cleaning indian head results

[Arisaka]

Well got this for 30 cents so I wanted to see what a nice old cleaning could do here are my results.

1st Picture Before

2nd and 3rd are first soaking

4th is last soaking

[stikes]

what did you soak it in? olive oil?

[demyansk1942]

Isn't it better to just clean it by hand and leave as is?

[NHKeith]

It looks unnatural and cleaned.

Which Method did you clean it with?

I have used the Peroxide bath on the copper ones. the older "fatty indians" don't work well with that method.

[Poftravel]

Originally Posted by demyansk1942

Isn't it better to just clean it by hand and leave as is?

Cleaning a coin will really drop the value to a collector, but on common date coins if you like the look of it cleaned then who cares. I'm a coin dealer and sell common a date IHC for less than $1 cleaned ones in average condition maybe 50 cents each.

[Arisaka]

Originally Posted by Poftravel

Cleaning a coin will really drop the value to a collector, but on common date coins if you like the look of it cleaned then who cares. I'm a coin dealer and sell common a date IHC for less than $1 cleaned ones in average condition maybe 50 cents each.

That's what I was doing I wanted to do an experiment to see if you can make an indian head look nice and shiny. Got it for 33 cents so I don't care.

[ATProGuy]

What did you soak it in?

[Arisaka]

Originally Posted by Burnt

What did you soak it in?

Salt, Vinegar, and baking soda.

Then put it in baking soda and peroxide which is what gave it the gold tone.

[NHKeith]

Originally Posted by Arisaka

Salt, Vinegar, and baking soda.

Then put it in baking soda and peroxide which is what gave it the gold tone.

So i bought a book of IH/FLYING eagles off ebay. and the photo was POOR at best, I paid 120 $ for the set of 45 indians.

all three eagles, 1859 -> 1865 were all there, and a few of the 70s were present, 1872, 1875, etc.

well when I got them they had all been soaked and treated like you did. well I brought them to a collector friends, and he said the coins, were worth copper scrap at that point. the entire top layer of the coin is taken off when you use vinegar on copper.

it was a 120 dollar lesson I learned quickly. HEY I still have the binder if someone is interested in them.

[Arisaka]

Originally Posted by NHKeith

So i bought a book of IH/FLYING eagles off ebay. and the photo was POOR at best, I paid 120 $ for the set of 45 indians.

all three eagles, 1859 -> 1865 were all there, and a few of the 70s were present, 1872, 1875, etc.

well when I got them they had all been soaked and treated like you did. well I brought them to a collector friends, and he said the coins, were worth copper scrap at that point. the entire top layer of the coin is taken off when you use vinegar on copper.

it was a 120 dollar lesson I learned quickly. HEY I still have the binder if someone is interested in them.

Payed 30 cents if it was a key date or 1800s date I wouldn't have done it.

[mhallack]

the entire top layer of the coin is taken off when you use vinegar on copper.

Now I know, thanks!! Did this to two wheaties I found, though when i first found them I knew they were pennies only because of the green patina and the size of the coins. The vinegar helped ID the year and type, but yeah, they look pitted.

[Jimzilla]

I first heat peroxide in the microwave for 1.5 minutes. Then soak the coin for about 30 minutes to see how it looks. If it looks ok, I will then use baking soda and water and rub until all of the dirt is removed. It really works well... here is one I just did.

[Ahzee]

Cleaned coins do look nice and shiny, I will not argue that, but there is something about pulling a coin out of the ground with junk all over it, brushing the dirt off and seeing in my eyes a gorgeous coin, that a cleaned coin just can't do for me. Leave them dirty IMO, a little clean is okay but not super shiny. It's been sitting in the ground for years, it is supposed to be dirty, like a Jeep

[Mozhoven]

I agree, shiny doesn't equal good - especially for older coins. Clean silver if you must, but copper should be left as-is. That patina is there for a reason - protection. Barring heavy corrosion that requires electrolysis or an olive oil soak, I would leave it be.

Nothing's sadder than an old shiny penny....

[Dig Joy]

Originally Posted by Ahzee

It's been sitting in the ground for years, it is supposed to be dirty, like a Jeep

Amen brother! I never wash the wrangler.

[Robo99]

To each their own, Arisaka, if you want to clean a coin with a grinder, go for it. They are your coins. Thanks for the results of the experiment, whether we like them or not, it is your coin and your choice.