How to clean a badly corroded and gunked up Indian Head?

[arkansas hunter]

Hey guys pulled my first IH the other day and its got some thick gunk on the back and corrosion all over. Ive dont some cleaning but I dont want to ruin it. But I really wanna see the date.

 

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[arkansas hunter]

Anyone?

 

[pong12211]

I don't know for sure how to get it clean.. What I can tell you is this has been answered before if you look through the old threads you may find the answer you are looking for.. Hope this helps...

 

[vpnavy]

Until someone pipes in - I searched

and found...

• Should i attempt to clean old copper? (Mar 05, 2013)
• I discovered a great way to clean copper coins (Feb 04, 2008)
• Cleaning Large Cents (Jun 19, 2006)

 

[Potts]

I picked a 1909 IH yesterday and have it soaking in olive oil, I've used that technique on Wheat's having fair results in about 3 days, I've read that sometimes it can as long as a couple months.

 

[brewern]

This is what I did but I'm no expert on cleaning.

I found a 1903 Indian head, placed it in lemon juice for up to 15min, added baking soda to the juice. After 15 minutes, rub baking soda on the coin, maybe even use a toothbrush. Rinse the coin well. To really get the corrosion off I then used a fine steel wool pad. It cleaned the coin up very nicely, no scratches or any damage.

I plan to soak it in olive oil so it has that darker shine.

 

[flyadive]

If you use electrolysis on coins you have a real chance of destroying the coin, pitting it bad. Reverse electroysis was mainly designed for underwater-saltwater iron objects found on shipwrecks, that had been under saltwater for 100s of years, and if taken out of the water, would just fall apart quickly. The reverse electroysis takes the salt out of the iron pores. Long slow process. It will take corrosion and encrustations off about any metal object, but there are better ways with some metals. Copper and silver is better cleaned in muratic acid, found in pool store area. I dilute it 50/50 with water. Copper and silver will not be eaten by it at all, so you can leave in for 30 minutes and check it out. Longer if not clean. Clad coins will get eaten, if left in for a while especially zinc pennies. Can be used on iron, but check more often. Rinse well and wear eye protection and rubber gloves, and do it outside. Of course this for major corrosion not just light patina. Use an old spoon that is stainless steel for an anode. New they are 1-2 dollars, used for real cheap at Salvation Army resale places, etc. Using copper will make everthing copper colored. Same if you put copper coins in with silver coins in acid bath. Like I said use a tuneable power supply, never use a battery charger, it senses a completly dead battery and put full amps into it. Dont do it. A carberator is best cleaned in a bucket of carb cleaner, taken apart fully. Never use a low nobility metal like zinc, aluminum, Zamac, etc in a reverse electroysis cleaning situation, it will dissolve it,

 

[arkansas hunter]

This is what I did but I'm no expert on cleaning.

I found a 1903 Indian head, placed it in lemon juice for up to 15min, added baking soda to the juice. After 15 minutes, rub baking soda on the coin, maybe even use a toothbrush. Rinse the coin well. To really get the corrosion off I then used a fine steel wool pad. It cleaned the coin up very nicely, no scratches or any damage.

I plan to soak it in olive oil so it has that darker shine.

Hey Brewern was yours corroded this bad?

 

[brewern]

Hey Brewern was yours corroded this bad?

Not as bad no, but it was close. I couldn't make out the date or words and could barely see the Indian.

 

[Sapper724]

Hey guys pulled my first IH the other day and its got some thick gunk on the back and corrosion all over. Ive dont some cleaning but I dont want to ruin it. But I really wanna see the date.<img src="http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/attachment.php?attachmentid=835192"/>

Soak it in olive oil for a few days, then clean it with an olive oil soaked q-tip. Works awesome on copper. If it still isn't clean enough, soak it some more