bits of eight

[Moe (fl)]

Has anyone found pieces of eight? What do they look like?

Is electrolysis the best method to clean beach finds?

HH.
Moe

 

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[Michigan Badger]

Has anyone found pieces of eight? What do they look like?

Is electrolysis the best method to clean beach finds?

HH.
Moe

Moe, Florida beach find pieces of eight can be black and look like pieces of coal or they can be shiny due to the action of the ocean and sand. I've seen beach finds that looked silver and I've seen shipwreck pieces of 8 that look more like hunks of charcoal.

Lots of cobs both silver and copper and reales are being found by detectorists every year. I have purchased, cleaned, and resold many found by people like you living in Florida and other east coast states. I was buying hundreds of them from a treasure hunter in southern California but his supply ran out.

Electrolysis is an old outdated method and has largely been abandoned by most up-to-date conservators today. In the old days we blasted them with electrolysis, rolled them in a rock tumbler with steel shot, and polished them!

The rule today is "easy does it." The idea today is not to make an old 17th century cob look like it was just made in China. Leave some of that encrustation and never polish any coin or cob!

Go get those nice cobs! If you find any and want to sell, contact me.

Badger