Cleaning this wheatie
- Thread starter Spartan84
- Start date
mcdoogal
Elite Member
Wow! That one had a hard life. Since there are very few wheats with a high monetary value, I normally clean my cruddy ones by soaking them in water and dish soap for a few days and then use a brass brush to clean enough to give me a date. I am trying to complete a "dug" wheat collection. Not much value in my collection but I dug each and every one of them. So, it means something to me. I am thinking of putting a dug dime and nickel collection too. Good luck with that wheat. Hope you get a date. HH
sectshun8
Forum Supporter
I can't even tell it's a wheat 
NHKeith
Forum Supporter
I let them soak in olive oil and then use a paper towel to clean as much as possible.
I got a 1909 wheat this weekend, i am letting it soak, hopefully its a vdb. I don't see the S mint mark. so its likely not worth much, but very cool to find one..
I got a 1909 wheat this weekend, i am letting it soak, hopefully its a vdb. I don't see the S mint mark. so its likely not worth much, but very cool to find one..
Onaug
Elite Member
I got 50's wheatie from a school that was almost that bad last month. The olive oil will soak in and loosen the crud up with causing and physical scratching or damage. I used an old soft bristle baby brush. Seemed to do just fine.
gtodude
Senior Member
I've never used this for copper pennies, but boiling 2 cups of vinegar, 1 cup of water, and 2 tablespoons of baking soda with copper in it will clean it fairly decently. Using a soft bristle toothbrush it will clean a lot off. Then I've used Wrights Copper cream to really clean it up after rinsing with distilled water.
Now like I said, I never had to do this to a copper penny, but I have used this many times in the past with copper feet for my antique clocks.
Boiling peroxide I've heard works too, but I've never personally tried it. Maybe this weekend I'll give it a shot.
Now like I said, I never had to do this to a copper penny, but I have used this many times in the past with copper feet for my antique clocks.
Boiling peroxide I've heard works too, but I've never personally tried it. Maybe this weekend I'll give it a shot.
Onaug
Elite Member
I have little patience sometimes. I will check everyday and change out the oil. The oil is fairly cheap.
dglantz
Elite Member
This might sound silly but it's worked for me on bad copper coins. Take a pencil eraser and rub the date over and over, you should pull some detail that might get you the date.
Onaug
Elite Member
For collector value, you don't want it to look fresh from the mint as far as I understand. That chemical bath will probably shine it up real nice.
personally i'd toss it in a boiling peroxide bath, you'd have to soak that in olive oil for about 50 years and then only wind up with an oily coin. after a few peroxide bath's i'd then soak it in some barkeepers friend.....but thats just me
The Jersey Digger
Elite Member
Hot peroxide is great on coppers. Get a shot glass put in halfway of peroxide. Nuke it for 30 seconds and let the coin soak for 15 minutes. If that don't work I dont know what will. It could also be too far deteriorated to be saved...
Onaug
Elite Member
How did it come out Monster?
Charlives
Elite Member
me too...sometimes on wheats and IHs I just clean the front enough to get a date....I don't even bother with the back....then throw it in a bag. Coin cleaning doesn't interest me.
Bill_Ace_350
Elite Member
I just tried your recomendation on a wheat penny I found this summer. Even added it to one of my old coins in my signature. Now I can read the date: 1916. Worked very well.
Well the olive oil didnt do anything except make an oily penny
had it there for almost a week. Ive used the hot peroxide before, but sometimes if the coin is too far off the peroxide will just make it worse. Thanks for your help fellas
had it there for almost a week. Ive used the hot peroxide before, but sometimes if the coin is too far off the peroxide will just make it worse. Thanks for your help fellasNightShifter
Full Member
Where can you buy peroxide? Really wanna try that on some of my old coppers that I cant get dates of...
