Ezhno Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 Hi, I've collected coins and bills for so many years now but I've always wondered about cleaning. Most of the information I've found is thoroughly against cleaning any coin of any kind. Outside of removing dirt, is it ever a good idea to clean any coins at all? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bill Posted February 13, 2013 Report Share Posted February 13, 2013 I think most of us here would say no. There are times when coins need to be "conserved," but that is a task best left to those who know what they are doing. I can relate the experience of a friend who sometimes cleans dirty pieces with MS-70, basically a coin "soap." Most of the time it works fine, but sometimes he damages or destroys an attractive piece when he thought the action would be perfectly safe. In general, its a really bad idea. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drusus Posted February 14, 2013 Report Share Posted February 14, 2013 that is a task best left to those who know what they are doing. Or you could learn how to do it, thus you will know what you are doing. I would say when it comes to cleaning...in most cases the less you do the better but there are those times when you have an outstanding coin but its filthy...I have had some come to me in GREAT shape save for crusted layers of years of filth (one had been sitting in an ash tray for about 20 years)....a little TLC and you would never know it but that was after A LOT of due diligence. While some minor things you can do on all coins (a nice soak in distilled water)...when it comes to anything stronger, it matters the metal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezhno Posted February 15, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 Thanks, I was thinking that water, if nothing else, would be good just to remove unseen dirt from coins in general. I'll try that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Drusus Posted February 15, 2013 Report Share Posted February 15, 2013 Make sure its distilled water.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ezhno Posted February 16, 2013 Author Report Share Posted February 16, 2013 Make sure its distilled water.... Well it'd be kind of pointless not to use that. I don't even want to know how normal water would affect the coins I have. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just carl Posted March 16, 2013 Report Share Posted March 16, 2013 Possibly the best thing is if you don't know how, leave them alone. Cleaning coins is something for a professional that would not really clean one but sort of take off excess dirt without damaging the coins. Much of the STUFF on coins if from a chemical reaction with the metal and removing that STUFF, also takes away some of the metal. If you ever watch the TV show called the Antique Road Show you would hear professionals all the time saying "If you hadn't cleaned this, it would have been worth many, many times more in value" Think of it as would you wash one of the Mummies from the old Egypian Piramids? Would you Sand blast the Mona Liza Painting? Old things should be as much as the way they were. Many people suggest if you really, really have to attempt to clean a coin, use Acetone, they distilled water and blow dry with a hair dryer. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
qsera Posted April 17, 2013 Report Share Posted April 17, 2013 I read in a magazine that cleaning old coins with lemon juice and a soft cloth would be helpful to remove the dirt. Don't know if this would keep the collection safe, but thought of sharing it here to get different views from the experts. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambooski Posted April 17, 2013 Report Share Posted April 17, 2013 No! One of my earliest memories is cleaning my favorite shiny penny with that and taking it out. It was blackened. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazinta Posted April 17, 2013 Report Share Posted April 17, 2013 Don't clean at all, especially if it is a valuable coin. When I was little I would clean cents with soap and water, and even ketchup, but it didn't do anything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazinta Posted April 17, 2013 Report Share Posted April 17, 2013 In a similar topic, what do you guys think about those specialized silver coin cleaners? Once I tried a specialized silver claner and the coins were ok, but not super clean. I tried also a basic silver cleaner of my uncle on a cheap silver coin and it did clean, but it became a little yellow. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bambooski Posted April 19, 2013 Report Share Posted April 19, 2013 Don't clean at all, especially if it is a valuable coin. When I was little I would clean cents with soap and water, and even ketchup, but it didn't do anything. Yeah, I've cleaned with ketchup, hot sauce, lemon juice, toothpaste... *sigh* Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jazinta Posted April 19, 2013 Report Share Posted April 19, 2013 Yes, nothing works. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Circus Posted April 20, 2013 Report Share Posted April 20, 2013 six of the adhesive stack of Ikes,got em for $3.00 bucks. so no matter what I do to them I'm still a head in the spendable dept. Soaking in the acetone bath, I use a cat food tin with the safety type lid remover lid. An hour nothing, 12 hrs some, 24 most of the heavy crud,36 hours and a vigorous scrub with a paper towel. This is what I got crud removed, staining in the basic shape of the adhesive left behind. One had initials scratched under Ikes chin. I use a cheap pair of plastic type tweezers, as long as you don't leave them soaking in the acetone. I wipe them off after removing the coin. They should last a long time. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
just carl Posted April 20, 2013 Report Share Posted April 20, 2013 As to using Lemon Juice, Tomato Juice, Jewlery cleaners, toothpaste, etc. Also, some use toothbrushes, toothpicks, other pointed objects. Just don't. The main reason to not attempt the usage of any type of STUFF is what your doing. In most instances the thing on coins that makes them look dirty is in fact the remants of a chemical reaction with things like Oxygen, Flourine, Chlorine, etc. Once the metal of a coin has combined with another substance, it is now part of the coin. Removing that now substance on a coin, removes part of the coin. In many instances it leaves pot marks, depressions, less metal from the original coin. All such reactions decreases the value of the coin. For instance that Brownish color on older Copper coins is basically the combination of Oxygen and/or Carbon Dioxide in the air with the Copper. Removing that to make the coin shine also removes some of the metal. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Circus Posted April 23, 2013 Report Share Posted April 23, 2013 Along the lines of what you should do and not do in cleaning coins. While placing an order for some storage boxes, so to make maxium use of space. I came across this booklet in their web catalog. Granted the first thing is it is describing their products,for cleaning of coins. They had some interesting info, along with what probably some that continues to give the lemon juice/powder and the "magic agent" (Baking Soda) life in the collectors circles. Probably for new people that buy this 6 pages booklet .50¢ It also describes using their version of the ultra sonic ceaning machine. It was more informative for what not to do to the coins. I am in no way endorsing the methods or products in this booklet Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rsraghead Posted May 10, 2013 Report Share Posted May 10, 2013 I use chemical electrosis to clean some. I use a 12v charger and table salt in water. It cleans everything from copper, brass, to silver Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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