Cleaning help!!!

Garabaldi · Dec 5, 2009

I just dug two Indian Heads and an old copper. I soaked the copper in warm water then wiped away the dirt with a q-tip. The copper is on "what is it". What should I do first to the indian heads? Thank you for any suggestions. I usually wiped them with a q-tip in warm water, then use mineral oil. :icon_scratch:

WhiteHunter · Dec 5, 2009

I would leave them as they are i els i feel your are rubbing the years off

Silver Searcher · Dec 5, 2009

First of all, find out what you are cleaning...is it a key date? so on, the one you posted in whatsits thread, you have already done something two, I hope it's not a scarse coin :'(

always find out first :thumbsup:

SS

Woodland Detectors · Dec 5, 2009

Agreed. You can use Hydrogen Peroxide if you wish but, make sure they are not key dates or you'll lose the value. Dealers would rather clean the coins themselves if your interest is selling. I usually warm (not hot) a small amount of peroxide in a shot glass then drop the coin in for 30-40 minutes. then rinse with mild soap.

hodge · Dec 5, 2009

I've got to agree with the general consensus....don't over clean anything. I clean just enough to identify the coin, then stop.

NJ Marty · Dec 5, 2009

00000 steel wool does a great job on indians. I have used this on many indians with a heavy crust on them.
Marty

Garabaldi · Dec 5, 2009

The 1697 Scottish Copper Bawbee you see on what is it was cleaned with warm water and q-tip. Then I dabbed mineral oil on it to keep it from drying and flaking. I don't believe I did any dammage. The IH are 1895 and 1897, so no key dates. Under the dirt of the IH I see a nice patina. Some coins posted on here look amazing. The patina has a nice grean tint. I can't seem to get all the crusty dirt of without damaging the patina. This is why I figured I would ask for help in getting all the hard dirt off without damaging the patina. :icon_thumleft:

fistfulladirt · Dec 5, 2009

Hot hydrogen peroxide may darken a copper coin. I almost always use it to clean crusty indians and wheats. Some have suggested not to use olive oil as a preservative as it is organic and will decay. Light coating of 3 in 1 oil may work better to preserve copper.

azmetaldetector · Dec 5, 2009

If they aren't valuable coins...tumble them....they come out great!

watercolor · Dec 5, 2009

Lots of good suggestions on how to clean. . . and when to stop cleaning

If you choose to use hydrogen peroxide (as I do), it will leave your copper rather
dry looking after cleaning. Instead of using mineral oil to improve the appearance
of the coin, try coating your coin in hot bees wax and GENTLY remove the
excess with a soft cotton cloth or swab. It will leave nice sheen and will not
be as invasive as the mineral oil. . . (or olive oil. . . heaven forbid)

NOTE: For key date coins, use water only and clean as little as possible.

Garabaldi · Dec 5, 2009

Ok i am going to pick up some bees wax. Mineral oil is differnt than olive oil I thought. Does olive oil not have acid in it?

Goes4ever · Dec 5, 2009

are the indians crusty? looks to me like they just have dirt on them. I clean my indians with warm water, a drop of dish soap and a soft toothbrush, they come out fine, and it does not hurt the patina one bit, I rarely put indians in peroxide because it makes them real dark and dry looking

Garabaldi · Dec 5, 2009

Just dirt on them. I will try water, soap and toothbrush also. Thanks. :wink:

jeff741972 · Dec 5, 2009

those indians look pretty good, perhaps olive oil and a toothbrush would be all I would do to them.

Hidden_Realm · Dec 5, 2009

A lot of good different ideas here and here's mine lol. If not key dates, I will give them a clean and polish. I am trying to stay away from tap water as the chenicals add to it at times are stronger and will leave a noticable difference on a coin/button. Distilled water worked best as very lil chems. A little soap and a soft toothbrush for a gently brushing. After that, a dab with a cloth and then off to the hair dryer for a sec, to dry right up and warm a bit for the waxing part. I use renaissance wax as easy to work with and no fingerprints later on at all. A dry soft brush for a light coating and then a wax remover buff cloth from my car buffer to wipe excess off and a little more pressure then for a slight polish. This does great on my buttons also. I have tried olive oil but after time, that leaves a greenish glare on things.

If I got something to clean here, I will post before and after shots so you can see the difference.

Hidden_Realm · Dec 5, 2009

Grrrr, sorry but nothing to clean here at the moment. Maybe I better go and dig something now

wwwtimmcp · Dec 5, 2009

alot of my coins are found underwater amidst iron bearing rocks. they get very stubborn iron deposits of them that resist any of the methods I've heard of from here. I used clr cleaner as a soak but only for 30 minutes at a time, then rinse and soak in water for a few hours and apply olive oil.

this has worked pretty well for me but I have heard olive oil will eventually ruin them ? I might just switch to 3in1 oil as a preservative in the future,though.

good luck it looks like you got some nice coins there so be carefull.

Goes4ever · Dec 5, 2009

ok here is an example of a dirty indian and the cleaned pic, using the method I said above, this method will NOT harm indians, I clean all of mine this way, I have dug 57 injuns this year and have not ruined any with this method. Here is a dirty pic and a cleaned pic, using water, a lil dish soap and a toothbrush

Iron Patch · Dec 5, 2009

Goes4ever said:
ok here is an example of a dirty indian and the cleaned pic, using the method I said above, this method will NOT harm indians, I clean all of mine this way, I have dug 57 injuns this year and have not ruined any with this method. Here is a dirty pic and a cleaned pic, using water, a lil dish soap and a toothbrush

But that's your condition for your area, definitely not the same everywhere else. (But I wish it was)

jeff741972 · Dec 6, 2009

Iron Patch said:
Goes4ever said:

ok here is an example of a dirty indian and the cleaned pic, using the method I said above, this method will NOT harm indians, I clean all of mine this way, I have dug 57 injuns this year and have not ruined any with this method. Here is a dirty pic and a cleaned pic, using water, a lil dish soap and a toothbrush

Click to expand...

But that's your condition for your area, definitely not the same everywhere else. (But I wish it was)

Exactly, the ones I posted last week where from Berks county Pa, which is more clay like dirt. Others I have found from here in schuylkill county where the dirt must be more acidic just dont clean up very well (compared to the berks ones).