1793 Flowing Hair & Wreath Large Cent ~ Cleaning Pics

[cti4sw]

Hey, I decided to start a new thread for cleaning & grading advice from anyone with experience. The original finds thread can be seen here: http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/today-s-finds/379809-honey-hole-comes-through-again.html

So, this is the coin in the plug:



This is after I brushed it off:



This is after a cold peroxide bath:



And this is after hogge's recommended heated peroxide bath:




Don in SJ has suggested I leave the coin as-is, with no further cleaning, and not to get it graded. My next step will be to visit the local coin shop for one of those little AirTite cases to protect it.


Anyone with any further suggestions, or encouragement (that it looks good and I'm doing it right), feel free to post. I am currently looking for condition range estimates, as I believe it to be better than VG.

For those who asked: here is a pic of the coin's surface, right off the lips and chin.



Here she is, she fits snugly into a 26mm AirTite. Can't wait to get the beeswax to finish this off and see how it looks.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

How to Research for Treasure Hunting and Metal Detecting From Lead Generation to Vetting - Grab it through Amazon!

[justanotherpulltab]

Awesome find bud...ive used baking soda too...it does good.

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

How to Research for Treasure Hunting and Metal Detecting From Lead Generation to Vetting - Grab it through Amazon!

[joeyfresh]

Our first inclination is to "clean" a dirty looking coin to try to see a date or more detail. There isn't any one good way to clean old copper coins, it all depends on the condition of the coin. I've ruined, as many here have, many old coppers by trying all the recommended cleaning methods found on this forum. I'd recommend that if there's any detail on the coin fresh out of the ground then put it in a protector and be happy you found it!

 

[hogge]

Yep....Looks like it helped a lot. Now the coating to bring out details. Then take some closeups so we can possibly ID variety. Looks like you did very well. Hogge

 

[hogge]

You didn't mention whether it's a "Lettered Edge" or "Vine and Bars"? Look around the edge of the coin.

 

[pepperj]

Very nice copper indeed, looks pretty good now after a bath. The best luck with HP is to put it in a plastic container and just set it out in the sun for it's bath.

 

[cti4sw]

You didn't mention whether it's a "Lettered Edge" or "Vine and Bars"? Look around the edge of the coin.

The edge is reeded in places. Vine & Bars.

Yep....Looks like it helped a lot. Now the coating to bring out details. Then take some closeups so we can possibly ID variety. Looks like you did very well. Hogge

Thanks! Erik in NJ is sending me some beeswax this weekend. I will be buying a small AirTite for it on my lunch break today.

 

[cti4sw]

myself, I'd be tempted to clean it some more, but of course would probably take it too far. large cents don't exist where I live, so I really have no clue at all. About all I can offer is 'don't use a wire brush'

A few people on another forum (CoinTalk) have recommended conservancy services, but I don't think too many members there are MDers or they'd also (logically) be members here and would know better. I also have the added beneficial resource of that microscope to see coin surfaces and I will see what any professional grader would see; this helps me figure out if additional cleaning would be worthwhile. In this case, I highly doubt it, and you can see why in the closeup in the original post.

I would never use a wire brush on a coin. I use short-bristle, cut paintbrushes. Bristles are like 0.25" long, tops.

Why would you think LCs don't exist where you are? You think pioneers took the quantum teleporter to California for the 1849 gold rush? Research old wagon roads and ghost towns. I bet you'll surprise yourself. I'm also willing to bet you have higher numbers of Indian artifacts than the East Coast.

 

[CMDiamonddawg]

try cooking the coin in olive oil i learned that trick from a Russian friend of mine he says all old coins in Russia are copper i tried it it did work

yeah , sounds tasty , add a little garlic , some oregano .
You may want to try this on a different year LC ,, that one is awesome the way it is !

 

[cti4sw]

Added pics.

 

[Brian W]

Wow what a great coin...I would just leave it as is..cleaned up great...Congrats