Cleaning vs conserving.............i.e. which is peroxide?

[CladSpends2]

Hi all,

I have a question about conserving a coin. I will try and keep this short, but descriptive. This spring I bought a coin collection at a yard sale. In it was an 1803 Large Cent. It has pretty decent details, probably F-12, but no corrosion and really a nice example for that type in my opinion, even if it is colored by the fact I own it. LOL I have read on here, literally a hundred times, about giving wheat, IH, and large cents, that are dug, hot peroxide baths and I have done it a few times with dug wheaties myself. With mixed results, sometimes they came out looking good and other times it didn't seem to touch the crud that was on them. This coin wasn't dug and I do think has some value, so I don't want to clean it and make it undesirable as I will leave my coin collection to my daughter with the idea she can always sell it if times are hard. The coin has a lot of what I call "finger crud" on it. Maybe that is even what helped keep some of the detail. (Please don't ask for a pic of the coin, I have had ZERO luck posting a pic on this site) I guess my question is, if I give the 1803 Large Cent a hot peroxide bath does that make it less desirable to a collector? Is it now a cleaned coin? I really think the crud that is on it would come right off in the peroxide bath, but am leery of cleaning any coin, I never have and really don't want to start now, but think the detail on this coin would really be present if I did. Thanks in advance for all your responses, positive and negative, I am really struggling with this and have for 7 months already.

T.

 

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[CladSpends2]

Well, this has been posted for nearly a full day and I have gotten no responses. Is that because I asked a stupid question and of course the peroxide bath is cleaning and not conserving? Or is it cuz like me, no one really knows what exactly is conserving and what is cleaning, atleast in this case, we all know that rubbing a coin with baking soda or whatever is cleaning, but is this a fuzzy issue? I was really hoping for some help here.

T.

 

[Texas Jed]

be patient, someone with the knowledge you are looking for will respond.

 

[VERMONTPACKRAT]

This is a tough question to answer without a pic of the coin. My opinion is that you cant really hurt a coins value by removing "crud". It would certainly matter how you remove the crud and are you removing detail with the crud.

I might suggest warming up some peroxide and going really slow and easy with a Q-tip. Try just a really small spot on the coin or the edge to see if you are liking the results.




VPR

 

[CladSpends2]

Sorry about the pic or lack thereof, but I just have never been able to get one loaded to the site. The crud on the coin isn't a hard dry stuff, it is like I tried to describe, "finger crud". There is no corrosion, so I really think I would come out with a nice surface and not expose more flaws or corrosion and pitting on the coin. I might try the hot peroxide and a q-tip if more people agree this is the route to go. Thank you for chiming in VPR, I do appreciate your idea.

T.

 

[tdec1000]

Don't clean it at all!!! You will ruin this coin for sure. Your best bet to remove crud off of an old copper coin like this is goo gone and a green rose thorn. That is only if it is dirt. If it is corroded or verdigris than a different appropriate action will need to take place. Send me a picture of the coin if you can. PM me.

Tom