how to get this cement-like stuff of my wheaties?

MarcS · Oct 5, 2012

I have a whole bunch of wheat pennies that have this extremely hard crud on it. I tried numerous things to get it off, but haven't had any success yet. Some have been sitting in Olive oil for about 3 months, some were enjoying a boiling peroxide bath, and so on..
Any idea on how to get rid of it?

Thanks!

Marc

clifftronics · Oct 5, 2012

have you tried to put them through a tumbler? Ive got a few that are so crudded they will never be anygood again. most of those are missing 1/4 to 1/2 of their size...GL+HH.....cliff.

MarcS · Oct 5, 2012

Yeah.. I tried tumbling some of them, that will take care of the crud, but also of most of the details (or whatever is left of it).
Thanks for your answer, but I think tumbling is something that I don't really want to do to them. They'll just be way too shiny afterwards

Jamflicker · Oct 5, 2012

I am also curious if anyone has a solution to this. I found a 1913s wheat this week with the same kind of crud on the back. I did the hot peroxide but that didn't get it off. I also don't really want to tumble it.

MarcS · Oct 5, 2012

Jamflicker said:
I am also curious if anyone has a solution to this. I found a 1913s wheat this week with the same kind of crud on the back. I did the hot peroxide but that didn't get it off. I also don't really want to tumble it.

One of the "crudded" ones is a 1915s.. Not sure if I should do anything to it, but in the condition it's in right now, it's probably only worth a few bucks anyways (if at all).

allank · Oct 5, 2012

CLR works well , make sure you rinse them off well or they get a white crust

Jamflicker · Oct 5, 2012

allank said:
CLR works well , make sure you rinse them off well or they get a white crust

What is CLR?

GStout76 · Oct 5, 2012

Jamflicker said:
What is CLR?

Can of Lucky Rinsing? Capable of Looking Ridiculous? Catfish Living Responsibly? :laughing:

CLR is actually a cleaner for Calcium, Lime, and Rust. If you have a key or semi key just keep doing the hot peroxide treatment until most comes off then soak in olive oil. Those little "zits" will probably never come off though. I think is the bronze alloy they used on those older wheats that does that.

Greg

Jamflicker · Oct 5, 2012

GStout76 said:
Can of Lucky Rinsing? Capable of Looking Ridiculous? Catfish Living Responsibly?

CLR is actually a cleaner for Calcium, Lime, and Rust. If you have a key or semi key just keep doing the hot peroxide treatment until most comes off then soak in olive oil. Those little "zits" will probably never come off though. I think is the bronze alloy they used on those older wheats that does that.

Greg

Greg, I will bring the coin tomorrow to see what you think could be done.
Jason

goes4ever · Oct 5, 2012

That type of hard corrossion is verdigris, (spelling?) anyhow if you remove it more than likely it will leave pits on the coin where it was

MarcS · Oct 5, 2012

goes4ever said:
That type of hard corrossion is verdigris, (spelling?) anyhow if you remove it more than likely it will leave pits on the coin where it was

That's good to know. So basically, just leave them as they are, since it won't come off anyways. And if it does it'll leave a pit. Too bad...
But thanks for your guys' input, I learned something today.

Marc

goes4ever · Oct 5, 2012

yes I would leave them as they are, any further cleaning in my opinion would make them worse looking

Iron Patch · Oct 6, 2012

Tough to deal with that condition. The only thing I can suggest is to try and grind them down carefully with an emery board nail file. You'll never get it all off, but might make it better. Try it on one you don't care about first.

MarcS · Oct 6, 2012

So.. I was going through my wheaties, and one of them is a 1909s! Is there any value left to it? I'll post some pictures soon, but it's really crusted up...

hillbillydigger · Oct 6, 2012

MarcS said:
So.. I was going through my wheaties, and one of them is a 1909s! Is there any value left to it? I'll post some pictures soon, but it's really crusted up...

Supposedly even a crappy condition 1909S wheat is worth over $800. I wouldn't clean it because if you alter it you can devalue it to coin collectors. I would take it to coin shop and ask for estimate and ask if they suggest cleaning it and with what. If they give you a decent estimate I would sell it on Ebay though and not to the coin shop because they always rip people off.

MarcS · Oct 6, 2012

hillbillydigger said:
Supposedly even a crappy condition 1909S wheat is worth over $800. I wouldn't clean it because if you alter it you can devalue it to coin collectors. I would take it to coin shop and ask for estimate and ask if they suggest cleaning it and with what. If they give you a decent estimate I would sell it on Ebay though and not to the coin shop because they always rip people off.

I haven't touched it yet, but yeah, I was going to take it to a coin shop to see what they say. Unfortunately I can't post pics from my phone, so I have to wait till tomorrow to do that.
Thanks for all your answers.

GStout76 · Oct 7, 2012

MarcS said:
I haven't touched it yet, but yeah, I was going to take it to a coin shop to see what they say. Unfortunately I can't post pics from my phone, so I have to wait till tomorrow to do that.
Thanks for all your answers.

I think you guys are referring the 1909 S "VDB". And in bad condition I don't think it would pull $800 from a collector.

Greg

MarcS · Oct 7, 2012

So here it is... I'm almost to embarrassed to ask the question.. but do you think there's any value left on this one? It's a 1909s.

RyanChappell · Oct 7, 2012

Look on the back. Does it say V. D. B.????? If so never touch it again with anything other than a holder!

MarcS · Oct 7, 2012

RyanChappell said:
Look on the back. Does it say V. D. B.????? If so never touch it again with anything other than a holder!

View attachment 178138

Nope, believe me I checked and double checked. No vdb...

how to get this cement-like stuff of my wheaties?

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