Ruined My First Indian :-(

[MartinL]

I did a lot of hunting on a visit, mostly cruddy pennies, but had one really green and crusty coin that I later found to be an IH, my first I got anxious to see the date and make it clean so I went to hydrogen peroxide, and made some progress, but not much, except the date came through, 1898. I read where a mineral oil soak might be good,,,didn't have mineral oil so I used vegetable oil instead. MISTAKE. Now the detail is gone and it is black. Oh well, it wasn't a real treasure since I see y'all here getting IHs a lot. Live and learn. martin

[randy]

At least you got an IH. Nice find. I don't get all that many. I think part of your mistake may also have been mixing cleaning methods.

[Jeff (or)]

Congrats on your first IH Martin! Some coins, depending how crusty they are, just don't respond well to any type of cleaning.

[Ill Digger]

Congrats on your first IH Martin! Some coins, depending how crusty they are, just don't respond well to any type of cleaning.

Thats what I was going to say! lol
Some of them aren't going to come clean. crying01
Either way a IH is always a fun find to make!
Congrats on your first!

[MartinL]

It was very crusty and green and heaped with green mounds. I had figured it was a horrible, plain penny, but it stood out looking like that. It was surprising when the oil bath removed patterns like it did. Whatever did it, the details were eaten away. I had researched the 1898 date and knew mine was plain jane, so I hurried too much on my first cleaning, besides the general soft toothbrush routine.

On a side note, I also found my 2nd and third wheat also. It's the forst time I've gone through my extra battery pack. Thanks all. martin

[OxShoeDrew]

I find IHs and coppers in general hard to clean. I only use soap and a soft toothbrush....but even then they tend to chip. It depends on the condition they were found. I have lots to learn about cleaning.

[Mudder]

I know I have a lot to learn about cleaning pennies, they do not take well to being in the ground at all. I know I have tried just about all the cleaning methods on them, and more often or not it does more harm than good. >:#