How to read markings on a really rough coin.

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OldJerseyGirl

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Jun 28, 2013
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I found what I think is a coin in a field. It is a little bigger than a quarter and kind of thin. I have it soaking in olive oil right now but am not very hopeful it will help much. I can see some letters around the rim but can't make them out. I was thinking maybe drying it off and using white chalk to see if I can read any of the letters. I can take a photo but my camera is not the best with the close ups. Does anybody have any ideas?
 

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Sometimes when they are oily or wet, if you hold them up to the light and look at them from the side with a magnifying glass you can make out some of the letters.
 

Just soaking a coin doesn't always work. That why I use my ultrasonic bath with just plain water. The unit I have can heat the water up to 180°F which also helps loosen stuck-on muck.
 

Well, as stated above, holding the coin with the light at an angle will cast enought 'shadow' to make it out.

Sometimes laying a sheet of thin paper on it and rubbing a pencil or charcoal across it will make a readable image.

The problem is the lower 'background' area of a coin is harder than the raised area, so the raised area goes first.

I sometimes place coins in laundry detergent in an old 35mm case and place it in a vibrating tumbler imbedded in sand which keeps it from bouncing around.

Just some thoughts, Frank...
hand print-2_edited-5.jpg
 

It could be a half cent, which is very close to Quarter size. I detected a half cent once crusted with dirt, I thought it was a clad quarter, when I got home and started rinsing it , I was suprised as heck.
 

Congrats on your old coin!

Ya those type of coins are tricky to try'n read. Has to be just the right light and just the right moister, not too wet not to dry. I have a large cent that I could almost read the date on with a lot of hope and wishful thinking! It has been soaking in olive oil for years, I'm afraid to take it out. I just need to go out and find another with a readable date!
 

Msbeepbeep said:
Congrats on your old coin!

Ya those type of coins are tricky to try'n read. Has to be just the right light and just the right moister, not too wet not to dry. I have a large cent that I could almost read the date on with a lot of hope and wishful thinking! It has been soaking in olive oil for years, I'm afraid to take it out. I just need to go out and find another with a readable date!
Click to expand...
I had an IH in olive oil for over 2 yrs. It did absolutely nothing.
 

Lay a piece of paper over the coin.Take a nice sharp pencil and lightly rub the side of the pencil point over the part of the paper thats covering the coin,Bingo.
 

O.K. here are much better photos. I did not do the back. I can see nothing on the back.007.JPG
 

I tried to bring out more contrast in Elements, but the coin is to 'dirty'. That is corroded. It needs a very mild cleaning that I described above. Frank...
z Untitled-1.jpg
 

Seems to be either an Irish 1805 George III Hibernia Halfpenny, or a British George III 1806 or 1807 Halfpenny. Even a slight amount of detail on the other side might say which.
 

By the way... you might not even have to see anything clear on the other side.... just where the corrosion is raised might be enough to say which type of coin.
 

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