1818 Large Cent ...

[jlar]

found over the summer ... question is should I clean it? I know all about the wisdom of cleaning old coins and lose of value. Wouldn't clean it if I had any plans on selling. However everytime I look at it I wonder how much better it might look after soaking in olive oil for awhile. It has nice depth of detail around her face ... but how much of that depth exists only in the corrosion at this point? You can see where the "patina" has just chipped off (actually just handling it caused some of it to flake off).

Wouldn't do anything more than olive oil but would even that much just ruin the coin? Any advice?

thanks,

jlar

[jeff of pa]

I'm DEAD SET AGAINST, olive oil, not against cleaning finds tho. Personally I would do no more then Spray It with a Spray Lube. WD40, or other Generic Brand. Then look at it & decide from there what it would look like clean. The only way I would clean it is with Spray Lube & a tooth Brush ......> an 1818 in uncleaned condition will fetch $10 to $15.00 approx. A cleaned 1818, most will tell you less. But the General public Sees a nice detail clean coin worth twice that much. Especially on E-bay. You don't want to risk removing all the Patina

[Jason in TN]

Jeff Why do you not like Olive oil?

[jeff of pa]

It cleans them TOO well, causing everything even the creases between detail to disappear. making many coins look like slugs. Plus it removes the patina on some

[True_Metal]

Nice Coin! 8) Pretty decent shape for being dug. I would leave it just as it is.

[Jason in TN]

I have used it on wheat Penny's and Indian heads but nothing of real value. I do not plan on sailing any of my coins so I do not worry about it to much. I will keep that in mind and if i ever find a copper coin that may be worth a lot I will not clean it at all.

[jlar]

thanks for the replies ...

I am trying my darndest to leave it alone ... just have a hard time looking at it and wondering if it could look better. Already have a few coins that the only way you can tell what they are is when you shine the light just right ... was hoping that this one might be a bit more showy. I think that if I was to even take the toothbrush and spray that most of the stuff would come off .... just don't know what would happen to the detail then.

Tried electrolysis on a button once and had amazing results ... then tried it on a 1901 indian head. Big mistake. Just pulled a 1863 out of olive oil and it turned out ok but I think it would have cleaned up just fine with just a toothbrush. Like Jeff said, it does remove a bunch of the detail (because of the lack of contrast).. I was actually considering how I might somehow darken up the higher features so they stood out again.

learning the hard way ...

jlar

[nick1878]

Ive destroyes alot of cheap coins, wheaties and such with electrolysis tubling, oils ad regreted it everytime. The grass is always greener. You always think they will look better, but they dont. I love the way the look out of he ground. Has anyone tried sonic jewelry cleaners for coins

[sal1966]

MY FRIENDS AND I FIND LOTS OF LARGE CENTS AND ONLY USE OLIVE OIL. TAKE IT OUT EVERY ONCE IN AWHILE AND USE A TOOTH BRUSH TO IT LIGHTLY. SOME COME OUT GREAT AND SOME JUST OKAY.WE DONT SELL THEM ANYWAY SO ITS MORE FOR OUR OWN TO ADMIRE.

[Copper]

Don't use electrolysis (zapping) on this coin.? Zapping can easily kill a copper coin. Leave it how it is unless you know for sure what you're doing.

Soak it in distilled water for a month or two (changing water often) and brush the coin with a dental brush.

I could clean it but the process would take a bit too long to explain here and requires some rather dangerous material.

As for value, many collectors would MUCH rather have this coin as it is now than to have it "cleaned." There is a movement toward "dug" coins.

Just my two-bits.

Copper