Cleaning help!!!

[Garabaldi]

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.

 

[mrjosh]

Whats the stand on using a ultrasonic cleaner? Thats what I have been doing in the past, have not been able to hunt much this year tho.

 

[Garabaldi]

Tried the soap, water and soft toothbrush. Here are the results. Did not realize the hack I put in it with me digger. I was digging so fast because of the storm on its way yesterday that I was digging smaller holes.

 

[lostlake88]

I bathe them in boiling peroxide and get a couple tooth picks and go at it. I clean them under a scope. Works great for me.

 

[Garabaldi]

The 1895 IH that didn't come out as well with warm water, soap with soft toothbrush did well with mineral oil. I let it soak for a couple of hours and this is the result. The other IH, 1897 I kept as is.
I love Mineral oil.

 

[girlwithpearlearring]

Build your own electrolysis machine its easy. Get a phone charger, cut the end that plugs into the phone off. Attach alligator clips to both wires. Fill a plastic tub up with water and dissolved baking soda. Clip one end to a stainless steel spoon and the other to the coin. plug in the charger and throw both ends into the water, MAKING SURE THEY DONT TOUCH. it will start bubbling the crud off instantly.

 

[Iron Patch]

Build your own electrolysis machine its easy. Get a phone charger, cut the end that plugs into the phone off. Attach alligator clips to both wires. Fill a plastic tub up with water and dissolved baking soda. Clip one end to a stainless steel spoon and the other to the coin. plug in the charger and throw both ends into the water, MAKING SURE THEY DONT TOUCH. it will start bubbling the crud off instantly.

Do you have any before and after pictures?

 

[fmerg]

Build your own electrolysis machine its easy. Get a phone charger, cut the end that plugs into the phone off. Attach alligator clips to both wires. Fill a plastic tub up with water and dissolved baking soda. Clip one end to a stainless steel spoon and the other to the coin. plug in the charger and throw both ends into the water, MAKING SURE THEY DONT TOUCH. it will start bubbling the crud off instantly.

the electrolysis can damage copper coins
for removal of dirt i use modeling clay just bury the coin in the clay wait about 30 mins and remove the clay it seems to leave the petina intack
one of my old post (and not the best example) http://forum.treasurenet.com/index.php/topic,236945.msg1732302.html#msg1732302

 

[Garabaldi]

The different methods of cleaning or preseving coins on this post is interesting. One view that seems to be the same is "if its a rare date or valuable don't clean it" I do have an electrolysis machine, but don't put coppers in it. I rarely use it unless I have silver that is not clean when dug and not a rare date. Works well. After I take the silver coin out I polish it with a "CAPE COD, METAL POLISHING CLOTH". This pink cloth works amazing on silver, however I only use it on silver that does not come out of the hole clean. Often silver coins I have dug during low tide in salt water has a darkness to them, which were the ones I cleaned using this method. :ico
The before images were actually cleaned by hand. Initially I couldn't even tell it was a coin. Then after attempting to clean it, I used the electrolysis.

 

[Iron Patch]

One view that seems to be the same is "if its a rare date or valuable don't clean it"

The same, but lacking because the answer is either Don't clean it, or clean it the right way. Suggesting something not be cleaned because it is rare makes no sense. For as many holes as many on here have dug, it seems a lot don't seem to get there's a difference when someone like a dealer says never clean a coin. He means don't polish a non dug silver because it always decreases the value, which is far different than cleaning dug coin! (especially copper)

 

[lostlake88]

The different methods of cleaning or preseving coins on this post is interesting. One view that seems to be the same is "if its a rare date or valuable don't clean it" I do have an electrolysis machine, but don't put coppers in it. I rarely use it unless I have silver that is not clean when dug and not a rare date. Works well. After I take the silver coin out I polish it with a "CAPE COD, METAL POLISHING CLOTH". This pink cloth works amazing on silver, however I only use it on silver that does not come out of the hole clean. Often silver coins I have dug during low tide in salt water has a darkness to them, which were the ones I cleaned using this method. :ico
The before images were actually cleaned by hand. Initially I couldn't even tell it was a coin. Then after attempting to clean it, I used the electrolysis.

This is a coin I used the boiling peroxide method and a tooth pick with. I sold it on ebay to a dealer for 150 bucks, his feedback was positive. Sometimes this method will darken the bronze a little, but it won't hurt indians like it will with LC's ect...

 

[Iron Patch]

The different methods of cleaning or preseving coins on this post is interesting. One view that seems to be the same is "if its a rare date or valuable don't clean it" I do have an electrolysis machine, but don't put coppers in it. I rarely use it unless I have silver that is not clean when dug and not a rare date. Works well. After I take the silver coin out I polish it with a "CAPE COD, METAL POLISHING CLOTH". This pink cloth works amazing on silver, however I only use it on silver that does not come out of the hole clean. Often silver coins I have dug during low tide in salt water has a darkness to them, which were the ones I cleaned using this method. :ico
The before images were actually cleaned by hand. Initially I couldn't even tell it was a coin. Then after attempting to clean it, I used the electrolysis.

but it won't hurt indians like it will with LC's ect...

It won't hurt lg cents if they are in the same condition.