Coin cleaning Question?

[GENE EDWARDS]

Does anyone know? I found a 1951 Half dollar with the liberty bell on the back and ole what's his face on the front in very good shape, and I want to make it shine. Can I polish it or is it worth anything and I should leave it alone? Thanks , Gene

 

[John(H)]

Does anyone know? I found a 1951 Half dollar with the liberty bell on the back and ole what's his face on the front in very good shape, and I want to make it shine. Can I polish it or is it worth anything and I should leave it alone? Thanks , Gene

..................................................Gene...........I would leave it alone! Only clean clads...............LOL..........Joe

 

[Steve from Ohio]

Soak it in soapy water for about an hour to remove any dirt. Do not rub the coin because rubbing it will scratch it. Rinse it off and then pat it dry.

What I do with silver that will not destroy the value is to take a small pan of water. Put about a teaspoon of salt in it and start to boil it. The take a strip of tin foil making a little cradle for the coin and put the coin in the tin foil cradle. Place the tin foil & coin in the water. Then take a tablespoon of baking soda in with all of that and allow to bubble up boiling the coin for several minutes.

What this does is remove the sulfur that has accumulated on the silver because silver removes sulfur from the air giving it that black or tarnished look. The tin foil will attract the sulfur and you will see the coin brighten up right in front of your eyes.

It does not destroy the value of the coin and actually brings out the grain of the silver a little according to a professional coin dealer I know.

A 1951 Franklin half circulated is worth about $10.00. An un circulated version is worth anywhere from $30 to $60. Seeing how you found yours in the ground, it's worth about $10.

Still a nice find. I've yet to find a Franklin. Lots of clad Kennedy but not one Franklin.