Dont clean old coins????????

[huntzman]

hey all i have these coins i found. lots of pennies and one and two cent pieces even two florins and a sixpence they are still in the condition i found them dirty and its hard to read the dates? im not to worried about the bunch of one and two cent pieces piled up below but id like to be able to look at the penny designs a bit better any suggestions would be great thanks. p.s are these old penny's actually worth anything?

[ambivolent]

All the pennies I have pulled from the ground have not been in great shape with the exception of a couple I usually let them soak in a cup with water and a little dish soap and one by one brush them off with a soft toothbrush I'm still experimenting with the peroxide but haven't mastered it yet and have used the aluminum foil, bakingsoda and water method on silver coins with great success.

[Nic_West_Texas]

Look em up on the internet.. if they are worth something, don't clean them. If they aren't worth much.. have at it. There are plenty of places to find coin values on the internet. But if your not ever going to sell em.. might as well clean em up, so they make you happy looking at them.

[RyanChappell]

You have done well, not to rub the coin to get the date. If they are worth something wrap them in cotton so that the dirt does not get rubbed in, and other coins do not scratch it. Clean only by the stream of water hitting the coin in the sink, while carefully holding it. Do not rub the coin. Soak it in a cup of water for a few hours, repeat the stream of water. Then get the coin looked at. Think of the dirt and corrosion as a badge of honor warn by the coin, but if you want it graded you must balance any cleaning with the risk that scratches and dirt, will cost you getting a numeric grade, a catch 22, so get advice, before actually doing anything else.

Maybe just leave it dirty and let technology catch up with it.

[Gauntlet]

Best thing to do is nothing, until you can identify them, and see if they have any value. Bottom line is, they're your coins, and you can do whatever you like with, or to them.

[RyanChappell]

Originally Posted by Gauntlet

Best thing to do is nothing, until you can identify them, and see if they have any value. Bottom line is, they're your coins, and you can do whatever you like with, or to them.

Yeah just do what you want to that 1916 D or VDB S. Take steel wool and a wire brush to them. They are your coins anyway!

[Gauntlet]

Originally Posted by RyanChappell

Yeah just do what you want to that 1916 D or VDB S. Take steel wool and a wire brush to them. They are your coins anyway!

What's your point? Are you telling me I can't do whatever I wish with my own finds?

[allank]

he is saying if one of your coins is the ones he mentioned you would be destroying a coin worth something.

[kingman mikey]

I clean my coins for display.They didn't leave the mint with dirt & crud all over
them,they left in shiny & new condition ! If your'e careful & know what you're
doing it's not a problem. Whats the point in having a coin if you can't look at
it. And that goes for pendants, rings & relics, etc.

[Hotrod Tom]

I don't know anything about Tasmanian coins but try to look up the coins you think may be worth money before you do anything to them.If they are not worth much clean and enjoy them but if one happens to be a valuable coin,cleaning it may do more harm then good.Ultimately you can do what you want with your finds but I am sure you would not be happy if you found a $200.00 coin that you made worth $20.00 by "cleaning" it.HH!

[Gauntlet]

Originally Posted by allank

he is saying if one of your coins is the ones he mentioned you would be destroying a coin worth something.

Which was why my initial post stated:

Originally Posted by Gauntlet

Best thing to do is nothing, until you can identify them, and see if they have any value. Bottom line is, they're your coins, and you can do whatever you like with, or to them.