Would you attempt to clean a Capped Bust Half?

[Metal Illness]

Shout to Buckle Boy. I read his post about cleaning with Baking Soda and experimented with a blackened tarnished Mercury Dime see before/after photos. I'm impressed with the outcome but almost afraid to try it on my Capped Bust. Do you guys think the Merc retained any toning or does it appear too shiney/cleaned? I would love to bring out the brilliance of the Silver under the tarnish on the Capped Bust, but being it's the only one I have ever found I think it's already beautiful. Please offer advice/opinions, I appreciate it.

Thanks, Billy (aka Metal Illness)

 

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[pepperj]

Baking soda I heard will still leave micro scratching on the silver. Lemon juice seems to be another option I've read.Having no toning is too clean sometimes, a bit of toning is nice on coinage and it has that nice look to it. Some will lighten the toning up a bit but still leaving some to have the aged look. It looks pretty sweet the way it sits now, but it's your silver and you have to admire it more so it's a hard choice.

 

[Iron Patch]

It is about personal preference, but if you want to know the truth you should take a giant step back if you think that merc is better. I'd be quite happy if all my dug silver looked like the uncleaned merc, and very unhappy if any looked like the cleaned merc. In cleaning you gotta pick your battles and that dime was not one to fight.... and neither is the half.

 

[richardson]

That merc cleaned up really nice. Personally, I would leave that gorgeous half just the way it is