Results 1 to 8 of 8

Thread: *Cleaned Up My Flying Eagle Cent*

  1. #1
    Senior Member Isaac's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Herndon Virginia
    Posts
    731

    *Cleaned Up My Flying Eagle Cent*

    Decided to dry brush and toothpick my flying eagle cent that I found in June today. I think it cleaned up really nicely!


    Before:





    You couldn't see anything on the back.


    After:











    --








    I'm really happy with the results. How do you guys think I did?

    GL and HH!

    Isaac
    I <3 colonial relics!

  2. #2
    Senior Member Nesdore's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jun 2014
    Location
    Southeastern Ohio
    Posts
    615
    Looks really good that is an awesome find I never new there was such a coin until you posted it in June so again
    Oldest Coin - 1830 Large Cent
    Oldest Silver - 1898 Barber Dime

    Garrett Ace 350, Garrett AT Pro Pointer

  3. #3
    Administrator del's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Connecticut
    Posts
    13,014
    Isaac , in my opinion these kinds of coins ( flying eagles and "fat Indian heads" 59-64) are the hardest to clean because of their composition. These were.880% copper and .120% nickle content and the two metals react and oxidize differently in the ground and they usually have a "grainy" or gritty look about their surfaces.

    after all that said , I think you did pretty well sir !!
    "Honesty is an expensive gift ,
    so don't expect it from cheap people"

    XP Deus II , DFX ,TDI sl -

    Click here to view my finds album


  4. #4
    Elite Member coinnut's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Western Massachusetts
    Posts
    9,370
    Fattie Indians and Flying Eagle cents are notoriously hard to clean because of their composition. You did a good job cleaning it. If you over clean it, you would lose all definition. From the looks of it, yours was dropped in very nice condition.
    Finding relics is in my blood

    GPX 5000, CTX 3030, E Trac, Vista Gold

  5. #5
    Veteran Member BTV Digger's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2014
    Location
    Northern Vermont
    Posts
    1,874
    Good job on the cleaning. I would stop there though as you don't want to lose the remaining detail.

    John
    Vermont relic hunting, one swing at a time.
    https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCG2...OLib30A/videos

  6. #6
    Senior Member Isaac's Avatar
    Join Date
    May 2014
    Location
    Herndon Virginia
    Posts
    731
    Quote Originally Posted by Nesdore View Post
    Looks really good that is an awesome find I never new there was such a coin until you posted it in June so again
    Thank you so much Nesdore!

    Quote Originally Posted by del View Post
    Isaac , in my opinion these kinds of coins ( flying eagles and "fat Indian heads" 59-64) are the hardest to clean because of their composition. These were.880% copper and .120% nickle content and the two metals react and oxidize differently in the ground and they usually have a "grainy" or gritty look about their surfaces.

    after all that said , I think you did pretty well sir !!
    Thanks for the information and compliment Dan! You're right, the front of the coin especially has a "grainy" surface.


    Quote Originally Posted by BTV Digger View Post
    Good job on the cleaning. I would stop there though as you don't want to lose the remaining detail.

    John
    Thanks John!

    Quote Originally Posted by coinnut View Post
    Fattie Indians and Flying Eagle cents are notoriously hard to clean because of their composition. You did a good job cleaning it. If you over clean it, you would lose all definition. From the looks of it, yours was dropped in very nice condition.
    Thank you so much coinnut! I agree, the coin was dropped in very nice condition. One thing I don't completely understand is why a flying eagle cent was dropped in this nice (and not worn) of condition at a 1908 house - over 50 years later? Seems possible but unlikely, maybe this was dropped when this area was farmland? Who knows!
    I <3 colonial relics!

  7. #7
    Elite Member coinnut's Avatar
    Join Date
    Oct 2009
    Location
    Western Massachusetts
    Posts
    9,370
    We'll never know what actually happens to the coins we find. It could have been in someone's collection or maybe even put aside because it was such a beautiful coin and although the series shows 3 different dates, only 1857 and 1858 really made it out to the public. Your guess is as good as any Issac. It could well have been there prior to the house, or maybe brought in with the fill dirt when they built the house. Either way, it's a really good thing for you that it was there
    Finding relics is in my blood

    GPX 5000, CTX 3030, E Trac, Vista Gold

  8. #8
    Elite Member Digger Don's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Location
    Northern Illinois
    Posts
    3,785
    That's a fantastic find Isaac, I don't see hardly any of them posted here. You did a great job cleaning it.
    Oldest Coin: 1699 William III Halfpenny


    20
    24
    Silver 4
    Indian 3, Buff 1, V Nik 1, Rosie 2, Barber Dime, SLQ 1,

    YT Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCoU...FVGumMQ/videos

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •