Cleaning Mercury Dimes?

[falldown]

Good Morning All,

I found a couple of silver 1930's mercury dimes over the weekend. They are both in amazing condition, no wear, all have the grooving, and just look good, but they do have some grime on them. Should I clean them? If so, what should I use to ensure I do not destroy these Mercuries?

I know this is a silly question, but i only really started in this hobby a few weeks ago...

 

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[TheRingFinder]

Probably worth about $3.00 - Always remember that most collectors are looking for non-circulated coins. Any coin you pull out of the ground is going to be in a lesser condition (unles you find a cache) The non-circs 1930's would go for around 130 bucks!!! No reason to clean it!!! Save all your silver and have a huge ingot made!!!!!

 

[Landlord Jim]

Just for my collection I clean the mercs by rubbing a little Baking Soda on them and buff with a soft cloth.

 

[falldown]

Ah well. Thanks for the info RingFinder. Also thanks for the suggestion Landlord Jim. I will try the baking Soda technique.

 

[wkrp43]

Found my first merc a few wks ago. Here's what I did with it. The jeweller asked me did I want him to shine it up, I told him I liked it the way it was.

 

[hvacker]

Clean mercury dimes with mercury. It makes them real shiny.

 

[falldown]

Thanks for the advice hvacker. Dunno about others, but I really don't have mercury lying around, and with a newborn I don't really want it in the house just to clean my coins.

Wkrp, that is awesome. good idea.

 

[Frankn]

Mercury doesn't clean coins, it coats them. Yes I use to do it too, but mercury is bad stuff. Frank...

 

[lastleg]

I cleaned up a batch of quarters and one dime few days ago. No baking soda. It is gritty and will
scratch. You can loosen grime with GO-JO original and use a FIBER brush on a rotary tool. They
came out great with NO damage whatsoever. Do the edges also. They will look nice on display
and if you later sell the buyer cannot tell they were cleaned. Lowes carries the brushes a lot
cheaper than Dremels.

 

[mreese1849]

I was using baking soda on my junk silver coins, but if you want them to really shine just go to a grocery store on the household cleaning aisle and pick up some silver polish for a few bucks and clean them with a cloth... like brand new. You wont be scratching them up like you would with baking soda.

 

[mangum]

I leave all my silver as is for the most part. Just make sure not to clean a silver coin that's valuable.

 

[Jayman931]

As a coin collector I would say don't ever clean them. If you clean them and there was any collectible value it is now gone. Now there are ways to preserve them. There is nothing wrong with running warm water on them to get off any dirt clinging to them. After that you need to soak them in 100% Acetone (not nail polish remover as a lot fo times it isn't 100%). Home Depot/Walmart/Lowes all carry 100% Acetone. You can soak them for days (in a sealed container as Acetone evaporates quickly and leaves no residue). After you are done soaking them either rinse them in clean acetone or distilled water.

 

[gleaner1]

hot water rinse and a pat dry with a puffy clean dish towel

 

[hvacker]

Mercury doesn't clean coins, it coats them. Yes I use to do it too, but mercury is bad stuff. Frank...

View attachment 869708

Geeeeze I know that. I was having fun.

 

[McKinney_5900]

Take a toothbrush and some toothpaste to them, will look brand new.

Same answer.

 

[Jayman931]

If it is a 1916D Mercury and you clean it with a toothbrush and toothpaste its value is hurt severely (it will grade cleaned). But to each their own.

 

[Jayman931]

OP said it was from 1930s, and I figured it goes without saying that you only clean coins that have no numismatic value. Your example of a 1916D dime that sells for tens of thousands of dollars might fall in the "I should probably not touch this one if I dont have gloves on" ...

So what when he finds one tomorrow and cleans it as per your instructions? Its obvious that the OP was asking how to clean a coin that was found MDing. The OP obviously isn't to experienced in numismatics nor is anyone who told him to "clean" it and not preserve it. He has 2 1930s Mercury Dimes in amazing condition. That is all we know. It could be a Doubled Die...or a M/M. There are many coins that are worth a lot of money. Once you clean them your ruined it. 1931 S Mercury for instance is a key date. 1937 Doubled Die goes for a nice premium. Im from the school that you error on the side of precaution unless you just want scrap silver.

 

[gleaner1]

Hot water rinse and pat dry with toidy paper. No rubbing please.

 

[Jeremy S]

Rubbing a silver coin with anything will insure that you ruin any collector value that it has. If the coin is already worth just melt, then go for it.

I cleaned some stains off a SLQ not too long ago by dipping it in lemon juice for a few seconds, rinsing it in the sink, then lightly patting dry. The coin is pretty worn and probably just work its weight in silver but at least it isn't covered in tiny little scratches.