DiggerMD
Elite Member
I hear folks on here saying never clean silver, then I just saw a post where they say collectors can tell it was dug. Is the dirt a badge of honor thing or is there a reason you wouldn't want to clean them?
Why so dirty
- Thread starter DiggerMD
- Start date
T-Man
Elite Member
The main reason not to clean them is you don't want to ruin the patina on the coins or scratch them. If it's the right coin it could be the difference between a $1,500 coin and a $15 coin. That being said if I dig a common Merc or Barber out of the ground that may be worth $2 and it looks like trash I'll clean the heck out of it to make it to my likings. I always try to verfiy it's not anything potentially valuable I'd be kicking myself over first, but so far not found anything worth enough to buy me more then a value meal or 2 at Micky D's anyway. Note this is just my opinion and a collector would probably have me tarred and feathered for saying it.
Jamflicker
Elite Member
I clean my common silver. Once it is dug, it is pretty much worth melt value so I prefer it shiny. I think you should do whatever you prefer or enjoy.
DiggerMD
Elite Member
Kind of what I was thinking. I read a website that said most collectors really don't want a dug coin, even if it has been cleaned, so the coins that we dig are pretty much ours for us to enjoy. I could understand if it had an unusual patina and I can understand the draw on certain coins. A first or something like that I wouldn't polish but that's just my opinion. Thanks I was just curious.
I often do rub dirt off a fresh dug coin, but as noted that alone damages a coin, I usually wait until get home to check the coin date with a coin book before a real clean up.
As a coin buyer I pass on any cleaned coins, unless for scrap metal investment, but if it's your coin does not matter except to you.
Only on a few coins did checking at home first pay off. Surface condition and mintage sometimes variety is a key to coin value as investments.
Some buyers pay extra for toned or rainbow surface coins.
As a coin buyer I pass on any cleaned coins, unless for scrap metal investment, but if it's your coin does not matter except to you.
Only on a few coins did checking at home first pay off. Surface condition and mintage sometimes variety is a key to coin value as investments.
Some buyers pay extra for toned or rainbow surface coins.
I don't know if a coin is dug but we can tell the tell tale scratch lines on cleaned coins as the detectorist puts on rubbing the coin to get a date.
One way to see if a coin for example is uncirculated or about unc is to look at the area near letters often less shiny/worn then the coin field.
oj/bc
Tom_in_CA
Elite Member
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Bingo. It's a question of HOW you clean them. Because, let's be dreadfully honest: There are some coins we md'rs dig, that ....... if left as is .... would get laughed off the auction block. And if you cleaned with no trace-of-your-effort, you WOULD and CAN indeed increase the value.
I think the old addage of "never clean your coins" was born out of horror stories of some numbskulls who cleaned the grandpa's gold coins with ajax & brillo pads. Or ... in some way ... left it obvious they'd been cleaned.
T-Man
Elite Member
DiggerMD
Elite Member
I was just curious. I can understand waiting until you know the value, but some act like it should never be done so I was trying to see if there were reasons for this mind set. To each his own and may we all have so many silvers that there is no time to clean them.
When you find an “obvious”, that has any kind of “Markings” stash it in your wallet!!! Do not spit on it!! Wait till you get home!!! And carefully look at it!!! Do Not Try to clean it!!! ... Just Saying.. Been there. Seen others been there too! .. Be Patient!!!
T-Man
Elite Member
Besides silver, be careful if you pull a nice green IH out of the ground. Rinse it, maybe give it the olive oil bath toothpick treatment but be careful removing the patina, I've tried cleaning a few of them by various methods and was never happy with the results. Even one I tossed in a tumbler came out a copper disc that was hardly readable anymore.
This may not be your best choice for cleaning. Then again on some clad it would probably work wonders.
I cleaned a coin once with that tool it went flying somewhere in the garage never found it again for over 3 years....hh
btw a whizzed coin has been buffed or polished to give it the appearance of the luster found on a mint coin. Whizzing is often done to try to sell the coin at a higher grade than it really is. The process is sometimes done by using a fine brush attachment on a high speed drill.
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The "no-cleaning" thing is fairly new. In the early 60s I regularly bought two coin collector magazines, Coin World and Coinage. I distinctly remember reading that cleaning tarnished silver coins with sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) was recommended. They did say that you should buy drugstore bicarbonate, not the Arm and Hammer stuff. I still use it on dug silver coins if the tarnish is uneven. Of course I don't do this if it's a key date.
amc rulz
Forum Supporter
Preserve them the best you can.
StevenB
Full Member
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Different folks have different definitions of "cleaning". For me it means rinsing silver coins under tap water with a little dish soap and a light brushing with a soft toothbrush. This doesn't hurt the patina, doesn't leave scratches, and doesn't polish the coin to an artificial-looking shine.
Clean, don't polish.
Clean, don't polish.
Tom_in_CA
Elite Member
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This may not be your best choice for cleaning. Then again on some clad it would probably work wonders.
No no no. The best way to clean gold coins and rare silver coins is with A) sand paper, or B) a bead blaster
Beachhunter
Elite Member
Please remember if you tumble your coins keep the silver and copper coins separated. Each having their own drum is best.
