Cleaning coins

[Lemonman]

What about tarn x for cleaning coins, any thoughts.

John

 

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[bigfoot1]

if you go to the"research and techniques" forum...subforum "cleaning"there will be folks there who know whats up.

 

[Diggin-N-Dumps]

I'd say that is a bad idea. You shouldnt have need to use harsh chemicals on any coins

What are you trying to clean? Clad or Silver?

 

[Lemonman]

Just anything in general

 

[Iron Patch]

I've used it on old silver a few times where something like lemon juice didn't work. I had decent results but you have to be careful because it's pretty harsh stuff. I'd be surprised if you had to go that route because i haven't had to touch it for many years now.... just never had a coin that I needed to be that aggressive on. I'm very confident in cleaning in almost anything dug, and am very confident in the methods i use, but the Tarm-x has me on edge when I use it.

 

[CincinnatiKid]

Tarn x is too abrasive for silver flatware, much less coins.
If you have, or think you may have metals of value, Tarn x is not the route to proper cleaning.
Nor is tumbling.
Peace ✌

 

[woodrat]

Maybe try electrolisis

 

[BigWaveDave]

never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never clean a coin, never. (unless its Canadian)

 

[Silver Searcher]

never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never clean a coin, never. (unless its Canadian)

Why or are you referring to none dug coins.

 

[BigWaveDave]

Why or are you referring to none dug coins.

Ever since I was a kid, all I have read and known in regards to collecting coins, that cleaning coins is a no no..... But now, since the hobby of metal detecting has taken over my life, allow me to elaborate further, as there are exceptions...IF, while detecting, there is a key date coin, or a coin of national/historical importance that is found, I agree that it would be OK to clean, but ONLY by a professional conservator, such as a PGCS or NGS, or similar entity. To risk the integrity of the coin with a concoction of chemicals, or anonymous internet advice is beyond foolish. Other dug coins, like old coppers, are beyond my realm of personal experience,(cuz I haven't found any).... but from what I understand, there is a practice of limiting further decay after being extracted from its grave. Everyday coins, like common silvers, can be tarnished depending on soil conditions, etc.. and if a detectorist wants to shine it up, well, who am I to say they cant? So, I have changed my mind, slightly, as I realize that a gently cleaned coin looks better than that same coin still underground, nobody can enjoy that! Finally, cleaning everyday clad?... that's where I lose it...WHY? Who cares how black your dimes are, and how crusty your zincs are? This has been over-thought by way to many people for no reason. The ones that kill me are the guys who "tumble" their coins to make them cleaner....I don't get it, why spend money to spend money? Banks will give you coin wrappers, for free, to wrap your own coins....coinstar? PUHLEASE, man up, count to 50, and put those pennies in a roll. (FYI, 50 dimes, 40 nickels, and 40 quarters to a roll as well). Go to the bank, and deposit, or cash them as you please.... I have never had a problem doing this, and if your bank busts your balls about it, then find another bank.

 

[Higgy]

I agree that it would be OK to clean, but ONLY by a professional conservator, such as a PGCS or NGS, or similar entity.

So I will ask this again. What do they do that we can't do? What are their methods? Somebody has to know. I ask this every time someone mentions the term, "professional cleaning," so don't feel attacked, okay Dave? You're one of the good ones, man!

I'm just trying to say that coin cleaning is a question that frequently pops up in every sub-forum on this site, and I am certain that its a constant subject on every other THing site as well. So what do they do to clean a coin that we - the commoners, can't do?

Here is my methodology:

1. Never use anything abrasive, caustic, or acidic on a coin. Ever. Lemon juice, vinegar, olive oil, silver cleaners, CLR or anything like that are just too abrasive or too far on either side of neutral pH. The only things that should ever touch your coins are distilled water, mineral oil, and acetone. The one exception to this is a hot hydrogen soak will do wonders for a copper coin if its really crusty but not too far-gone.

2. Never rub a coin with your fingers. I cringe when I see a video of someone who just pulled a nice coin from the ground, and they rub it with their thumb to see the date. What they are doing with every swipe is dragging grit across the coin, scratching the relief and scratching the fields. Before they even get the coin home to clean further, the value has already dropped.

3. Freezing/Thawing is my preferred method for cleaning. Its simple. Its safe. It works.

4. Swabs, small soft paintbrush, and toothpicks are the only physical things I use to clean with.

The one thing I would like to explore is a good ultrasonic cleaner, but I suspect that cleaning this way will rattle-loose more than you want.

 

[BigWaveDave]

I got this 117 page book in my numismatic library, and I consider the author, and those who advised, to be the professionals.....I could go on an on as to how detailed it is in regards to metallic properties, cleaning, and conserving coins, but it was written more for conservators of European coins, somewhat beyond my realm of interest.


The premise of the book is to leave and preserve every coin in the condition in which it was received. Environmental damage too often compels a collector to clean a coin, beyond what metallic property of the coin allows.

 

[Silver Searcher]

It's what you are confident about cleaning at the end of the day. A high value coin can be risky to say the least, especially in my case were they have been in the ground for so long. But I watched a friend of mine lose £1000 on a rare coin because he had not cleaned the coin, ...why because it could have gone wrong on him to do so. The buyer said he would have to clean the coin, so there was a risk to him purchasing, hence the de value of £1000. I would have cleaned the coin because I would have felt confident to do so.
I guess things are a bit different across the pond, I don't get the tumbling of coins either, unless they are modern and going back into circulation. Copper coins are a lot harder to clean, and I tend to stay away from any chemical formula. Silver coins are a lot easier to clean, I find lemon juice and tooth paste the best method, and bleach if I want to re tone the Silver, all these methods work with out damage, a method I used recently on the Richard 11 penny which is now at the auction house, never have I been criticised about the coins I have sold to collectors or dealers, about the look of my coins.

SS

 

[ironhorse]

never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never never clean a coin, never. (unless its Canadian)

You go right ahead and ruin your valuable Canadian coins if you want

 

[BigWaveDave]

You go right ahead and ruin your valuable Canadian coins if you want

I was waiting to get called out on that HAHAHA....I was just havin fun with that

 

[Msbeepbeep]

I have used CLR on zinc cents that were toasted trash, it worked well considering what they looked like prior.
I would not use it on any other coins or any thing valuable.

 

[CoilyGirl]

Sometimes cleaning coins can make them worse as I found out. The little V nickel I found was at least readable when I first washed the mud off but now with a soak in olive oil it just looks like a green disk.

 

[Juice in the hole]

Good info in this thread to sift through! I've tried a variety of methods; some work and others not so much.

My gripe with and questions for the don't clean or send it to a pro crowd: how much is it worth uncleaned and how much does it cost to clean? Caked in mud the coin is worth nothing for sure. A pro cleaning may cost far more than the coin is worth to a collector. Unless we're talking about an extremely rare coin or a personal memento for our collection; I don't see the worth in it.

I'll sit back, read and learn.

 

[rjw4law]

As tempted as I am .... I am really afraid to devalue the coin

 

[rjw4law]

Just thought of something.... any ideas on electrolisis?