Is it a coin?

[TTKooAu]

Hi PA people, Long time no talk, I've been busy being retired.
I went to Rapid Bay SA about 12 months ago for a swing through the camping grounds. Very quiet day it was, mid winter.
There must have been a hoovermatic in before me, as the ground was very clean, certainly not contaminated with spendables or pre-decimals.
I gave the sand along the beach a bit of a crack, and came up with this disc, hidden deep in the sand, way up above hi water mark, and covered with a sleeper used to delineate the beach from the caravan park.

It is approx 32mm dia - weighs around 12.5 grams, is not attracted at all by any magnet. There are deep gouges on both faces and I can't discern any pattern or markings.
I had forgotten about the find until recently going through a tin of odds and ends.
I have had it soaking in olive oil for over three weeks with no discoloration bleeding into the oil, and certainly no cleaning effect to the disc.
It does have a distinct green/blue copper hue to its darkness.

Any thoughts???, I imagine if it is a coin it will be toast underneath, but can anyone suggest a way to remove some of the corrosion?

 

[Mackka]

It may be Arabic.
Mackka

 

[Goldpick]

I'm all googled out, got me stumped, interesting find though worthy of some further research.

 

[silver]

Crown or half crown :/

 

[golddiggerart]

Is that crust on it? Electrolysis may be a good way to clean the gunk off....

 

[TTKooAu]

Cheers all.
It is sort of crusty, though not like a toasted penny....Electrolysis sounds promising. I think there are plenty of examples on PA. As time is now my friend I'll see if I can put something together.
Let you know what, if anything arises from the ashes.

 

[silver]

I think Goldpick's comments re Electrolysis were in the line of don't use somethings in electrolysis for safety.
see link.... then scroll up then for Rkt's visuals etc.
https://www.prospectingaustralia.com/forum/viewtopic.php?pid=140999#p140999

 

[TTKooAu]

A question for the educated.
Majority of online info suggests the coin connects to the negative. Also suggests that in the absence of a multimeter, when the alligator clips are immersed in the solution, the negative should fizz. Well I get what I would call "fizzing" from one clip, and larger bubbling from the other clip. Is this bubbling normal for the positive?
I tried the coin on both clips. One way produces a blue deposit on the "coin", the other way makes the solution go dirty fairly rapidly.
I am using a hardened steel allen key as the sacrificial anode.
Any suggestions / comments before I go too far and "steel plate" the coin?

 

[spoon]

only thing ive seen that looks vaguely like yours is an egyption pound ah1393-1973, could be, maybe, probably not, nah
https://www.ebay.com/p/Egypt-Pound-1973-F-A-O/102043401

 

[TTKooAu]

only thing ive seen that looks vaguely like yours is an egyption pound ah1393-1973, could be, maybe, probably not, nah
https://www.ebay.com/p/Egypt-Pound-1973-F-A-O/102043401

Cheers, but 40 dia . Mine is 32 dia.

 

[Goldpick]

The solution should go real dirty, even black - shows the the electrolysis is doing its job removing all the gunk from the coin. If you are getting toning on the coin, then the anode is probably the wrong way around and you may actually be coating the coin.

 

[Rattail-1927]

A question for the educated.
Majority of online info suggests the coin connects to the negative. Also suggests that in the absence of a multimeter, when the alligator clips are immersed in the solution, the negative should fizz. Well I get what I would call "fizzing" from one clip, and larger bubbling from the other clip. Is this bubbling normal for the positive?
I tried the coin on both clips. One way produces a blue deposit on the "coin", the other way makes the solution go dirty fairly rapidly.
I am using a hardened steel allen key as the sacrificial anode.
Any suggestions / comments before I go too far and "steel plate" the coin?

I had the same trouble with a two Dollar coin and a 20 cent piece.... i put my device in the bin .
See mypost on comical cleaning experience

 

[Rattail-1927]

A question for the educated.
Majority of online info suggests the coin connects to the negative. Also suggests that in the absence of a multimeter, when the alligator clips are immersed in the solution, the negative should fizz. Well I get what I would call "fizzing" from one clip, and larger bubbling from the other clip. Is this bubbling normal for the positive?
I tried the coin on both clips. One way produces a blue deposit on the "coin", the other way makes the solution go dirty fairly rapidly.
I am using a hardened steel allen key as the sacrificial anode.
Any suggestions / comments before I go too far and "steel plate" the coin?

I had the same trouble with a two Dollar coin and a 20 cent piece..turned mine a copper/pink colour .. i put my device in the bin .
See mypost on comical cleaning experience

 

[TTKooAu]

A question for the educated.
Majority of online info suggests the coin connects to the negative. Also suggests that in the absence of a multimeter, when the alligator clips are immersed in the solution, the negative should fizz. Well I get what I would call "fizzing" from one clip, and larger bubbling from the other clip. Is this bubbling normal for the positive?
I tried the coin on both clips. One way produces a blue deposit on the "coin", the other way makes the solution go dirty fairly rapidly.
I am using a hardened steel allen key as the sacrificial anode.
Any suggestions / comments before I go too far and "steel plate" the coin?

I had the same trouble with a two Dollar coin and a 20 cent piece.... i put my device in the bin .
See mypost on comical cleaning experience

Cheers Rattail, yeah I read your post before :lol:
I'll keep investigating

 

[TTKooAu]

The solution should go real dirty, even black - shows the the electrolysis is doing its job removing all the gunk from the coin. If you are getting toning on the coin, then the anode is probably the wrong way around and you may actually be coating the coin.

Thanks Goldpick.
I will set it up again tomorrow and let it clean for 5 minutes and check the results / repeat.

 

[Mackka]

The symbol now looks to me to be Judean, possibly?
Mackka

 

[TTKooAu]

The symbol now looks to me to be Judean, possibly?
Mackka

I think they are just gouges, but if it is a Judean coin, I can live with that.

Either way, I have a free day on Thursday, so it is getting the full monty then, in the electrolysis bath

 

[aussiefarmer]

Waiting in anticipation
Could be as simple as a punched hole from construction but i hope its something great :Y:

 

[TTKooAu]

I read a bit more about getting rid of crud from coins, and one article about heating the coin up a bit and then quencing it struck a cord.

So I put the "coin" on my gas stove burner and warmed it up for only about 30 seconds.

Then into the bowl of water

The first piece of "shell" falls off to expose some colour

Pieces of the shell easily com off in my fingers.

and voila - a "coin"

The thickness is now approx. 0.5mm and the diameter is less than 30mm, so I am guessing it used to be a penny, back in the day.

I have put it back in olive oil, to gently remove the remaining oxidization and crud. There is zero hope of any ID, but my money is betting it was a 1930 penny, and so it shall be labeled in my collection!!!

erfect:

 

[Smoky bandit]

:lol: :lol: :lol: :lol: erfect: Looks like a 1930 penny to me me too mate.Well done layful: :beer: