Does anyone have a recipe to use in rock tumbler for cleaning clad coins?

[Lownslow]

I have read several orver the years and herad one at a club meeting one time. I'm just wondering what others may be using. here is what I'm currently using. Aqurrium rock, about half of the tumbler full, Bar Keepers Friend, about 2 Tbl spns, and dry coffee grounds about 2 tbl spns. It seems to work well. I'm just curious what others might use. Thanks

 

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[montanagold]

silacone covered fish gravel works great

 

[johnraj1]

I will use it to clean some old clad coins and then describe you the result.

prospecting supplies

 

[MrLee]

Why are you cleaning them? You should NEVER clean a coin. It will greatly decrease any numismatic value the coin has. If you don't have a valuable coin and just want it to look nice, have at it.

 

[khpony]

I use aquarium gravel, a little water, and 2 drops of Dawn dishwashing liquid. It does a great job and then they're ready for the coinstar machine!

 

[treasureman001]

I use a tumbler all the time to clean clad coin.. simply, use beach sand and 2 tablespoons of dish detergent. Tumble for 6 hours and wash off coins should be clean . Andy

 

[OldNBroken]

It doesn't shine them up but I put them in the tumbler with crushed walnut shells. Simple to do and does a very nice job taking all the dirt and grime off. Ready for the coin sorter. It doesn't beat the crap outta them like the gravel does.

 

[N.J.THer]

I use a tumbler all the time to clean clad coin.. simply, use beach sand and 2 tablespoons of dish detergent. Tumble for 6 hours and wash off coins should be clean . Andy

This is what I do...just the cost of a squirt of dish detergent. The beach sand is free. Once the coins are clean they go right into the machine at the bank so no need to roll them.

NJ

 

[Frankn]

Have used the rolling type tumbler with several types of cleaning compounds in the past. I have just ordered a vibrating "tumbler" . Keep an eye out for my cleaning post results with actual formulas, and before and after pictures of the coins and tokens.

 

[montanagold]

any copper coin such as wheats indians and tokens, tumble them for about 20 minutes then dry them off and put a coat of cooking oil on them over night they look fantastic.
silver I just wash with soap and H2O unless there is corrosion in it then I use electorlysis for about 10 min then tumble for a brief spell.
nickels If in good shape I do the exact same as pennys but if I have a tough one then soak it in CLR and then hit it with fine steel whool and it will look like it came out of circulation.
alum tokens I soak them in CLR to take rust off it works great.
Clad just pull out ant really bad ones wash them is soapy water then take them to the bank, I have had no problems.

Most coins found in the ground are in poor condition anyway, they would most likly be graded as corroded so make them look good and enjoy them.

 

[montanagold]

Here are a couple of pics after cleaning

 

[curbdiggercarl57]

Coinstar.
Carl

 

[scotttt1970]

I have tried everything in my tumbler to get the coins as clean as possible, and I can tell you their is only one way I have found to do this the right way and to clean them to the best they be cleaned. I use rocks that I picked off the ground little and big, now here is the part that will work I promise. Go to the grocery store and buy a big box of S.O.S (steel wool) pads with the soap in it already then cut off a little piece of the steel wool (S.O.S) throw it in the tumbler withe the rocks and some water let tumble for about 1 or 2 hours, and you will be amazed how clean they come out. You can use as big as a piece as you want depending on how many times you want to go to the grocery store.

 

[Argentium]

I've always tumbled the cupro nickel separately from the copper , throw a little distilled white vinegar in with your gravel , water and
coins -

 

[TrashFinder]

I have a Harbor Freight $40 tumbler. I played around with different things and here is the formula I came up with: Use almost any bath tub scum spray bottle type cleaner - 50 pennies at a time. Just enough cleaner to cover the coins. Then - use parakeet type gravel (small sandy stuff that is sharp edged). It only takes a table spoon or so of it with the cleaner. Seal it up as directed and let it run a few hours. Then, pour off the sludge into a cup (save it for the next run), take the tumbler canister outside to a hose or outside faucet and run a good stream into the can, and the sand will wash up and out. (DO NOT USE A SINK WITH A SEWER DRAIN AS THE GRAVEL WILL SETTLE IN A TRAP, OR MAY SETTLE IN THE SEWER LINES!) Be sure to mix it up while doing that. Dump the coins out on a towel and lay out to dry. They will mostly be shining. Sharp edges will still be on the cons! The thing that is oppressive are the clad pennies look dark but, if you look closely, it is the Zinc holes that make them look dark, but they are clean holes!

 

[Lifes A Garden...Dig IT]

I have read several orver the years and herad one at a club meeting one time. I'm just wondering what others may be using. here is what I'm currently using. Aqurrium rock, about half of the tumbler full, Bar Keepers Friend, about 2 Tbl spns, and dry coffee grounds about 2 tbl spns. It seems to work well. I'm just curious what others might use. Thanks

Cleaning Clad And Zincolns (Nice Results)

Also use aquarium gravel with lemon juice and several drops of dish liquid

 

[foiler]

1. clean clad separate from cents. 2. put coins in tumbler no more than half full. 3. add appx 2 dozen small stones preferably pea size or sligthly larger. 4. add white vinegar just to cover coins and rocks. 5. add 2 tablespoons of salt. 6. run tumbler for 30 minutes for clad, 20 minutes for cents. If coins are extra dirty 5 minutes more usually does the trick.