I dug this a couple days ago and can't id it. I've cleaned it with soap and water and I'm able to make out some details (it appears to be a LIBERTY HEAD with six pointed stars around it on the front and on the back it has a wreath). I'm afraid to clean it with anything stronger because I was told if the coin is rare you will decrease the value by cleaning it. I thought about soaking it in olive oil but have leaned recently that olive oil can blacken it too much. I think the coin/token is silver but I'm really not sure. When I first pull it out of the ground I thought the coin had been through some kinda trauma accounting for its odd oval shape but as I cleaned it up I realized it was made like that because the detail on the coin corresponds with the shape. I've tried to reseach it but have come up empty, the only thing that comes close is some gold coins (in RED BOOK) from mid 1800's. I also was able to find some California gold coin/tokens from the gold rush era (in WORLD COINS) that looked like mine but none were oval although some were octagon. All the coins I've been able to find that has the same detail as mine (the LIBERTY HEAD with stars on the front and the wreath on the back) are gold and I think the one I have is silver or maybe brass/bronze so I have no idea what it is. I'm hoping someone here can help me with the IDing of this coin/token. Please if you know anything about this coin reply to my post or if you're not sure and just want to guess that can be a big help also! Anything is welcomed! I've attached some pictures of the token/coin and also of something that kinda looks like it from the RED BOOK. Also whats the best way to clean it?
My 2 cents worth: The gold coin in your photo is smaller than a dime, so your find isn't a gold $1. Also, it is not gold. I'm inclined to think it is silver, but I might be wrong. Sure is a neat piece! Thanks for sharing!
Cdb1950,I have got an 1851 gold $1,which is smaller than a dime.John in FL's second piece is definitely a gold $1. Aidan.
Welcome to the forum John. Okay cdb and Aidan - am I missing something? Both of you seem to think John posted a picture of a gold coin he found, but I see him saying that the design of the one he dug looks like a gold coin he found pictured in the Red Book, but his does not appear to be gold. He doesn't say the gold coin picture is of his coin, but instead its a picture
Looking at the stars, and making a guess at the compostion, a Barber Half turned 90 degrees and the ends clipped?
i would say its not gold or silver, niether tarnishes green, however copper and bronze both do. as for cleaning it, ive had some experiance with roman coins, olive oil soaks will eventually remove any encrustation on the coin but i do mean eventually. A quicker way is an electolosis cleaning but if your not carefull you could severly damage the coin. Or you could do what i do, when in doubt take it to a local dealer.
First off, I have seen some green verdigris on silver, but in any case, my vote is for a V nickel that has been run over on a railroad or street car track. Somehow it was elongated but kept a certain width. Very odd to be sure, and I really can't see any detail, but the stars remind me of the V nickel. Also, nickels are 75% copper, so the corrision might be as expected.
That usually occurs when the silver/copper alloy separates a little bit, and the relatively pure copper parts go green.
"Measurements" The diameter is approx. 30 mm tall by 22 mm width. As for as the edges go I'm not sure what you mean. The edges look to be clean. I still think it was purposely made like this because the design on it corresponds with the oval shape of the coin. The coin/token I found weighs about 10.7 grams just the same weight as a large cent, but the wreath on mine doesn't look like the large cents in Red Book. Is mine a mint error lager cent and valuable or is it what they call a "Hard time token" and if so would mine be worth $$$ because I can't find my type in any book. Tell me what you think. Also whats the best way to clean it?
Wow! That's got to be the most crud I have ever seen stuck to a coin!! Because of its width (22mm) I would guess it is a classic/braided hair date Half Cent. If it were potentially very valuable (i.e. a gold coin) I would try to have it conserved at NCS, but for classic/braided hair half cent, It would not be worth it.
