Badly cleaned wheaties

[mercuryman]

Wife brought home 22.00 worth of rolled pennies today. We sorted and got out 6.00 of wheaties. The oldest is 1910, all the way to 1958, with some nice 59s thrown in. Problem is, many of the 1920s coins look like they were polished. They are shiny and look off color. They are not pink at least. Any cures for them? What do you suppose caused it if not buffing? What do certain chemicals do to different coins as far as damage?
Btw, we also got 4 indians too, 1906, 1907, 1891, 1887. Not bad for bank rolls!

 

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[Nana40]

WoW!

You got four Indians!?!

 

[stoney56]

Could be someone pit them in a container of vinegar and then used table salt. Gives them a strange flat untarnished look. Then they may have used a copper polish.

 

[mercuryman]

That could be. If you look really close with mag glass, looks like its pixelated like a computer screen kinda. Hard to explain. Looks like its been stripped of its outer surface I guess. Shiny, but not polished.

 

[JakePhelps]

Someone probably ruined them by cleaning them so they spent them :P

 

[Michigan Badger]

mercuryman, I've cleaned thousands of ancient bronze and copper colonial coins and those alloys are difficult to clean. You name it I've probably tried it. All methods fall short and some are horrible.

What can you do? That's hard to say without actually seeing the coins first hand.

Here's an easier solution that won't do more damage to the coins. By a product called "Dellers Darkener."

http://outpost.zoovy.com/product/R1005

If you do some hunting you'll probably be able to find someone who will send it to you for $1 postage. Mine cost a total of $4 with shipping.

Just follow the instructions and read the info online.

Basically what you do is get all the wax or plastic off the surface of the coin and then coat it with Dellers. Let it set for about 15 minutes and then wipe it off. Dellers restores a more natural aged look to the coin.

I've used it on coins I've sold for well over $100.

I mainly use it now to touch up when I scratch off some patina while cleaning dug colonial coppers.

 

[MUD(S.W.A.T)]

Not be a troll but thats cheating! You screw up a coin you should be responsable for the price drop and take the hit. Not rip off some noob
(New Collector) collector now or down the road. You should sell it as a screwed up coin!

Keep @ it and HH!!

 

[mercuryman]

Mud, If you are responding to me, I just want to know what caused the issue, not change the coins appearance. I also have no intention of selling them as undisturbed coinage. Mainly I want to know what turned them the color they are. Thanks. Mercuryman

 

[Jeffro]

I remember someone telling me that during the teens and 20's, it is not uncommon for Wheats to have a different look, aside from being cleaned. Of course cleaned coins look different, but I was told that the mint was having difficulties in getting the proper alloy 100% of the time? You will see wheats with streaks, splotches, different colors, etc. even if they are still in Red mint state condition.

Does anyone out there know more about this? Here are a few I have- Obviously, the one on the lower right has been hit with Tarn-x or some other cleaner, but I threw it in for the streaking.

 

[lohi]

sounds like your Wheaties were cleaned with citrus juice. This is a common science project in schools. Lemon juices is the worst. HH lohi Be sure to look at your 1910, I have one that the reverse is rotated about 40 to 45 degrees to the right.