Here are two recent finds from my local park. The coins are an 1879 florin and an 1896 half crown-English coins used in Australia. The ground is very mineralised and the silver has tarnished and become very grey. Ive tried soaking in distilled water and lemon juice, though am reluctant to use anything stronger with the fear of taking any value off the coin (though I know they are not worth much). Most serious coin collectors advocate the less cleaning the better. Any suggestions?
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Cleaning Victorian silver?
- Thread starter Hoover
- Start date
Hoover
Well done indeed !
That is a Gothic flroin (another name is Godless Florin) I think and its in great condition
It could be worth up to $150 AUD
The half crown is also a fantastic find
Be sure that you want it cleaned b4 you go ahead. ( I clean my old silvers as I prefer them that way, I collect them and dont sell them )
A gentle way is bi carb soda, make a paste by adding water and rub it over the coin and leave it for a while.use a cotton bud around the lettering and hard to get in spots.
Finish off with a rub over using dry bicarb soda. ( bicarb soda is a kitchen baking powder, most kitchens have some)
For stubborn silver staining u could try CLR soak 30mins and rinse / repeat as needed.
Lovely coins ...what state do you live in ?
T59
Well done indeed !
That is a Gothic flroin (another name is Godless Florin) I think and its in great condition
It could be worth up to $150 AUD
The half crown is also a fantastic find
Be sure that you want it cleaned b4 you go ahead. ( I clean my old silvers as I prefer them that way, I collect them and dont sell them )
A gentle way is bi carb soda, make a paste by adding water and rub it over the coin and leave it for a while.use a cotton bud around the lettering and hard to get in spots.
Finish off with a rub over using dry bicarb soda. ( bicarb soda is a kitchen baking powder, most kitchens have some)
For stubborn silver staining u could try CLR soak 30mins and rinse / repeat as needed.
Lovely coins ...what state do you live in ?
T59
yeah everything that terra1959 wrote.... The CLR and bicarb trick brings them up like new! Again a word of caution - it may look good but it will devalue the coin. Do that only if you yourself want to enjoy the coin and its fine details.
I dug up a George VI halfpenny a couple of weeks ago. Not a particularly rare mintage and I couldn't clean it with a toothbrush and other methods so guess what - I got a fine sandpaper
and sanded and sanded until I can actually see what coin it is! yeah it's shiny and yeah the high points have been rubbed smooth but it's mine and I love it the way it is now 
I dug up a George VI halfpenny a couple of weeks ago. Not a particularly rare mintage and I couldn't clean it with a toothbrush and other methods so guess what - I got a fine sandpaper
and sanded and sanded until I can actually see what coin it is! yeah it's shiny and yeah the high points have been rubbed smooth but it's mine and I love it the way it is now Thanks for the advice guys!
Ive also found a few of the more common threepence's that are in the same condition, so I will probably experiment with them before deciding what to do with the larger coins. I live on the coast in NSW and these were in a park that is
right next to the Pacific Ocean. I dont know if its possible for salt to leach into the soil or if the ground is just mineralised, as most of the copper coins Ive been finding are usually corroded. Ive only been detecting parks this year since the end of last summer and
its almost time to head back to the beach. Ive also found some very interesting relics that I will post later.
Hoover
Ive also found a few of the more common threepence's that are in the same condition, so I will probably experiment with them before deciding what to do with the larger coins. I live on the coast in NSW and these were in a park that is
right next to the Pacific Ocean. I dont know if its possible for salt to leach into the soil or if the ground is just mineralised, as most of the copper coins Ive been finding are usually corroded. Ive only been detecting parks this year since the end of last summer and
its almost time to head back to the beach. Ive also found some very interesting relics that I will post later.
Hoover