A 'roasted' dateless Buff Nickel!

[Goldstrike]

After picking up a very bad virus/sinusitisuke: after visiting family in Illinois and not being able do any detecting for awhile, it felt soooo good to power up the Safari and visit some local soccer fields (actually 4 soccer fields in line)!. Ive found some jewelry and lot's of clad in the past but realise that other detectorists hammer these same fields very hard as well! so I don't expect to find much when I do go to this spot. As we all know though, there are always targets to be had because of the many different techniques and machines we all have.
I was surprised to get this coin from about 6 inches below ground and although it has no value as a coin, it reminded me again that there are always targets to be found irrespective of the number of guy's and a few gals! out there swinging coils as well!
P.s. Having never had a flu shot before, I think I will start getting one each year BEFORE the flu season hits again!! I'm a non smoker and a non drinker and a very healthy 65 y/o but that hit me too hard

 

[Elton]

It wasn't a toasted dateless 3 legged !!! Now wouldn't that have been terrible ..LOL

 

[Champ Ferguson]

Congrats on your hunt!

I read somewhere recently that you can put a drop of something (nitric?) on the buff and the date will stand out enough for you to read it with a handlens. It fades back into obscurity over the ensuing weeks, but hey, its not like youre gonna kill the value by "altering" the coin. Theres even a name for Buffs that have had the treatment done to them (btw, it is less and less effective the more you do the treatment, so be sure to write it down).

 

[Goldstrike]

Congrats on your hunt!

I read somewhere recently that you can put a drop of something (nitric?) on the buff and the date will stand out enough for you to read it with a handlens. It fades back into obscurity over the ensuing weeks, but hey, its not like youre gonna kill the value by "altering" the coin. Theres even a name for Buffs that have had the treatment done to them (btw, it is less and less effective the more you do the treatment, so be sure to write it down).

Thanks Champ for that tip! I have some nitric acid in one of my sheds so tomorrow Ill try that!! I'll post the results!!

 

[Goldstrike]

It wasn't a toasted dateless 3 legged !!! Now wouldn't that have been terrible ..LOL

Funny Elton!!

 

[kschae4]

GS, nice surprise recovery. I read somewhere that the product Champ wrote about may also be known as nic a date ? Let us know how you make out . Here's some info:
acid dating

 

[Simpsonslammer]

Congrats on your hunt!

I read somewhere recently that you can put a drop of something (nitric?) on the buff and the date will stand out enough for you to read it with a handlens. It fades back into obscurity over the ensuing weeks, but hey, its not like youre gonna kill the value by "altering" the coin. Theres even a name for Buffs that have had the treatment done to them (btw, it is less and less effective the more you do the treatment, so be sure to write it down).

I bought some stuff called Nic-a-date. It does work well on worn circulated nickels, but I haven't had any luck with dug nickels

 

[Champ Ferguson]

GS, nice surprise recovery. I read somewhere that the product Champ wrote about may also be known as nic a date ? Let us know how you make out . Here's some info:
acid dating

That's the stuff, kschae4!

GS, don't use the nitric until you confirm. I am relying on a poor memory!
Just looked up some info and apparently vinegar will work. I suspect it will take longer, but then again its way cheaper (you prob already have some) and way less acidic and all that entails.

 

[Champ Ferguson]

A little further reading and I think that NIc-a-Date is phosphoric acid in some concentration(does that mean Coke would work?- don't see why not).

It seems that if you use vinegar, you want to use the kind that is at least 5% and you want to add table salt to the mix- probably to the point of a saturated solution. So from that, I conclude that if you are using a strong acid like nitric or muriatic, you want to dilute it a LOT. I mean like an Awful Lot cause the stuff that folks are using is pretty mild acid.
Remember when youre done to wash off all the acid/neutralize in a weak base solution like baking soda. Then rinse to get everything off the coin.

 

[Goldstrike]

Thanks for the tips guy's! After numerous applications of undiluted nitric acid, I could not get a date to appear. I think if it were in a little better shape, maybe a date could be seen but it was worth trying. I'm definitely going to try it on other B. Nickles though so thanks for sharing this useful tip!
P.s. I haven't tried vinegar and salt but I suspect it wouldn't do more that the acid could?

 

[Champ Ferguson]

Damn. Too bad.
I would think like you do that if nitric wont do it, no acid will. BUT, it may be that the acid is attacking too hard and eroding it all too much for it to stand out. Grasping at straws here, but I'd try weaker acids until I found something that I KNOW works.