Finally Found Something That Works

eddie72876 · Apr 15, 2005

? I've had a 1943 silver quarter that I wanted to clean (it was black). I did the soapy water and toothbrush thing to get off the fairly heavy dirt, but that black stuff just wouldn't come off. I tried a few different things including an ultrasonic cleaner. It worked somewhat, but not great. So I figured that this quarter wasn't worth a whole lot anyway so I tried a mix of water and a little muriatic acid. This was a bad idea? :'(

. I dipped in the edge of the quarter and it turned color almost instantly.
? Then I tried a product called NEVR-DULL. This stuff is great.? ?

Within 5 minutes the black was completely gone and so was the discoloration from the acid mix. It comes in a can and is a wad of this cotton-like stuff. Just tear off a piece and gently rub the coin clean (make sure heavy dirt and grit is already off). I've also tried it on nickles and pennys and the results were beautiful.
? There seems to be a little bit of an abrasive in the NEVR-DULL, but it wasn't enough to scratch anything that I tried it on. The can also says that it works on gold (maybe someday I'll have some to try it on).
I think this stuff is available at hardware stores or automotive stores in the cleaning section.

KevGA · Apr 15, 2005

That stuff is great, we used it on all of our brass in the Navy. Just don't enhale over the open can too long, it'll give ya a nice little buzz.

Comanchero · Apr 16, 2005

You guys can do whatever ya want naturally!

But I would personally never use any "chemicals" or abrasives on any SILVER COIN that I found that might have some real intrinsic value.

Usin' just my fingers, I use just a little dishwashing liquid to take off any grime or dirt, very gently, cause that stuff can be abrasive too. Any black on an old silver coin after that gentle treatment is probably silver sulfide, which dissolves almost immediately in warm non-iodized salt water in an aluminum pan or pot as soon as the coin touches the aluminum. None of the original silver is touched at all, only the black silver sulfide. Then I dry it off with a chamois. They are beautiful and sparkling.

Now, some collectors like the black silver sulfide left on 'em and will pay even more for them in that state, so ya need to check around with anyone ya might have dealin's with to see how they like 'em first, before ya do anything at all to 'em!

C.

Papa Jim · Apr 16, 2005

used this stuff for years on military brass items works great on brass , silver, gold and almost any other type of metal
Papa Jim

Dave45 · Apr 16, 2005

Im with you Comanchero, unless your planning on keeping the coin for your own collection I wouldn't clean it at all especially a gold coin

Comanchero · Apr 17, 2005

I got a few old liberty quarters with the silver sulfide on 'em. I think I will take one and clean it like I said and take pics of the process, just so ya'll can see how it works and what they look like, before and after.

How many of ya'll would be interested in me doin' that?

Comanchero

Comanchero · Apr 18, 2005

OK, Minelab, go to our "Coins" section and look under "Cleaning Silver Sulfides off Silver Coins, Salt Method" I just posted. I did it last night in about 30 minutes. I think you will appreciate what I have been trying to tell everyone.

8) Comanchero