I need help in preserving dug corroded copper coins, not cleaning

diggerfab

New Member
Joined
Sep 2, 2017
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16
Location
Canton, Ohio
I have dug some decent looking old copper indian head cents and other toasted copper or nickel coins. I'm not looking to clean them, I'm looking to preserve them/ keeping them from crumbling or the edges breaking off revealing a white-ish looking broken edge
Is there anything I can treat these with? I heard that olive oil is a no-no.
Some sort of wax?

thanks
 
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I have had good luck with using a Q-tip dipped in household ammonia to remove the dirt, then using paste wax to coat them. I use Johnson's paste wax, but I think there are waxes made special for this purpose. I have found that getting them too wet is a mistake, it makes them look worse. If they are really bad (flaking) I don't wet them at all, just dry brush.
 
Paste wax is probably real good, but I don't have any so I use waxed sandwich paper. Wrap the coin with wax side touching both sides of coin. Then use a little heat (just a little heat) from a hair dryer and rub over the waxed paper as it cools.
 
treat them like iron relics. clean off all dirt and loose surfaces then boil it in paraffin wax which will drive away all moisture and leave it sealed in wax. Buff away the excess surface wax and put it on display.

Or do what I do and treat them like worthless ($$$ wise) interesting bits and put them through a tumbler to clean off the corrosion and see whats left, if anything.
 
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