As detectorists in the modern age, we are faced with one challenge that those before us didn't have to deal with: What to do with the dark and grubby clad coins we find?
In the past, coins were bronze alloys or 90% silver. These "noble metals" fare pretty well when buried in the earth and come back from it much as they were when they entered it's embrace.
But today's coins are an amalgam of easily corroded zinc, thin copper washes and cupronickle sandwiches. These "clads," well, don't do so well when exposed to the moisture and chemicals found in all soils. They darken and turn near black from this exposure and in the case of the lowly cent, nearly corrode away to nothing in a short time of being buried.
So we are left with the choice of what to do with these "ugly ducklings". There are two schools of thought when it comes to modern coins...
1. Clean them up by tumble polishing them before spending or cashing them in.
2. Dig 'em up and just use them, as is.
The debate between these two camps can be heated, each side with it's own ideas. I used to be a 'dig and spend' type, little caring what they looked like, or what people thought of them. I'd heard of the Tumble Crowd, but for years I thought it was a waste of time. But, there remained a nagging curiosity. Just what WAS this tumbing business all about?
In the interests of science, I eventually gave in and got a cheap rock tumbler off ebay. Here's how the process works for those who dont know anything about it.
[attachment 85462 DSCF0026.JPG]
These are the raw materials. First there is the tumbler, canister and the stuff that goes with them. Mine is a single canister type; they make doubles and even larger if you want them. Mine cost me $11 on ebay. You also need some sort of cleanser, in this case good old Mr. Clean. Finally, a sifter and a large bowl will come in very handy after the coins are clean.
Inside the canister is this stuff, the heart of the job:
[attachment 85463 DSCF0027.JPG]
This is just common aquarium gravel, the kind that costs a few bucks a bag. You re-use it over and over and one bag will last a decade or more, I'm certain. I've been using the same gravel for a loooong time now.
To use this thing, fill the canister about 1/3 to 1/2 full of gravel and add enough coins to bring it to about 3/4 full, altogether. You must leave some room for the tumbling to occur, so dont fill it completely. Then add an ounce of cleaner and plain tap water to cover the mix. You can also add a large chunk of steel wool cleaning pad, to help with the polishing. Then you put on the lid on, sealing the canister, then load it into the tumbler unit. Here's how it looks ready to go. Are you ready to ruuuuumble??
[attachment 85464 DSCF0020.JPG]
Now just turn on the tumbler and go away ~ for hours. Head out detecting or to WalMart or over to the inlaws; whatever you want. No sense hanging around watching the tumbler; thats about as useful as watching paint dry. Seriously, It can take 12 hours or more for nickles, dimes and quarters to come completely clean, not quite so long for cents. Nevertheless, it takes a long time, so just let it happen and go do something else.
Stop the tumbler after about 6 hours and have a look; keep checking on them until they are clean and shiny enough to pass muster.
Once they are to your liking, the "payoff" is next.
But first, you have to get the coins separated from the gravel. For this, I use a common beach sand sifter. I've also used decorative metal baskets from the thrift store. Anything that will let the gravel through - but not the coins - will work just fine. Okay you have a sifter, so now just dump the coin and gravel mix into it, like this:
[attachment 85465 DSCF0023.JPG]
And then shake all the gravel out.
[attachment 85466 DSCF0024.JPG]
I do this in a large bowl full of water, which rinses the coins clean of the slurry muck created by the tumbling. The gravel will sink and settle in the bowl.
Finally, just dump the clean coins out to dry and, voila! Clean shiny coins ready to roll or spend
[attachment 85467 DSCF0025.JPG]
NOTE: Dont tumble cents with other coins or they will turn a copper color. And dont tumble clean any silver coins - this ruins any value they may have.
I started tumbling coins "just to see what it was all about." I wanted to see if I liked it or not. Well, I DO. It is both interesting and engaging, adding yet another facet to this hobby. I actually want coin quantity now, just so I can run the tumbler!
Give it a try yourself. I think you'll enjoy it.
