Cleaning or rinsing coins?

[New2Brass]

I know that cleaning coins is a no no but being that they are circulated they sometimes have caked dirt or other things on them. So is it ok to rinse them? what about something like ultra sonic cleaning?

 

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[prospectordamon]

What are these coins composed of? Either way I'm against cleaning them, maybe a quick dip at the very most followed by rinse, then lightly pat dry with microfiber. I'd still rather not mess with it

 

[New2Brass]

Nothing specific at the moment, however I did have some kennedy halfs which looked like someone tried to patina them somehow. Knowing they had no value I soaked in hot soapy water, Instant chocolat milk! ewww.
Another thing that got me thinking is I have my grandfathers 1911 St. Gaudens which I brought to a coin show and a dealer looked at it and said "its been cleaned, only worth spot!" Now a coin from 1911 is in damm good shape considering, but I wonder how cleaning this would remove all numismatic value.

 

[prospectordamon]

Usually when you clean it it scratches, if not scratches the coin will not show proper luster or toning for it's age. That's y he told you that

 

[fistfulladirt]

I used to not clean my dug coins, because I was told that it was a no-no. I got tired of looking at them in 2x2's, all caked with mud and dirt, lol! Then, I decided, what the hey, they are my coins, never will sell them anyway, so clean away I did.

 

[psgen]

Metal detecting coins before and after tumbling!

WARNING​

******* Never tumble valuable or potentially valuable coins ................ this process is for common everyday clads & pennies to get them bank acceptable ********

 

[Tuberale]

I've heard that sawdust or wood chips make a good cleanser for chips. What did you use for the coins in the photos, psgen?

I know (regretfully from 1st-hand experience) that baking soda leaves scratches on coins, and many coins found in sand are already pocket change, but easy to find.

Oh, and about those bank-ready coins: if you put them in a vending machine, they go thru without cleaning.

 

[psgen]

I use bb's ........ like I said never use this technique for valuable coins or any coin you think might be valuable. I only use this technique on coins I plan to cash in, that have little or no value beyond face value. most banks, stores or change machines do not or will not except dirty coins.


PS - since I'm turning them in and they have little value other than face value, I'm not as worried about minor scratches.

 

[Iron Patch]

Cleaning coins is actually not a no no under the right conditions, and that can even be coins that aren't dug.

People who say never clean coins just don't get it that detecting coins and coins that have never been in the ground can be two very different things. There's really just one reason coin dealers for as long as they existed have said never clean coins and that's because most coins that are cleaned don't need it, or was done in a damaging way, or both. Eye appeal definitely counts I can tell you for 100% certainly there are people who can and do give a mild cleaning to certain coins and make a small profit over the buying price just the same as cheating a grade.

PS... My best coin find was near 100% covered in corrosion and I increased the value many many times by cleaning it. It all depends what you have, and is definitely a case by case basis.

 

[Silver Searcher]

The only metal detectorist I know, that don't clean there dug coins, are the ones that do not sell any.

SS