Salty Vinegar & Brass Brush on many coins.

OP3CRIMSIN

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For anybody that wants to see what this method does to various old coins before attempting it with theirs. *Note* These are most likely non-dug coins but I can attest to this method cleaning the snot out of a dug barber dime and a '43P war nickel.
 

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British Half Penny
 

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Barber Quarter
 

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Standing Liberty Quarter
 

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Seated Liberty Quarter, sorry no before shots.
 

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Silver Washington Quarter.
 

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V-Nickel
 

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Buffalo Nickel.
 

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Seated Dime.
 

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Steel Penny.
 

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OMG that's impressive.

The last wheat shows some minor scratch marks did you try a toothbrush?

And what's the secret recipe fort the salty vinegar? These look great for all the home keepers!
 
Are any of those coins from the ground? I feel toasted copper/bronze wouldn't clean up that nice?!?! That method looks awesome thanks for sharing!
 
OMG that's impressive.

The last wheat shows some minor scratch marks did you try a toothbrush?

And what's the secret recipe fort the salty vinegar? These look great for all the home keepers!

The last wheat is a steel penny but shouldn't have scratched from using a softer metal brass brush, plus I brushed in circles and the scratches are lines so pretty sure wasn't by my hand.

Basically the amount of salt doesn't seem to matter unless you are planning a mass cleaning of coins as it seems to act as a bank or a reserve that keeps getting used upthe longer it sits and gets used and diluted with the dirt from the brush returning to the vinegar container and back to the coin. Small jobs would be maybe a cup of white or apple cider vinegar with about two tablespoons of salt. For bigger jobs just make a big batch of vinegar and pour on the salt!
 
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Are any of those coins from the ground? I feel toasted copper/bronze wouldn't clean up that nice?!?! That method looks awesome thanks for sharing!

To be truthful, every one of those coins were ordered as to create an air test sampling for my detector and when I was through, I cleaned them. I am not sure where the previous owners got them from but I can assert that I completed this cleaning on my two prior dug silvers that I had thought were as clean as I could get them and they turned out even freaking shinier!

I will say however that you are right in regards to some toasted coppers as I tried this on a Matron Head Large Cent and although it shined up really well, the detail left right out the door. I made a replacement patina using yellow food coloring dye and sanded rust, dabbed one side of the coin and allowed it to dry completely, then I steel wooled it to bring back the detail and sprayed a layer of clear coat to seal it in. Don't worry, I would never try to pass it off as authentic but it does look pretty good lol
 
To be truthful, every one of those coins were ordered as to create an air test sampling for my detector and when I was through, I cleaned them. I am not sure where the previous owners got them from but I can assert that I completed this cleaning on my two prior dug silvers that I had thought were as clean as I could get them and they turned out even freaking shinier!

I will say however that you are right in regards to some toasted coppers as I tried this on a Matron Head Large Cent and although it shined up really well, the detail left right out the door. I made a replacement patina using yellow food coloring dye and sanded rust, dabbed one side of the coin and allowed it to dry completely, then I steel wooled it to bring back the detail and sprayed a layer of clear coat to seal it in. Don't worry, I would never try to pass it off as authentic but it does look pretty good lol
:laughing: thanks a lot great post! I've got some pretty crusty (non valuable) silver coins I would like to try this on. HH!
 
The last wheat is a steel penny but shouldn't have scratched from using a softer metal brass brush, plush I brushed in circles and the scratches are lines so pretty sure wasn't by my hand.

Basically the amount of salt doesn't seem to matter unless you are planning a mass cleaning of coins as it seems to act as a bank or a reserve that keeps getting used upthe longer it sits and gets used and diluted with the dirt from the brush returning to the vinegar container and back to the coin. Small jobs would be maybe a cup of white or apple cider vinegar with about two tablespoons of salt. For bigger jobs just make a big batch of vinegar and pour on the salt!

Very well than! Turned out quite nicely. Let's see now if I got this right? .... a cup of white or apple cider vinegar .... two tablespoons of salt. Do you soak for awhile than brush or dip and brush and dip and brush immediately. Thank you very much for sharing. SP
 
Very well than! Turned out quite nicely. Let's see now if I got this right? .... a cup of white or apple cider vinegar .... two tablespoons of salt. Do you soak for awhile than brush or dip and brush and dip and brush immediately. Thank you very much for sharing. SP

No soaking necessary but I do toss the coin into the batch for a couple of seconds to get it wet with the solution and start the process but it's honestly the brass brush that does the work. Just make sure the coin is coated in the solution and keep the brass brush wet with it at all times.

Copper coins that aren't crusty will literally shine in seconds after submerssion in the solution without any brushing due to a unique chemical process but the coun has to be copper for that to work, it can't be crusty, and oils have to be removed but it's a magic trick! Try grabbing various pre '83 copper pennies and start by holding them half submerged in the stirred up salty solution. You'll see them turn shiny right before your eyes and you can pull them out half shiny half turd!
 
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