In the past, coins were bronze alloys or 90% silver. These "noble metals" fare pretty well when buried in the earth and come back from it much as they were when they entered it's embrace.
But today's coins are an amalgam of easily corroded zinc, thin copper washes and cupronickle sandwiches. These "clads," well, don't do so well when exposed to the moisture and chemicals found in all soils. They darken and turn near black from this exposure and in the case of the lowly cent, nearly corrode away to nothing in a short time of being buried.
So we are left with the choice of what to do with these "ugly ducklings". There are two schools of thought when it comes to modern coins...
1. Clean them up by tumble polishing them before spending or cashing them in.
2. Dig 'em up and just use them, as is.
The debate between these two camps can be heated, each side with it's own ideas. I used to be a 'dig and spend' type, little caring what they looked like, or what people thought of them. I'd heard of the Tumble Crowd, but for years I thought it was a waste of time. But, there remained a nagging curiosity. Just what WAS this tumbing business all about?
In the interests of science, I eventually gave in and got a cheap rock tumbler off ebay. Here's how the process works for those who dont know anything about it.
[attachment 85462 DSCF0026.JPG]
These are the raw materials. First there is the tumbler, canister and the stuff that goes with them. Mine is a single canister type; they make doubles and even larger if you want them. Mine cost me $11 on ebay. You also need some sort of cleanser, in this case good old Mr. Clean. Finally, a sifter and a large bowl will come in very handy after the coins are clean.
Inside the canister is this stuff, the heart of the job:
[attachment 85463 DSCF0027.JPG]
This is just common aquarium gravel, the kind that costs a few bucks a bag. You re-use it over and over and one bag will last a decade or more, I'm certain. I've been using the same gravel for a loooong time now.
To use this thing, fill the canister about 1/3 to 1/2 full of gravel and add enough coins to bring it to about 3/4 full, altogether. You must leave some room for the tumbling to occur, so dont fill it completely. Then add an ounce of cleaner and plain tap water to cover the mix. You can also add a large chunk of steel wool cleaning pad, to help with the polishing. Then you put on the lid on, sealing the canister, then load it into the tumbler unit. Here's how it looks ready to go. Are you ready to ruuuuumble??
[attachment 85464 DSCF0020.JPG]
Now just turn on the tumbler and go away ~ for hours. Head out detecting or to WalMart or over to the inlaws; whatever you want. No sense hanging around watching the tumbler; thats about as useful as watching paint dry. Seriously, It can take 12 hours or more for nickles, dimes and quarters to come completely clean, not quite so long for cents. Nevertheless, it takes a long time, so just let it happen and go do something else.
Stop the tumbler after about 6 hours and have a look; keep checking on them until they are clean and shiny enough to pass muster.
Once they are to your liking, the "payoff" is next.
But first, you have to get the coins separated from the gravel. For this, I use a common beach sand sifter. I've also used decorative metal baskets from the thrift store. Anything that will let the gravel through - but not the coins - will work just fine. Okay you have a sifter, so now just dump the coin and gravel mix into it, like this:
[attachment 85465 DSCF0023.JPG]
And then shake all the gravel out.
[attachment 85466 DSCF0024.JPG]
I do this in a large bowl full of water, which rinses the coins clean of the slurry muck created by the tumbling. The gravel will sink and settle in the bowl.
Finally, just dump the clean coins out to dry and, voila! Clean shiny coins ready to roll or spend
[attachment 85467 DSCF0025.JPG]
NOTE: Dont tumble cents with other coins or they will turn a copper color. And dont tumble clean any silver coins - this ruins any value they may have.
I started tumbling coins "just to see what it was all about." I wanted to see if I liked it or not. Well, I DO. It is both interesting and engaging, adding yet another facet to this hobby. I actually want coin quantity now, just so I can run the tumbler!
Give it a try yourself. I think you'll enjoy it.
Just kiddin' around sir.. I also tumble. I did put all my coin together one time. (I said one time,) them quarters, cut chunks out of them pennies.
time.