Toasted Copper Large Cent

[WheatWaffle]

Have a large cent with no date, and can barly even tell that its a large cent. What is the best way to clean this coin? Thanks for the help in advance.

 

[WheatWaffle]

 

[Zombi]

Looks like you might have a Liberty Cap cent there! Nice find!!

Obviously everyone says don't clean your coins...but in this case you have two options that might work. How encrusted is it with soil? I have a few Roman coins I cleaned with an Olive Oil soak. They'd been in the ground for almost 2000 years, so the soil was baked on basically. I soaked them for several months, which is the only down-side to cleaning coins this way. It's good for the metal, though, and doesn't degrade the coin face any further. The other method is good ole soap and water, but be very careful if there's sand or small rocks in the caked-on soil. They could degrade the face.

Another method is electrolysis, but this has to be done very carefully. It will begin to eat through the metal if left in too long. For old coins like this, electrolysis is NOT recommended unless you have experience with it. Even then, I wouldn't trust it with something like this. Just my two (large) cents!!

 

[Zombi]

Also found this but I have no idea if it works. I've never tried it before.
http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/c...-trick-find-cleaning-crusty-copper-coins.html

 

[Iron Patch]

There's nothing to clean, the problem is wear and nothing you can do to improve it. Anything you do will make it worse.