Is there any way to clean dug copper without ruining?

[damz68]

I have tried 2 ways. Hydrogen peroxide and electrolysis. The H2O2 is not strong enough to clean those coins with the cement like crud on them, but also does not remove the nice patina on the better looking coins. Those that did not clean with H2O2 I tried electrolysis on and it removed the gunk but also striped the patina and gave it a brassy look.

My questions are:
1) Is there a safe way to clean coins with the caked on crud?
2) Is there any way to clean a coin without reducing its value?
3) Is there a way to bring patina back on electrolysis cleaned copper?
4) OT, why is an uncirculated coin worth more than a dug up coin?

 

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[romeo-1]

Try soaking the coin in distilled water for a few months. This will remove the crud and leave the patina. I have a copper soaking in distilled water now but have a few months to go.

 

[Postalrevnant]

Got to try the distilled water next time myself had some IH's and Wheaties destroyed with Hydrogen Peroxide. Well, they might not have done so well anyways tough to tell on these coins.

Rev

 

[Don in SJ]

Got to try the distilled water next time myself had some IH's and Wheaties destroyed with Hydrogen Peroxide. Well, they might not have done so well anyways tough to tell on these coins.

Rev

I smile when it is said, this or that ruined the coin during cleaning, when the fact is, if any type of cleaning, which by definintion is removing the dirt, is done properly , the coin will not be ruined by the cleaning, the coin was ruined by the corrosion that was taking place under the dirt.

There is no magic way of cleaning a coin that is damaged by corrosion, what some see before cleaning is there, but they are seeing a part of the coin that is perhaps totally seperated from the original coin and once cleaned and dried that portion will seperate and vanish. If the coin was solid to begin with then the cleaning would have proved to be very satisfying.

It is just a fact that the vast majority of the ground found coppers are going to have corrosion, some of it much more obvious than others. It is rare for a ground found copper to be determined not to have "environmental damage" if sent away and you think the coin is great. A ground found copper is just that, a coin exposed to the nasty elements and not tucked away for 100-200 years in a bank vault, so be happy when you do get one that is not visibly corroded, they are in the minority........
HH
Don in SJ