I have been detecting for years and I have always been careful to not rub my coins looking for a date. I always wait till I get home to clean them so as to not risk ruining a valuable coin. I see the guys on TV and some that do videos on here rubbing the dirt off looking for the date. I realize they are big boys and are free to treat their finds as they see fit. I just was curious what most folks do .... rub or not rub??
Except for Clad, I never date Clad, 'cept for Nickels....
on wheats , Old defunct coins like indians, etc, & silver,
I'll use my Thumb, The bottom of My shirt,
Sandpaper, Chisel ....
(just kidding on the Chisel)
But I've used pencil erasers and fine sandpaper on dates at home here.
it all depends on type of coin, location and timing these days.
if it is a wheat, particularly the first one of the day,
I'll need to know the date. If it's a very old coin or Silver,
I'll need to know the date. I know the odds of finding a key date are up there with the odds
that Kaley Cuoco is going to show up & wanna make out in the dirt,
(odds are she'd need to be liquored up & in an expensive room

)
so that is not a concern. & if a coin doesn't have date visible, it's a slug
