Rusty 1943 Steel Wheat Penny Cleaned - Amazing Results!

Found a 1943 Steel Wheat Penny while out metal detecting. When I found it, it was just a rusty, crusty clump. There is no way I would have expected to get any detail off of it...but just watch!
I explain my methods, and show you the results with a macro lens.

[@BeamDigger]

Lot's of people don't realize a few things, so just to clarify about this video: 1. I dug this penny when I was metal detecting 2. This penny is NOT copper, it is a steel penny made during WW2 3. Being that it is steel, it has rusted, so cleaning it doesn't damage the coin 4. I didn't clean it to get rich. I cleaned it because it was a rusty blob of nothing, and I thought it'd be cool to try to expose some detail. 5. I'm not a professional KZbinr. I don't do jump cuts. I don't script my dialogue. I don't do montages with catchy, bubly royalty-free music.

[@gardner4hire118]

I am so sorry thatn you had enough bs that you had to leave this response. thanks for sharing this🥰

[@deepdiggerduo2920]

Wow, That was amazing. I never would have thought that it would still have that much detail. Great job Nate. Thanks for sharing!

[@malyman24]

Great job on the electrolysis. I just saved a couple of iron buckles with (5) three hour treatments, got items back to iron then coated with rustoleium rust reformer. totally functional now.

[@indychief78]

killer find, nice job happy huntin

[@nickhaas2407]

Great job on the cleanup! The best way to get a dug one that looks good is to dig it out of an old barn!

[@toddreed5630]

Nice results Nate however I've been told NOT to use stainless steel as your anoid because it releases toxic fumes during the electrolysis process , you might want to look into that congrats on your finds and happy hunting to you.

[@jasonharris3557]

Wow that worked wonderful!

[@justadude420]

You literally just said you dont know what your doing , but your making an instructional video on it.

[@BeamDigger]

But how 'bout the results!

[@islamicshinobi366]

This wasn't instructional. He was just recording himself cleaning it, don't be salty please.

[@luci.1140]

And lol

[@user-lv5lu1js4r]

Honestly this was pretty cool, I enjoyed watching it😄👏👏

[@BeamDigger]

Thanks! Lot's of haters out there, nice to have a positive comment.

[@dirkayala5812]

I been chompin at the bit to get back into cleaning this way, just been waiting for good deal on another Battery Charger. I've got 4-Horsehoes,( all different sizes now), waitin on me...its Fun! Nice Job BeamDigger!...

[@northwoodsdiscovery6962]

I can't wait to try this

[@larrystephens7437]

One suggestion would be to use Washing Soda instead of baking soda. One Tablespoon to a gallon of water. Stainless steel is fine to use as the Anode ( Positive ) Negative alway goes to the part you are cleaning. With steel I think you could leave it in there for days without any damage. I run a 20 gallon Etank and and have ran it 12 volts at 10 amps for several days on really rusty large items. Works great for cleaning crud and rust off of cast iron pans as well. If you plan to go with a 12 volt battery charger make sure it's manual not an automatic. Also never use a brass brush because it can leave brass on the item you are cleaning. Use a stainless steel brush. All in all it turned out great. Thanks for sharing the science experiment.!

[@roberthamlet7524]

Great find and great job with your electrolysis dude

[@BeamDigger]

Thanks! It's nice to have someone who understands what this video is about!

[@maddmaxx992]

I have two of these. Im going to try this method

[@HighGradeTexan]

I have over 200 1943s penny's I just soaked them in sewing machine oil. They are coming clean just fine. I cleaned the container and washed everything with alcohol between oil soaks. The luster even came back

[@j.w.sayles674]

Nice Job Nate, I was about to ramp up my amps thinking more was better but I hear you more is worse. GL/HH River City Diggers

[@LazarianV]

awesome job with the home electrolysis though, it looks great.

[@chrismoenmagnetfishing4404]

nice steel penny u found nate

[@jakepennyii2814]

Very rare for one to be still legible if it has been in the ground 60+ years, all mine I have found were found amongst other wheat pennies and they were all so badly pitted up and cratered it could only be recognized by comparing it with an uncorroded one and looking for faint details in the pitting which hurts your eyes. They were also two pennies thick in rust. It is likely this one was a rather recent drop that some kid in the 80's or 90's stole from his dads collection or something.

[@rogerbranch8837]

Wow that's awesome

[@LazarianV]

also, I made a separate channel for my coin roll hunting and metal detecting adventures, I'll be posting an update later this week, probably on Friday with the update on the found 'gold/silver' chain segment.

[@PrincessYonna1]

Simply place the rusty coin in a bowl of hot sauce over night . My grandma told me to do this and it actually worked!!!

[@outlawjjsmith]

Thanks Digger

[@LazarianV]

I usually ask codys lab, or the backyard scientist whenever I'm unsure of my processes.

[@consumedbyai]

Omg 6:00 in this torture listening to you explain it but not showing us a goddamn thing lol

[@christinahyde8582]

I was told you should never ever clean our coins.

[@BeamDigger]

@@christinahyde8582 If I didn't clean it, you wouldn't even know it was a coin.

[@BeamDigger]

I know. I suck. But come one...look at those results!

