How much do you think a jewelers solder effects the value of a coin?

How much do you think a jewelers solder effects the value of a coin?

I was looking for a T1 Standing Liberty quarter to finish my 4 year olds 20th century Whitman type set I put together for him and I was going to just get him a G or VG of the coin and then all of a sudden I saw this beauty of a coin. Sure it was soldered at one point but I think the details are at least an XF maybe an AU and it was $2 cheaper than a G, I mean I normally don't like damaged coins but this thing is a beauty and I couldn't pass it up plus its going into a 4 year olds type set that has a value of $300 all put together, it also finished the set. Heck I like the coin more than my VF that I have in my 7070.

I also wonder if there is anyway to remove the solder without ruining the coin.

 

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Was just curious its just a tiny bit of solder honestly I think the coin is a steal for what I paid for it for the details and with only the minor detraction.

 

I'd buy that at a "damaged" price all day long.

 

Yea Scottish it was $20 I thought it was a pretty good value.

 

If the coin were a lower grade it would have reduced it to no more than melt value.

 

Yea I would peg it around an xf45, I understand that if it were a lower grade the solder would ruin all numismatic value but I think it retains some of its numismatic value with the condition it is in.

 

If you want to try, there is a guy who advertises in the Numismatist who restores coins. I hear he does pretty good work, but usually filling holes, and other more severe damage than this.

As to value, collectors are finicky. I would say this bit of solder reduses this coin more than a rare issue. The problem is there are plenty of problem free Type 1's to collect, so many people do not want to mess with a problem coin. Make this something actually scarce like a draped bust half, and I belieev it would affect it not as severely, (percentage wise). I just received a coin in the mail with a hole in it. I do not mind too much since there might be 20 of them in the world, and this is the first I have ever seen for sale.

 

A whole lot

 

It definitely affects it, but I think it's a beautiful coin. You could melt it off if you desired, but that's risky. It's your call, but it's very nice looking and I would happily take the one you have over a G/VG.

 

Even with the solder you have a beautiful type one coin. I would rather own it then my no date.

 

I don't understand why it's risky to try to melt the solder off --? I would think a little pencil torch, not directed on the coin but an inch (?) away would generate enough heat to just let the solder drip off.

Suspend the coin with the solder at the bottom and let gravity do the work. It might also be that touching the solder (not the coin) with a copper wire (during the heating) might cause the solder to flow smoothly down onto the wire.

Before I posted, I looked for a YouTube video on how to remove solder. Sure enough, there are several. Here's two different methods demonstrated by an electronics technician. My "instincts" were good - one method involves using braided copper wire.

 

It's for a four year old. Go for it. The likelihood is the kid is gonna' sell the set anyhow when he's a teenager or early 20 year old and has the hots for the female of the species.

 

Solder has quite a lot of surface tension. That's why braided copper wire draws it up. Gravity won't do the trick -- even if you sling it off the coin (and watch out for where it splatters!), a good bit will remain.

When I desolder (electronics, not coins), I most often use a suction tool.

One warning: getting the coin hot enough to melt the solder will also discolor it. No telling whether this particular coin would come out looking better or worse as a result.

 

You could put some solder on another silver quarter and experiment for weeks to find the best technique. Also, and just brainstorming here, how about using heat sinks over the entire surface of the coin, to prevent damage? Finally, if you could manage to dip the soldered part in liquid CO2, or some other cryogenic fluid, would the solder just pop off?

 

I look at this way I paid Ggrade money for it when it probably should go for VG or even Fgrade money and its probably a solid xf45 with details grade and its going into a 4 year olds set. Tomorrow I'll take pics of the finished set, feels good to get a set done (I just started one for my 1 year old I got like 16 coins to go on that set). I had gone in today to cross a coin off my 7070 (I was going to get a bust half to take me down to 12 coins needed for my 7070) but ended up with this beauty, a 1935 George V crown, a 1898 peso and a 1927 Yuan dollar. The last 3 coins look great in the crowns of the world and world bullion set I started and this coin finished a set all and all a good day I'll get the bust half next time.

 

Gotta admire your focus. When I go in the coin shop, I'm liable to buy anything (and the guy knows that).

 

Lol, you too? I haev a local world coin dealer, (unusual, I know), and that poor man never knows what to have me look at. One day a St Gaudens, another a batch of ancients, then junk silver, then medieval thai coins. I think he believes I am bipolar or something.

 

You collect Arctic and Antarctic coins too???? Cool!

 

Again, this is mostly based on my experience with electronics.

Heat sinks -- I think you'd be more likely to cause damage by clamping on the heat sinks than by heating the coin uniformly.

Cryo -- if the jeweler doing the soldering was competent, the solder actually alloyed with the surface of the coin. It's extremely unlikely to pop off.

I was thinking about chemical approaches that would attack tin and lead while sparing silver, but I'll bet this is silver-bearing solder.

I'm pretty sure heat and wicking or suction would be the path of least risk. That, or using a Dremel to abrade nearly all of the solder -- but I certainly wouldn't have the nerve to tackle that.