Cleaning coins

[chevyman75]

How does everyone clean off coins to see what it is? Toothbrush, water? I know I destroyed a 1904 Indian head with water and toothbrush but some coins I can't make out and don't wanna rub them...

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[kcm]

I wonder..... What if someone were to get a piece of fiberglass window screen about 6" to 12" square? They could first hold the coin in the mesh while rinsing it under water to get the loose dirt off, then could very lightly use the screen to work some of the harder dirt off. Would this work or would this damage a coin?

 

[chevyman75]

I have no clue haha I just don't want to ruin anymore coins.. I know the old copper Penny's disintegrate with water and toothbrush so idk if that would work or not I'm hoping someone else has some input

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[JackalopeZL1]

One thing to remember, some are just in terrible shape, Nothing you can do about it. Lots of things tear them up, Fertilizers, alkali soil etc... You can be gentle with them to preserve what is left and I am sure you will get lots of tips here. But no amount of proper cleaning will make a torn up coin good.

 

[chevyman75]

Very true just need a method to clean them enough to see what they are and possibly the date. Alot you can see all you need but the ones coveted good in dirt can't.

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[JackalopeZL1]

I have a draped bust large cent I dug a few weeks ago, I too so want to see a date. Could be my first 1700's coin but I cant see the darn date..lol

 

[drenalin11]

I've been thinking about a water pick or just a decent squirt bottle and letting the water pressure clean it off since rubbing pretty much in anyway, shape or form is a huge no no. But again, it's just a thought. I'm a beginner and haven't had to worry about old coins really but I think about this in case one day I come across something worth worrying about!


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[kcm]

The way I see it, if you find a coin in the ground (or ON the ground) and you need to get crud off so you can see what year, etc., then just try using your fingers with water - gently removing the crud in short strokes. Long strokes would tend to work grains across the surface, scratching it more. But if you cause more damage while still being careful, oh well!

 

[marjam]

The best way is a toothpick around the date and details of the coin, and that's it. Some people that's all they do. Others will rinse the coin after doing this but to leave as much detail and not reveal potential pitting and other damage just a toothpick around the date and raised areas is about as good as it gets.

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[tcornel]

You can try boiling peroxide with a dash of ammonia in the microwave and then drop your copper item in it. It will pop off a lot of dirt and work at the green corrosion. Please understand that many times whatever detail is left on the coin IS from the corrosion itself. Clean it off and you lose the detail.

 

[James/Texas]

Common coins are OK to clean as they are usually only worth melt value. However, if you have or think you may have a key date coin, DO NOT attempt to clean the coin in ANY manner, even rubbing the dirt off to see the date. Any key date coin that is dug will have a much smaller value than a non dug one will have and these coins need to be professionally cleaned, if at all to preserve value. Cleaning a key date coin can bring it's value down to mere melt value.

 

[foiler]

Once a coin has been cleaned, chemically, it's numismatic value is greatly diminished if not nil.

 

[cudamark]

If we dig a coin and can't even tell the date, it's not worth anything anyway. A cleaned coin with a date is worth more than an uncleaned coin with no date. You have to clean them at least to a point where you can determine possible value. Even a rare date isn't worth much if it's totally pitted and/or worn smooth. I'm for cleaning coins like that....either soaking them in vinegar on an aluminum plate, electrolysis, or the peroxide method mentioned. What have you got to lose on a dateless/featureless coin?

 

[marjam]

I clean my coins as well. I haven't been fortunate enough to dig a key date, so the silver i dig, i clean them. If I was to dig a key date, I wouldn't clean it. Copper cents, especially Indians for me, i use the toothpick method. Anymore than that for coppers i won't attempt after i ruined a couple of Indians.

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[sjvalleyhunter]

If we dig a coin and can't even tell the date, it's not worth anything anyway. A cleaned coin with a date is worth more than an uncleaned coin with no date. You have to clean them at least to a point where you can determine possible value. Even a rare date isn't worth much if it's totally pitted and/or worn smooth. I'm for cleaning coins like that....either soaking them in vinegar on an aluminum plate, electrolysis, or the peroxide method mentioned. What have you got to lose on a dateless/featureless coin?

Well said.

 

[sjvalleyhunter]

Regarding copper coins, aquachigger on YouTube has a real good video on options for various cleaning methods, along with pros and cons for each method. Here is link to that video. https://youtu.be/w7cfVkadI_A

Regarding silver coins, if they are heavily corroded I don't hesitate to clean them. I fully realize that cleaning them can decimate the numismatic value, but I'm in this hobby to enjoy my discoveries in my display case, and not to sell them. Everyone is different though.

Here is an example that I posted a couple of months ago when I had initially found it. It was a Barber dime that was so fouled up that I couldn't see the date so I decided to clean it. It ended up being a key date, but I am 100% happier with it after I finished working on it, even though the monetary value will be low as a result.

Here it is pretty much as it came out of the ground.




This is after I aggressively cleaned it.




Then I artificially toned it.




And finally I worked on it to bring it to a more natural look.




Again, everyone has a different opinion when it comes to cleaning coins and there are many, many threads on Tnet discussing it. But personally, I'd rather have a pleasant looking coin than an unrecognizable metal disk.

 

[cudamark]

Nice job! I would add that the value now isn't any lower than when you first dug it, in fact, it's probably higher. I mean really......if you saw two adds for this Barber dime for sale.....one with the before photo, and one with the after photo, which would be more likely to buy?

 

[PullTabPete]

If the find isn't very valuable I like to clean my coins. I don't plan on selling them anyways

I found this Upper Canada Token and it was pretty crusted, but I knew it had nice detail. So I tumbled it in sand with some dish soap and I thought it came out pretty nice. Could probably tumble it a little longer.

For common wheats I tumble them in pea gravel and the nicer ones I use sand.

 

[sjvalleyhunter]

Nice job! I would add that the value now isn't any lower than when you first dug it, in fact, it's probably higher. I mean really......if you saw two adds for this Barber dime for sale.....one with the before photo, and one with the after photo, which would be more likely to buy?

Thank you. And I agree, it probably didn't detract from the value, but a true coin collector probably wouldn't touch either one!

 

[Virginia Digger]

I never use water. I think someone in a previous reply said tooth pick...I agree...Flatten a tooth pick out a little on the end so it resembles a tiny broom....Clean the coin as well as possible with it getting the crud off..Rub a little, very little of regular Chapstick (Black tube) between your fingers then massage the coin and it will usually bring it back to life quiet a bit. This works with button, buckles also.