What should I with this?

[Buddie11]

Found this with metal detector,not sure if it is a coin. My thinking is a tab from junction box? My question is how to clean this without damaging whatever is under all the crap!

[bigwull]

hit it with a hammer....whatever,s underneath has already been damaged...and a whack wi a hammer...is,nt going to make it any worse.....

[Buddie11]

That's a little extreme bigwull:)

[mart]

He is right !! Won`t hurt it anymore than it already is !! Looks to be some rust on it,,if so it isn`t likely a coin !! I have not seen a buried coin look like that !!

[Rauville]

Try a magnet on it. If it's magnetic...probably not anything of value. (Or maybe, it could be something left by interplanetary travelers. )

[KC]

You never know~  But agree on the hammer bit.  It would be safer than an acid!

[talesofthesevenseas]

You may (or may not!) have a coin there. I've seen some ancient Roman coins with heavy corrosion like that can clean up well enough for identification. (That's a fun activity to do with kids by the way!) My mom picked up a coin like that on the beach and gave it to me, it turned out just to be a penny from the 1980s. So where it has been can affect the development of heavy corrosion. Here is a page with instructions for cleaning ancient coins that will apply to yours no matter what the age. Let us know what you find! http://www.romancoins.net/cleaning.htm

[bigwull]

You may (or may not!) have a coin there. I've seen some ancient Roman coins with heavy corrosion like that can clean up well enough for identification. (That's a fun activity to do with kids by the way!) My mom picked up a coin like that on the beach and gave it to me, it turned out just to be a penny from the 1980s. So where it has been can affect the development of heavy corrosion. Here is a page with instructions for cleaning ancient coins that will apply to yours no matter what the age. Let us know what you find! http://www.romancoins.net/cleaning.htm

Roman??.....They were good....but not that good.......No chance of them getting over to your side... ...if in doubt whack it...that crud will fall off....

[mart]

That's a little extreme bigwull:)

Not really if its laying flat on a hard surface !!  Will loosen the crud so you can lift it off !! You don`t hit it with that much muscle !! You lightly tap it  !!