coin cleaning

[cobb741]

I'm wondering if anybody could give some advice on cleaning coins the proper way. I saw a video on youtube using a tumbler to clean coins but that didn't seem like a good idea on old coins but ok for clad. I see those beautiful coins you guys post- HOW DO YOU DO IT?

 

[marxionu]

http://metaldetectingworld.com/cleaning_preservation_coin.shtml

 

[The Fog]

Never clean a coin until you know what it is, and what it is potentially worth. I have a tumbler but only use it for clad.

The first thing I do is make a determination if its a valuable coin I plan on selling someday or just a coin I want for my collection. If it's one I plan on selling then just mild soap and water.

For coins I plan on keeping such as large cents and old coppers - first I rinse in soap and water and use a soft toothbrush to get the dirt off. Then I soak them in Hydrogen peroxide for a day, I change the solution a few times. After the peroxide bath I gently scrape the now dried crud off the coin surface with a toothpick, be careful,and take your time. Then I cover the coin in petroleum jelly and work it in and let it sit for a day. Lastly with a soft cloth I rub off the petroleum jelly which usually removes the last of any dirt.

For old silvers I just use mild soap and water, if it's a barber, mercury, rosie or seated with mintage in the millions (ones that aren't worth much.) I use a soft toothbrush with dishsoap, then wet the coin and dip it in baking soda, work the baking soda in with your thumbs and that coin will shine like a mirror.

The pics below show a large cent as it looked out of the ground, and then how it looks after the soap and water, soft toothbrush, peroxide, toothpick, and vaseline cleaning method. This is just a method of cleaning my buddy and I use, I'm sure there are many that would disagree with it, but to each his own.

 

[cobb741]

Thanks fog that looks really good and i'll be trying it out pretty soon . Let you know how it works for me. I'm going to check out the other option also thanks Vince.

 

[marxionu]

Cant add url here send you PM

 

[zeekeys]

Vince most of the coins you will find are going to modern and worth face value. Lots of zink pennies are to thrown away because they are in such bad shape. Some of the guys bring their finds to the coin machines and throw them into the machine. I don't like that idea because I am now getting really bad looking coins in my change back at stores. Another reason why I don't like that is because the machine gets 8,9 or 10 cents of my finds on the dollar. If these guys keep doing this I know the banks will start charging me to count my coins.
I am under the weather today and tumbling some of the nearly 600 coins I have found this summer. Vince get yourself a rock tumbler some fish tank gravel and clean your coins. Not the old ones but the modern ones. I use the one from Harbor Freight and been using it for 3 years and have tumbled 1000's of coins. Just don't over load it. It does a good job at cleaning coins.
Thanks for reading.....Z

 

[cobb741]

That sounds like good advice, thanks Z . Vince