Cleaning silver coins Light Olive Oil or Virgin Olive Oil? Plus last 24 boxes total

[StoneFree]

Hey everybody I am going to clean some silver halfs and other silver coins and I want to know whats your experience with using light olive oil verses virgin olive oil. I am a little concerned that the darker green color of the virgin olive oil might colorize the coins slightly. On these particular coins I am not concerned with getting them up to grading standards I'm just looking to remove some surface dirt and grime and make them look as nice as I can without scratching them up. Does anybody have some tried and true methods? thanks Also in the past couple weeks I have gone through 24 boxes with 20 of them being skunks and the other 4 produced only 15 40%'s. I've got 16 more boxes to pick up this week will let yall know how that goes.

 

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[enamel7]

Why clean them? Sounds like you may be new at this so some advice. What you think is dirt may actually be toning. You really don't want to remove that. Coins were nice and shiny when they were new.
Also, there is no amount of cleaning you can do to "raise the grade". Cleaning can only lower the grade.

 

[ugotit22]

Hey everybody I am going to clean some silver halfs and other silver coins and I want to know whats your experience with using light olive oil verses virgin olive oil. I am a little concerned that the darker green color of the virgin olive oil might colorize the coins slightly. On these particular coins I am not concerned with getting them up to grading standards I'm just looking to remove some surface dirt and grime and make them look as nice as I can without scratching them up. Does anybody have some tried and true methods? thanks Also in the past couple weeks I have gone through 24 boxes with 20 of them being skunks and the other 4 produced only 15 40%'s. I've got 16 more boxes to pick up this week will let yall know how that goes.

This is a joke right??

 

[StoneFree]

You guys misunderstood what I was saying. I am not trying to raise the grade, I don't care about that with these coins. I was under the assumption from looking in various places on the net that olive oil dipping was the leash harsh method of cleaning a coin over weeks. These coins are simply some coins that I would like to keep that have some slight surface dirt I would like to look better. So to people who have experience with this method of cleaning I'm asking which olive oil, light or virgin? sry

 

[FreedomUIC]

You guys misunderstood what I was saying. I am not trying to raise the grade, I don't care about that with these coins. I was under the assumption from looking in various places on the net that olive oil dipping was the leash harsh method of cleaning a coin over weeks. These coins are simply some coins that I would like to keep that have some slight surface dirt I would like to look better. So to people who have experience with this method of cleaning I'm asking which olive oil, light or virgin? sry

If you truly don't care then get a jar of Silver cleaner from your jeweler or Walmart. Dip for no more than three or four seconds
and rinse thoroughly.

 

[ugotit22]

You guys misunderstood what I was saying. I am not trying to raise the grade, I don't care about that with these coins. I was under the assumption from looking in various places on the net that olive oil dipping was the leash harsh method of cleaning a coin over weeks. These coins are simply some coins that I would like to keep that have some slight surface dirt I would like to look better. So to people who have experience with this method of cleaning I'm asking which olive oil, light or virgin? sry

Wire brush works best

 

[worldtalker]

Wire brush works best

Pretty rough on teeth though.

 

[ArkieBassMan]

Never let anyone tell you what to do with your own coins. If you want them cleaned, then clean away.

Even though it was stated once, I feel I need to state it again just so that my conscience knows that you truly understand: cleaning coins LOWERS the grade. Period. If its just a "junk" silver coin, it'll still just be a junk silver coin...cleaned or not. If it has numismatic value, you will literally wipe some of that away by cleaning.

I've never heard of dipping silver coins in olive oil. Thats usually done for corroded copper. Making a paste out of baking soda and a little water and then rubbing the coin with the paste will really shine 'em up.

 

[enamel7]

What Arkie said. Olive oil is for corroded copper coins to help bring out details. Not for silver. If you really want to clean them then just use soap and water.

 

[fistfulladirt]

I no longer use olive oil or the hydrogen peroxide cleaning method for my (dug) copper as I found it does more damage than good. Beware that olive oil is an acidic organic that will eat away at metal over time.

 

[DFX DAVE in M.D.]

I agree, Olive Oil is not for Silver. Olive Oil is when you detect that 1800's large cent and is in so bad of shape that you have nothing to lose.

 

[Rushfan]

I use light olive oil on my coins and Weiman Royal Sterling Silver polish for frying and light sautéing.

 

[Owassokie]

I feel compelled to say that people here are over-simplifying coin cleaning. These blanket absolute statements are simply not true. I'm not sure if it's just people regurgitating what they've heard/read or propagating the information to keep people from ruining coins. Maybe it's easier just to say 'never clean coins'?!?!

There are types of preservation and yes.....cleaning that can increase a coins value. I'm also compelled to say that it's easy to lower a coins value and/or cause it to look worse. You CAN cause a coin to appear worse with substances as mild as peroxide, oil, and even dish soap.

 

[baddbluff]

I feel compelled to say that people here are over-simplifying coin cleaning. These blanket absolute statements are simply not true. I'm not sure if it's just people regurgitating what they've heard/read or propagating the information to keep people from ruining coins. Maybe it's easier just to say 'never clean coins'?!?! There are types of preservation and yes.....cleaning that can increase a coins value. I'm also compelled to say that it's easy to lower a coins value and/or cause it to look worse. You CAN cause a coin to appear worse with substances as mild as peroxide, oil, and even dish soap.

You are correct. I think the key to coin cleaning is this: how valuable is the coin and how willing are you to possibly mess it up. If it's not a very valuable coin and it's in terrible shape, you have nothing to lose. On the other hand, if it's a valuable coin that just looks terrible, leave it to the experts. There are conservation

 

[baddbluff]

... Services out there. Remember the Saddle Ridge gold hoard? Those gold coins were cleaned by experts & are worth millions, some even finest known out there.