other ways to clean your copper coins

[GRAY GHOST]

hello all. iv'e been researching this topic on and off for a while now. it's always seemed to be a difficult and sticky topic, and harder yet to do it properly. honestly, i haven't found any one way to clean old copper coins to my satisfaction. electrolysis does well, especially with the lower voltage [9 volts/12 volts] plug in power packs. the higher voltage [15 volts/18 volts] packs work more quickly, but iv'e noticed a difference in the overall look of the coin. adding lemon juice seems to help too. they often come out looking too shiny or brassy looking, so i put them on the roof for a week or two, [literally] flipping them every so often. it darkens the coin, and it looks better overall. so if you ever over - clean an old copper coin, that's a good way to restore it. leave it to the elements! i read somewhere that museums in europe will boil old copper coins in water and wood ash. the mild acid in the wood ash acts as the catalyst, and the boiling part doesn't hurt the coin itself. interesting, i will try it. then you have the freeze method, also used by museums worldwide for particularly delicate hammered coins and very old coppers, as well as relics of all sorts. the coin is frozen in a cube of ice, allowed to completely thaw, rinsed off with water, then refrozen again and again until the desired result is achieved. it seems like an almost "hands off" approach, very pure and clean, and i can see where it would work. i will try that too sometime. i want to get away from the old olive oil approach, there has to be a better way! i have always wondered how the museums did it, i want us all to know their secrets! i sure would like to hear your ideas too. thanks for reading, long post i know, hh,

 

[Magicman]

Thanks for the research. I agree about the olive oil approach, has to be a better way. Thinking about buying a electrolysis, any recommendations?

 

[on-edge]

thanks gray ghost, i may try one of these other methods!

 

[Neil in West Jersey]

I will post before and after Photos later, but simply put:

1) Heat up a few inches of Hydrogen Peroxide in a microwave safe dish for about 1.5 minutes or until bubbling.

2) Remove from microwave and place coin into solution. It should fizz like an alka seltzer tablet

3) when fizzing stops coin should be clean. It may only take a few minutes or a few days to complete. Keeping the coin and solution under a heat lamp will speed the process.

4) I periodically will remove the coin and with a WET Qtip (don't waste your money on generic), wipe the dirt from the coin.

5) Repeat with FRESH solution if solution gets dirty, or if you need to heat up a fresh batch. DO NOT REHEAT SOLUTION AS THERE ARE MICROSCOPIC METAL PARTICLES IN THE DIRTY SOLUTION.

I have used this method on Lincolns, Large Cents, Buttons and the results are great! Check out the 1836 AFTER cleaning. I will have to search for the before photo.