on a gun as per CSI or other such shows. That being said, they do make another compound just for copper (cent, etc.). My guess is that the nic-a-date significantly changes the color of the copper left.

 

OK, thanks.....

 

Hey ricky, How about some pics??

 

RLM: I have quite an extensive background in chemistry. I am having a hard time imagining the mechanism of which you speak. That being said, I am always willing to be educated. Do you have any third-party source material to reinforce your statement?

 

Here are a couple - both since you joined here.

http://www.cointalk.com/t76599/#post727326
http://www.cointalk.com/t55417/#post605268

 

Okay, well, feel free to ignore my posts on this issue, then.

It still doesn't make sense to me, and I'd like to see some external corroboration -- something other than posted opinions on CoinTalk. I think it's funny that I can't find any reliable website other than CoinTalk that discusses the mechanism of action of this product.

It's not that I don't believe you, it's just that the explanation doesn't make sense to me.

 

How about trying it yourself borgovan? I didn't believe it either until I did it myself.

 

I believe the chemical is Ferric Chloride FYI. I have some from where I work and it does the job nicely. Was always under the impression that it worked because of the different densitys of the medal. No proof, just what I have always heard/read.

 

Victor,

I think there is a misunderstanding.

I know the product works. I have used it for years, and I've treated hundreds of coins.

My question is about how it works. I do not understand the mechanism of action.

 

Does anyone know why it would matter on coins this worn out???
I mean if it's that worn out and you would need to use harsh chemicals and a brass brush, why does anyone care what the date is. I'm pretty certain it's between 1913 and 1938. If you have to further ruin a already completly worn out coin just to see the date who cares??? What is the prize here, "Hey guess what I found"? After taking a completly ruined circulated nickle I further reduced any value (of which it had none) by putting this stuff on it and brushing it!
Am I missing something here???

 

Yes, you are missing something. They sell on eBay - at least the 1913-S's, 1916/16, 1918-d/17, etc.

 

You're not missing anything. Perhaps they would be of no value to you, but to other people, they'll fill a hole in an album.

I turned a worthless 5-cent Liberty nickel - date unreadable - back into the 1886 that it once was. For a collector who cannot afford to pay the $250 or so it will cost to purchase a lowly G-4 example of this coin, they will happily be able to fill the hole in their album for a mere fraction of the price.

The coin was minted the same was as all the others, in 1886. It just got spent a few more times than its compatriots. Somebody will still love it.

 

Okay but you can sell sand to Arabs on eBay - that's not a test but, I guess I've heard it all now!!
Thanks,