Need suggestions for cleaning 1937 U.S. Cent.

ToddB64 · Jun 8, 2018

Attached are scanned images of a U.S. Lincoln Wheat Ears 1937 Plain Cent I dug while metal detecting a grassy area near a basket ball court in a public park recently and need suggestions for cleaning it up a bit for my collection.

Being over 80 years old and spending years in the ground, this coin is badly pitted on both sides and there is a small crusty layer below the date on the Obverse.

Thanks !

ToddB64

Stiffwrists · Jun 9, 2018

ToddB64 said:
Attached are scanned images of a U.S. Lincoln Wheat Ears 1937 Plain Cent I dug while metal detecting a grassy area near a basket ball court in a public park recently and need suggestions for cleaning it up a bit for my collection.

Being over 80 years old and spending years in the ground, this coin is badly pitted on both sides and there is a small crusty layer below the date on the Obverse.

Thanks !

ToddB64

Looks pretty good to me. IMHO That's about as good as it's going to get. Any combination of chemicals or abrasives doubtfully will make it look better. Embrace its 80 year old pittiness in all its glory! Congrats on recovering it!

Jare · Jun 9, 2018

I agree, it looks real nice! But if you want some luster to it, soak it in olive oil for a couple hours. Pick of the crust with a toothpick, it should come up easily. Rinse it off and it’ll look good.

Waveoff · Jun 9, 2018

Stiffwrists said:
Looks pretty good to me. IMHO That's about as good as it's going to get. Any combination of chemicals or abrasives doubtfully will make it look better. Embrace its 80 year old pittiness in all its glory! Congrats on recovering it!

I agree with Stiffwrists.

Maybe coat it with some microcrystalline wax to keep it from rotting away any further.

sandgroper · Jun 9, 2018

Not sure how valuable it is, but if you want it shiny to display it, then go over it with fine (0000) steel wool. Very effective, but abrasive so the coin will lose any value it holds. That's how I clean my headstamps.

amc rulz · Jun 10, 2018

Don’t do any more to it. It doesn’t need cleaning, and that won’t help the pitting either way. If you’d really like to darken it up to where you can’t see detail, soak it in olive oil. Afterwards, the oil will continue to corrode the metal, as olive oil is acidic. I use the petroleum jelly/q-tip method to remove any embedded surface dirt.

Need suggestions for cleaning 1937 U.S. Cent.

ToddB64

Elite Member

Attachments

Stiffwrists

Elite Member

Jare

Full Member

Waveoff

Elite Member

sandgroper

Elite Member

amc rulz

Similar threads