Cleaning wheat pennies

[tkessler77]

What is the best way to clean wheat pennies? Last night I found a wheat penny that looked like AU but it had a stain. It had lots of details on lincoln and the wheat.

 

[SilverForBrains]

I sonicate my coins in a soapy water solution. I use centrifuge tubes that are conical at the bottom, so there is no contact between the obverse and reverse of the coin and the container it's in

 

[jerseyben]

I dug my first wheatie, and it's complelty green. ... I want.... to clean it.... *slaps self in face

I can see its a 1940 - that's about it. Any thoughts.

Also, I ran a morgan I bought under some water, and rubbed my thumb, and got most of the black off - was that bad? <--- serious question

1940: Clean it with a brillo pad, if you desire.
Can't ruin a value that was never there to start.

Morgan: Although I wouldnt recommend cleaning a Morgan, it is likely a circulated common date which would only have a bullion value anyway. I doubt you decreased it's value.

 

[sagittarius98]

1940: Clean it with a brillo pad, if you desire.
Can't ruin a value that was never there to start.

That's what I did with my 1940 and 1944 wheat cents that were covered in gunk. They have no value, I wouldn't do it to anything that has even slight value.

 

[tah06090]

hot peroxide works great

 

[CoinFetcher]

The Morgan was indeed common.

Thanks for the input.

Since I'm here. 1 box today was skunk.

480 in crh yielded one 67. Yahtzeee! Kidding...

 

[MrSchulz]

If your going to clean a beautiful penny, why not just drop it in an glass of Coca Cola for the night then use a wire brush to get the the dirt off.

 

[keesanka]

Sulfuric acid..!