What is on this Merc?

[CODY]

Hi folks, got a question. This is a 35 Merc I found yesterday. In the first picture notice how dark gray it is. The coin was found flat up against an old sidewalk about 4 inches down. Got it home and started to try to clean it. Started with water and a toothbrush. Added liquid soap. Nothing. Added barkeepers friend,(I know, I know) Nothing. Finally let it soak in Goddards Silver Dip. This started to turn the gray into a sticky oily greasy mess. With several soakings, toothbrush, and barkeepers friend, was finally able to get the gray removed. Found that the back was pretty much toast. Do you think this dime could have been dropped when the concrete was wet? I have no clue. Thanks

 

[del]

:wow: it could of been just about anything to make that dime look that way , sometimes when they mix cement they put chemicals to help it set up faster like calcium carbonate . of over the years maybe they had put on a chemical ice melter to keep the sidewalk ice free , it definately looks like it was exposed to something harmful over the years Cody. just be thankful it wasn't a key date .

Dan

 

[Full Metal Digger]

I found one similar to that next to a sidewalk. I thought maybe the salt they put down when it gets icy must have somehow corroded it. It's just a theory though.

 

[CODY]

I found one similar to that next to a sidewalk. I thought maybe the salt they put down when it gets icy must have somehow corroded it. It's just a theory though.

But down here they don't use salt. Very seldom we get enough ice to worry about. And when we do, its gone before anyone does anything about it.

 

[JTGOLD]

acid from concreat can cause that,as well as the acid from burn'ed coal will do that too.