Results Of Using Vinegar And Salt On Dug Nickels

[ron_c]

First let me say DO NOT do this to valuable coins, this is for common date coins. A lot of people know about using vinegar and salt and has been around for years. I found out about this many years ago and works very well for removing the crud and the red color on dug nickels. It will usually bring back the date on dateless Buffalo's but it leaves the coin a dull gray color. If you try to remove the dullness it will also remove the date on the dateless nickels.

 

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[Arizona Bob]

Nice restoration, Ron. What are the details? How much vinegar? How much salt? How long? etc. thanx

 

[ron_c]

I use an old margarine dish.

1. Pour about 1/2" or so of vinegar into dish. (depending on how many coins you are cleaning)

2. The amount of salt isn't critical, but about 1 level teaspoon or less. Stir until salt is dissolved. If all the salt will not dissolve it was too much salt. Next time use less salt.

3. Place nickels into solution. Do not let coins rest on one another as where they touch it will not clean in these areas.

4. In about 2 hours or usually less the crud will dissolve. Turn coins(s) over and let them set until the crud disappears from the other side.

5. Let each side of the coin set in the solution for several hours until the red disappears. Turn coin(s) over and let it set again until the red disappears. In the case of the 1936 Buffalo shown it took about 6 - 8 hours or less for each side to complete. The solution will turn green. After use pour out solution and if you want to clean other nickels start with fresh solution.

6. Thoroughly rinse coin(s) with water to stop the process. Do not rub coins but pat dry. If the coin isn't rinsed thoroughly, in time it will start to turn green.

As I said it will leave the coin(s) a dull gray color but to me they look better cleaned this way but I know guys that say they like them left with the red color. If this is a dateless Buffalo usually it will bring back the date and detail on the coin and I have found a few Key and Semi Key coins this way but if you try to remove the dullness it will remove the date and detail of the coin. In time the surface will change from a light dull gray to a somewhat darker dull gray. This works with dug nickels but doesn't work very well with dateless Buffalo's that hasn't been in the ground. This works on any nickels. Hope this helps.

 

[Monty]

I do this quite a bit on coins that are stained and not worth much such as clad quarters. It works great. Put a small piece of aluminum foil in the container and it works even better. Don't leave them too long or it will make tiny pits that is what makes them look dull. After an hour or so I scrub them with a stainless steel wire brush.Monty

PS. Don't put copper and silver colored coins in the same batch.

 

[ron_c]

This also works on copper coins but you only leave them in the solution just long enough to remove the crud as it seems to etch copper if left in too long and leaves them a dull and dark color. I usually don't clean copper coins with this method.