Cleaning wheat pennies???

[Scaper]

Lately I've found a bunch of wheat pennies, but generally the condition of the coins is surprisingly bad. Does any one know of a way to get the "crud" off then coins without leaving them with the flat, rusty color that I get when I rub them down with a wet cloth? Thanks!

 

[PULLTABBY]

Unfortunately most Wheaties come out of the ground looking like toast. most of that is due to the fertilization and minerals in the soil......I have tried soaking them in Olive oil and tried with heated oils also. Tried the peroxide baths...Tried a torch heat treatments.Even the electrolisis... BUT non of these remedies worked.
The coin gets PITTED and won't come off once the damage has been done.
Here's some of the different levels of "CRUD" pennies I have tried to get clean to no avail...
Maybe some one else could chime in with their wonder treatment(but I doubt it)Good luck and HH

 

[Scaper]

Yep...that's what all mine look like! And, cleaning with a lot of water only makes them look worse!

 

[Circle C Digger]

When cleaning my coins I use generic brand white vinegar. I let the coins soak in the vinegar solution for about 5 minutes, sometimes longer if necessary. Then rinse them with fresh water and then let them soak in fresh water again for a while. The coins come out spotless like the day they were dropped on the ground. Caution - Be sure to clean the pennies separately from any other coin denomination. Sometimes you also need to scrub the coins a little with a tooth brush. Good luck.

Circle C Digger

 

[dewcon4414]

Digger you might want to rub you pennies lightly with baking soda as well. venigar is a corrosive and the baking soda not only cleans a little but stops the venigars corrosion. Ive cleaned them with foaming ammonia just dont leave them in too long (like over night) or coins change color.

 

[coinnut]

Hi, Cleaning any coins, no matter what metal they are made of is tricky. Remember never to clean silver coins except with running water and a very very soft tooth brush. Never use any dips, baking soda, tooth paste, etc.. on them. There value lies in them being uncleaned. As for copper coins, where they are found determines what type of cleaning method I use. The only time I don't clean a copper coin is if it has been lost in sandy soil and looks good already after the running water and tooth brush method or if it has that emerald green tough coating. For all other coppers, I use soft to medium brass brush DRY ONLY. You may have to rub hard. Don't wet it unless you have no results with it dry. The reason I use a dry brass brush is that it takes the dirt away from most of the higher parts of the coin, while leaving dirt in the pitted areas of the coin, making it look more blended and therefor appealing.If you have a bright coin you can tone it with a sulphur rub. This will darken it. Practice first on junk coins until you get the hang of it.

 

[Neil in West Jersey]

Directions for the Cleaning of Artifacts/Coins using Hydrogen PeroxideRequired items:

1 - Disposable plastic bowl

 

[diggercoins67]

I carry a bottle of water just big enough for a coin to go in.
If it is a penny that you cant Id dont rug it.
I have a rock tumberler with Blue Aqrium gravel and water in it.
Tumbule for 3o min. Thay will be as clean as you can get them and
you wont hurt them. Works for me. HH Don

 

[shead]

Interesting method.

Does this method remove green patinas from coins? I usually clean Roman coins, but the patina on Romans is vital to keep the coin protected. Often the detail is preserved in the patina and the metal underneath is a pitted slug.

One other way to clean is with distilled water soaks, the ditilled water draws out mineralization from the coin's encrusted coating, especially if it is hard dirt. It is long term, you have to change the water every few days or so and scrub with a soft nylon brush between water changings, over the weeks and sometimes months the encrustation will come off. Of course this will leave microscopic abrasions from the aggregates in the stuff you are removing, so it is best reserved for ancient stuff and moderns with no great value. It preserves patinas too if that is a goal.

I have a post on my blog about cleaning ancients that might be useful for any relics, artifacts and coins if you are interested. Link is in my sig.