Cleaning Clad

[bigcreekdad]

Is there any way you can clean clad up some?

 

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[Woodland Detectors]

Hey!

I would suggest a rock tumbler. Silver w/silver copper w/copper etc... A little water and a little sand. Don't over fill the barrel. Tumble for a little bit, an voila ...spendable clad.

 

[wolcottdigger]

I agree with 4-H a rock tumbler works great, like he said if you clean the pennies and and clad together the clad will be stained a copper color. I use small un colored aquarium gravel a small shot of dish washing liquid and enough water to just cover the coins and gravel. I usually let them run a couple of hours and they are clean, just rinse them off and dry. I bought the Harbor Freight tumbler it works fine but all the belts that came with it broke over the summer. I bought some after market belts on eBay and it hasn't broke yet. I've used the tumbler to clean other finds but I don't think it would work on silver or gold, it would probably ruin silver coins.

Joe

 

[TerryC]

Why clean it? Federally insured banks are required to take it if it is no longer fit for circulation. Turn it in. If not, tumble it. A brass (cartridge) tumbler works too. TTC

 

[liftloop]

I love this forum, just waiting for it to dry up out side.

 

[Dick Stout]

Gotta agree with the poster above....don't worry about it. Just soak them in soapy water, rinse them and turn them into the bank. They will not increase in value by being cleaned.

Save them for a year, turn them in and purchase a "collectable" coin. Silver/Gold, key or
semi-key, but one that will increase in value over time. Kind of a little nest egg. I have done this for years.

Dick
www.stoutstandards.com

 

[bigcreekdad]

C'mon folks.....do you really think I thought cleaning clad would make it more valuable? Or that it's worthless when dirty?

I simply wanted to Know if there was a simple way to clean it.

Geesh!!!

 

[wolcottdigger]

I don't clean my clad because I think it increases the value, I do it just to get it clean!
I like to keep my clad till the end of the season and buy myself something with it. And when I
Do cash it in it does go through the coin cashing machine better if it's not covered in dirt.
Like one of the other posters said a little soap and water is the easiest way.

 

[Dick Stout]

Geesh!!!

Sorry, didn't meant to offend.

 

[Monty]

Drop a piece of aluminum foil in a glass or plastic container, put in about half teaspoon of salt and about 1/2 cup of white vineagar. Soak the coins for about 2 hours and scrub with a stiff bristle brush. Rinse and there you go. Also, keep your pennies seperate from the silver solored clad coins. Monty

 

[jb58]

I just use a 1 quart plastic igloo water thermos.-put in some vinegar-a little hot water-salt-and maybe a little comet. then put the lid on the container and shake the heck out of it. or you can use plastic coffee containers.
yea always seperate your pennies from the other denominations or your coins will come out pinkish. GL!!

 

[Ray S ECenFL]

I use a rock tumbler.

Have two. A lortone and the one from Harbour freight. Lortone is more expensive but has never given me any problems. The HF one ate the belt. I replaced it with a larg O ring. Works fine.

Add some fish tank gravel, shot of dish washing liquid, cover with water and tumble. The tumble time depends on how dirty your clad is. Check it after a couple of hours, if not clean enough you can change the water, re soap and run over night.

I save all my clad till the end of the year and then clean it all at once.

As mentioned in the other post, everyone has their own way to clean clad. What ever works for you is the best way.

 

[kimsdad]

Homemade clad tumbler from an old cordless drill run off of a battery charger. Didn't make sense to me to spend good $$ to buy a tumbler to clean clad. There are many ways to do it, this is just one. Any way to spin a preferably irregular shaped container will work. Don't buy aquarium gravel either - another waste of money. Grab a handful of pea gravel next time you see some, and use a bit of sand, too. Use a drop of dish soap and just cover the coins & gravel with water. After a few hours, rinse through an old strainer outside with a garden hose - NOT in your sink. Gets them clean enough to keep around the house and handle until you turn them in, and you won't get dirty looks at the bank.

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[Coin Digger]

My bank refuses to take my clad if it's dirty, they say it jams up their machine. I have to get it pretty clean before they will take it. If I take it to another bank they tell me I have to have an account with them or they will charge me a service charge.