cleaning

[patch6970]

how does one go about cleaning coins ??

[dan]

Originally Posted by patch6970

how does one go about cleaning coins ??

One doesn't.

Cleaning a coin destroys its collectible value.

Just wash it under running water, scrub the loose dirt off with your thumbs, and let it dry. Anything more and it will have that artificial "cleaned" look.

If you don't care about their value, and you just want them to look nice for your coin display, I suppose you could use copper cleaner or silver cleaner or something of that sort. But most collectors hate seeing coins that have been cleaned.

[Dustyloins]

At the very most, a little toothpaste and your fingers or some olive oil soak......best not to clean at all unless the date m/m can't be read......

Dusty

[Burien]

1. STUDY the coin real carefully: is there anything unique about it such as die or minting errors, just from what you can see.
2. Is the DATE and/or MINT MARK special in anyway?

Yes to any question, stop and seek help on best way to clean - IF at all.
No to all of them? then break out your tooth brush (or whatever) and have fun!

Of course, anything other than modern coinage, i would be terribly cautious of cleaning.

[Trapper]

soak them in toilet bowl cleaner for a few minutes to get the hardened surface crudd to loosen up. Then tumble them overnite in a rock tumbler with aquarium sand and water in it. This works much faster than tumbling without toilet cleaner first.

[Iron Patch]

Originally Posted by dan

One doesn't.

Cleaning a coin destroys its collectible value.

Just wash it under running water, scrub the loose dirt off with your thumbs, and let it dry. Anything more and it will have that artificial "cleaned" look.

If you don't care about their value, and you just want them to look nice for your coin display, I suppose you could use copper cleaner or silver cleaner or something of that sort. But most collectors hate seeing coins that have been cleaned.

That's the typical coin dealer answer and absolutely not true as a general rule for dug coins.

[emfederin]

Originally Posted by Iron Patch

That's the typical coin dealer answer and absolutely not true as a general rule for dug coins.

As a "general rule", the vast majority of coins we dig up are only worth face or melt value, so in that respect I would agree.

But if you get into the habit of making your silver coins look all pretty and shiny, you never know when that one day in a thousand (or a lifetime) comes when you dig up the one that could be slabbed with a 3 digit or greater value...

...and then go to work making it all pretty and shiny like all your other rosies.

My hands are sweating and my stomach tightens just TYPING such a scenario!

I agree with Dan's answer completely.

[jcham]

This topic bugs me, I think more so because the coins that come out the ground ((SILVER)) normally are in pretty good shape but to sell them I dont think they are worth all that much and to worry about cleaning them really makes little sence to me.

I mean I get a good coin and its actually worth something I might say use some dicression but for the most part a toothbrush and some soft scrub. I was asked to clean some Jewelry the other day and not having done that in a while I was excited.

I got a toothbrush and some soft scrub a finger nail buffer and went to town. The rings I cleaned shined like they were brand new, the person I cleaned them for said WOW I never thought I would wear any of these again. Coins, not much different.

Reg clad a rock tumbler if you dont want to pay the coin star fee, I know I dont. Silver coins normally come out of the ground pretty nice, if soft scrub doesnt do it for you some hot soap and water, done.....

Same with gold rings use a nail buffer the little misses may not like it but it will take the scratches out and buff them new, thats what the jewelers do. Gold coins I have yet to cross that bridge but if I did extream discretion...