[@mrmarmellow563]

Would hav beena GREAT too see you in YA PJ'S Checking Out the COIN! SIR

[@DiggingCanuck]

What's the biggest item you would do with that set up ??

[@BeamDigger]

+Digging Canuck I've done a padlock. Probably wouldn't do a horse shoe or larger.

[@DiggingCanuck]

I'm a little intimidated by electrolysis, but I think your scale of operation is doable for starters :-) Thank you !!

[@vorkev1]

was it worth the energy cost tho . i unerstand the fun of a project but i would have tossed it in the trash. its cheaper to buy a new penie

[@Krixotronick]

I have what i belive is a dinar (cant be sure if it is because of the rust) which was the currency of SFR Yugoslavia and its date is 1936.

[@abrahimabumalouh7012]

I had an ottoman bullet cartridge

[@LIVINGRETIRED310]

positive goes to your sacrificial metal. Neg goes to the relic or coin. You are lucky there is anything left of the coin. Also dont use baking soda. Use Armor & hammer Washing Soda in distilled water preferred. I have used tap with same results .Never let the relic ever ever touch the positive anode or it become sacrificial metal as well.

[@nugget1943]

1943 pennies are worth a lot and are super rare

[@jhonmichaelmondejar2068]

Sana b AQ pupunta para ibinta q ang mga kuma pera namin.

[@99696]

I have one those

[@You_got_me_screaming_for_you]

I'm amazed I have to try it, I admit it kinda seems like a bit of work but it's so worth it it after. Amazing job I've tryed viniger and salt for my pennies, and I found this pennies out side and it was completely cover with some gray hard stuff it wasent sument or rust idk what it was but I pit the penny in the bowl of viniger and salt I took it out and wiped every 30 mons and after a whole day I started to notice the penny started to turn black and then I seen that there were starting to form small holes like it was desolving... so I was like ya no and I threw it out lol I just don't no what went wrong

[@parrotsandmore7446]

Steel Pennie’s clean well in Lemon juice and water!

[@You_got_me_screaming_for_you]

@@parrotsandmore7446 thanks for so tips!

[@archangel20031]

It's supposed to be washing soda, and there is a huge difference.

[@BeamDigger]

Duly noted.

[@anthonywilliamson2080]

The electrolysis pitted and destroyed the coin.. Next time soak it in olive oil then rubb it

[@trippyxdog940]

Best part 99:23:09

[@BeamDigger]

Actually, the best part is at 4,8,15,16,23,42

[@ruggerdigger]

i think you cromed plated the penny from the crome on the clip.which is very cool.😎

[@PatientPluto]

rugger digger what do you mean chrome plated ?

[@ruggerdigger]

The chrome from the aligator clip electroplated on to the penny

[@ruggerdigger]

You chrome plated that coin

[@PatientPluto]

rugger digger to make it get that color?

[@ruggerdigger]

Yes the chrome came off of the clip and fused to the coin

[@francismarcoux8944]

I think you plated your coin

[@francismarcoux8944]

There must gave been thin on the spoon

[@silvershelbygt5006]

Way to take a 3 minvideo and turn it in to a 10 min video with a bunch of stuttering.

[@BeamDigger]

But how 'bout the results!

[@justadude420]

The coin is worth 50 cents at best... This was pointless . just throw it away... Im reporting this channel for wasting my time.

[@TheDoReMiFaSolLaTiDo]

shane womeldorff it’s with 0 I got a better looking steel penny for 25 cents

[@Voltechs]

LOL. Yea, and exacerbated by the OP asking _us_ to go back to the beginning of the video to look at the coin again to compare 7:17. So much for editing, on so many levels. Cool results though!

[@BeamDigger]

@@justadude420 So you're saying I didn't make the Top Ten of Anything?

[@mxstwantedhaze8781]

Lemme see you cleaning a 1$ bill

[@hellomcflyy]

I would have used oxalic acid....

[@nickhaas2407]

Are you talking about using oxalic acid instead of the CLR at the end, or in the electrolysis solution itself? Can you still buy that ZUD cleaner (used to have a pretty good concentration of oxalic acid in it)?

[@hellomcflyy]

well - I usually use it on old beer cans/tins I find in bottle dumps - but - Im just wondering if it would have cleaned the penny up with less pitting than this method (probably not...but who knows) - I just use the straight oxalic crystal which is easy to find on say...Amazon - though you can also find it in some hardware stores as "wood bleach" - I wouldn't use CLR or ZUD or any of those - - the cool thing about using it with tins (or old toys....license plates -etc) - it takes the rust off- but doesn't mess with the paint - Ive dug things that were TOTALLY brown and had them clean up real nice...

[@BeamDigger]

You think I'm a chemist or something?

[@thatsveryverysweetofyou9023]

Dude, I watched this at a playback speed of 2, and it's still slow. Is it me?

[@BeamDigger]

No, it's not you. This guy is horrible.

[@typeviic1]

All that time and effort to reveal environmental damage. Cheers!

[@BeamDigger]

Ah, but reveal it I did!

[@bobperez4001]

😑

[@suetaylor1127]

thats not so amazing

[@BeamDigger]

Yeah...you're probably right.