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Coin Tumbling Experiment (If you're anti coin cleaning don't bother.)

C

cwilk

New member
I had $39.25 in quarters ready to be tumbled so I figured what the heck. This is the before shot. I put the ones I think will still be stained afterward off to the right. I am going to tumble them for one hour with old aquarium gravel, warm water, and dishwashing liquid. The 3lb, single drum, harbor freight tumbler I am using is about 7/8 full of coins and cleaning medium. I should only be tumbling about $30 in quarters to have the weight at 3lb. After one hour I am going to dump the water, remove the bright, shiny quarters, and then refill with the same setup. I will tumble overnight and stop the machine after 11 additional hours of processing. I will then post an after photo of the coins after 12 total hours tumbling with just gravel, soap, and water. This gravel is toward the end of it's useful life.

After I hit "post message" I'm going to start the tumbler. On your mark...........................

Chris
 
:rofl: They look good enough for the coin machine already:nerd:
 
First fifty minutes. 26 coins are bright and shiny. Two might have needed another hour. I normally like to tumble for 2 hours first stage to get surface dirt off and pck out the quarters that started out basically clean but I have to go to sleep. See you in 11 hours and 10 minutes.

Chris
 
Great job cleaning those coins. :clapping:
 
40 additional coins are bright and shiny looking almost new. The rest are still stained but clean and very legible. The stack in the first 26 quarters removed. Had I used a mild acid like vinegar or lemon juice for the first process I would have had better results. You can see the orange stained coins still light orange here and there in the photo. I am going to take the coins on the left and give them another 12 hours with fresh gravels, warm water, and liquid soap while I'm at work and see if they improve.

I did not use vinegar for this experiment because I'm out. I will add this. The smell of vinegar mixed with the smell of the hard black rubber barrel is not appealing. I used lemon juice in the past but that is fairly expensive. Next time I'm going to try a little beach sand in with the gravel.

Chris

After 12 hours there is not one coin I would not feel comfortable placing back into circulation.
 
Did I miss something?

Chris

The bar I'm working at today will be featuring freshly dug and cleaned quarter dollars in their change drawer. Mention this forum and receive a free American brewed beer.
 
[quote cwilk]

After 12 hours there is not one coin I would not feel comfortable placing back into circulation.[/quote]You know me. I would be OK to put them in circulation a minute after I dug them.:rofl:
 
Here they are. 23 total hours nothing but gravel soap and water. The picture stinks but it is hard getting a decent photo at night. Best I could manage. One more time back to the tumbler for all of them although some are very bright and shiny. They are all very spendable now. The water was thick black goo after changing the gravel.

I'll try the Brillo pad next time, Bill.

Chris
 
I TRIED THE ROCKS IN THE TUMBLER I HAVE AND THE COINS CAME OUT LOOKING GREAT.. THANKS FOR THE TIP ON HOW TO CLEAN ALL THE CLAD COINS ..
 
The water was dark grey this go round. I have no doubt they'd clean up more but I'm tired of this study. Many more look practically new. The ones on the right are the worst. The are pitted and won't shine up too much more. In a week all these will be in circulation too. Find and return any coin I've tumbled for substantial reward.

Chris
 
I like the idea of steel BB's. Now the brillo pad-should it be the one with the soap in it or just plain and what effect does it have on the coins? You've sold me-they look great.
 
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