No Surprise to find Seated

[DIGGER-SEAN-N-VA]

I went back out to the site that I found my 1730's Cut Reale yesterday hoping to find another. I found a 1876 Seated Dime which was not a surprise knowing the age of the site,,,,what surprised me was the "CC" mint mark on the back out here in Virginia Beach! Learning from past mistakes trying to clean Seated coins, I plan on leaving this one the way it is. I am happy to be able to read the date and the mint
Oh ya, I also found an old "Cone" thingy.
HH
Sean

 

[ironsight]

Nice! You got a good site there!

 

[BryanM362]

Is that pic before you washed it? I have never seen silver look like that. It almost looks plated. Could it be a replica?

 

[DIGGER-SEAN-N-VA]

Is that pic before you washed it? I have never seen silver look like that. It almost looks plated. Could it be a replica?

Bryan, that is washed. I have had older silver coins come out of the ground like this before. They look OK the 1st minute or so after being pulled. Then they turn kind of purple looking, then black. In the past I have used electrolysis to clean then, "Big Mistake". All that black is some sort of organic matter that has eaten away at the coin for years. The electrolysis removes all the black leaving behind dozens of pits. You lose a lot of detail and ruin the coin in the process. I guess it all depends on the soil at the site you are digging. This is why I will leave this and future coins like this as is.
Sean

 

[DiggerODirt]

Silver should not pit...That coin looks a bit funny...

HH,

 

[DIGGER-SEAN-N-VA]

Silver should not pit...That coin looks a bit funny...

HH,

Prior to digging black and sometimes rusty silver coins I would have agreed with you. But I now know that soil, iron, salt, fertilizers, and wet swampy areas all effect the coins in different ways. As I stated above, electrolysis will remove all the black...it will leave a shining sliver coin. (With ugly pits)
Sean

 

[BillF]

Hate to say it, but its basically ruined anyway. "Environmental damage" sort of thing. With it being pitted like you say its numismaticaly not worth anything unless its so rare that someone would want it no matter the condition.

 

[DIGGER-SEAN-N-VA]

Bill, I could not agree more "ruined"
But never the less, still happy to dig it.

 

[oneguy]

Bill, I could not agree more "ruined"
But never the less, still happy to dig it.

that coin will still clean up nicely for your collection! Being a seated AND a cc and the fact that someone lost it 100+ yrs ago and YOU found it....makes it priceless imo.......

good find!!!!

 

[BillF]

To me a coin is never ruined. I love every one I find. You should see some of the ones that have been in fires, they're over a hundred years old and barely readable but they mean a lot to me.

 

[Dale(Ia)]

Nice find! Sure is baffling sometimes how items end up where they do!!
Just glad they do!

HH! Iowa Dale

 

[Dale(Ia)]

To me a coin is never ruined. I love every one I find. You should see some of the ones that have been in fires, they're over a hundred years old and barely readable but they mean a lot to me.

Ditto!!

Iowa Dale

 

[Sooper Dave]

Very nice Carson City Seated! That little "cone thingy" could be a finial tip off of a scabbard tip? Or just of an old lamp...