If you got all of those for $8 each I think you got a great deal in my opinion. If you want to use something to preserve them and stop further corrosion you could try Verdi-Care. http://www.wizardcoinsupply.com/products/verdi-care.html I've got a bottle but haven't used it yet.
Bought this many years ago and still love it. Have no idea what variety it is, would appreciate any and all help.
One more bump before letting this old copper thread fade... An 1793 wreath cent, variety S-9, Rarity-2. Commonest of the wreath cents. A bit grainy but nice. An 1798/7, variety S-151. R-3. Much better surfaces and color than the pictures.
And the last two: 1796 Draped Bust, variety S-97 (If I recall correctly) 1794 Flowing Hair. Some rim bumps visible on both sides, but still nice. The pictures do not do it justice.
Eduard - I never realized till now just how many profile/face changes they made to those early 179X cents - quite a few changes in a short time. The one on your 1794 above looks more like a man's profile than a woman's.
Here's one from old Eagle Eye (via the Ray Douglas collection). Graded 65RB by PCGS but darned close to 66RD. Lance.
They are both S-71's, but mine has less than half the detail I am not very good at early date attribution, but I had just finished checking the attribution points on mine before I saw your wonderful coin.
You know, you are right. You can't really say it is definitely a female bust on the cents 1793-1796. Even when looking at the many die varieties. They are more aesthetic than the portrait on the chain cents, though! By contrast, I consider that the portrait on the draped bust types minted 1796-1807 look more feminine. BTW, i have the same opinion of the Barber types - difficult to say whether male or female - rather androgynous in my opinion.