My fast track to cleaning the coins.

[Dancer]

First off, I keep my coins (clad) separated in plastic jars of water. Quarter's & dimes together. Nickels & pennies separate to each other. Now say you get enough to clean, give the jar a few good shakes. Knocking the surface dirt off. Next put them say the Q& dimes in the bucket with soap and hot water. Don't need much water. Swish them around with something. I use an old tooth brush.
Rince, should have some clean ones already. Next splash some white vinegar in bucket along with table salt. You'll start to see them come clean before your eyes. Take out the good ones & repeat.
If you really want to dress them up , hit them with a wire brush a couple of times. Give it a try.

 

[John-Edmonton]

I separate and pre-soak mine too for a few weeks before my cleanup. I just throw them in my double barrel tumbler with no soap or additives, as the coins clean each other nicely to get the dirt off.

 

[mudpuppy]

Question, Do they all clean up in spendable form or are there a few that just stay discolored no matter what you do? What would you say the percentage is?
Mud

 

[Dancer]

Question, Do they all clean up in spendable form or are there a few that just stay discolored no matter what you do? What would you say the percentage is?
Mud

Mud, depends on how long, and the soil they were buried in. The bad ones have been lost for awhile. Depending on the crop your cleaning will result in the %. Anyway you'll be able to pick some out right away. Even with the first soap rinse. Than swirl with white vinegar & table salt till the liquids dirty. Redo until good enough for you. Like I said if you want to really put a shine on them. Hold a Q with a long nose plyers, wire, brush a couple of times , good as new. The really stubborn ones go to parking &toll roads, or whatever.

 

[madforclad]

I use the ones that wont clean up adequately in my test gardens.