coin cleaning

[steveiow]

What is the best way to clean coins or do they lose value if they have been?

When we were kids the old brown sauce worked a treat and the look on the sweetie shop mans face when given a couple of shining Queen Vic ha'pennies or pennies was classic.

Seriously though,is it done?

Regards

Steve

[KenC]

What is the best way to clean coins or do they lose value if they have been?

When we were kids the old brown sauce worked a treat and the look on the sweetie shop mans face when given a couple of shining Queen Vic ha'pennies or pennies was classic.

Seriously though,is it done?

Regards

Steve

If at all possible, NEVER. Yes they lose a great deal of value. Many collectors prefer nicely browned, aged coins with as much of the original patina as possible. Sometimes for old encrusted examples, you need to remove debris,usually by soaking in mildly soapy water to loosen the debris. there are times when soon cleaning needs to be done but as a rule DON"T

[josie]

Thanks ken for the info.

[scottishmoney]

Might just as well drill a hole through it as clean it. Other than rubbing grime and dust off with a towel like cloth, you should NOT take the patina(toning colour) off of the coin, or it dramatically loses its value.

[Red Riley]

Might just as well drill a hole through it as clean it. Other than rubbing grime and dust off with a towel like cloth, you should NOT take the patina(toning colour) off of the coin, or it dramatically loses its value.

Wise advice. As a matter of interest I did read an article a few years ago - I think by a well known American dealer called Halperin(?). In his view, a very high proportion of 19th century American silver coins currently in collections had been cleaned in some form or another. He went on to say that collectors from that era and before were less interested in patina than is currently the case. Silver obviously tones less readily than copper/bronze and cleaning it off is less noticeable to the naked eye. From my observations, I feel that to some extent the same applies in the UK, especially in the middle grades.

[Geordie582]

OK! For those 'cruddy' coins, how about this? What's your thoughts?

[RLC35]

I had an ultrasonic cleaner, very similar to the one pictured, and it did not live up to the advertisement. Would not clean anything off of coins, except extremely light tarnish, wihout adding chemicals. The chemicals would have done the same job, without the cost of the unit. Just my humble experience! <ggg>

Bob C.

[steveiow]

Thanks a lot for all the info.I was'ent going to clean them anyway but just thought I'd ask.

I collect old Stock and Bond pieces,most are in good nick,but on the odd occasion you get a mucky one but you can't clean it!

As to ultrasonic cleaners.....well you can't beat the old HP

Regards

Steve

[wybrit]

Don't clean your coins!!!! Don't wipe your coins either - that leads to unsightly hairlines.

As for ultrasonic cleaners, we had a jewelry cleaner once. I tried an old, junky halfpenny and found that it came out worse than it went in.

I repeat, don't clean! Here is a nice 1895 threepence:

And here is an uncirculated 1894 3d ruined by some idiot who wiped it:

[Red Riley]

And here is an uncirculated 1894 3d ruined by some idiot who wiped it:

[Geordie582]

I was thinking of metal detectorists and purchases of "uncleaned Roman" not lightly tarnished milled!

Edited February 16, 2007 by Geordie582

[wybrit]

I think he might have wiped it with an angle grinder.

Believe it or not, to the naked eye, the coin looks "good." The camera hates it though!

[E Dawson]

I think the area of cleaning is much broader than has been alluded to. There is dirt of many different types that may adhere, there is corrosion on the surface (and sometimes into the coin metal), there is PVC, there are other surface contaminants both water and oil soluable. Many other sub- categories as well.

While I agree that wiping should generally not be done, there are many other options. If it is dirt or other adherents, even including PVC in many circumstances, a bath in warm water with mild detergent is a good start, followed by water rinse and tamp dry with a clean white towel (tamping is just touching the surface but not abrading it with a terry type cotton nap towel).

Next, acetone and or rubbing (do not rub it though) alcohol. These are different types of solvents with the aceton best for hydorcarbons and PVC, the alcohol for some intermediate substances.

Dips are more controversial as they consist of several types of acidic compounds. These can be helpful for stripping off oxidants but generally always result in loss of mint lustre that may be underlying. They work with rapidity and so are somewhat hard to control. These must be neutralised with the above mentioned water and mild soap with a tamp dry.

Copper and bronze is very problematic as the patina present is itself naturally oxidation and removing it destabilizes the surface which then can reoxidize with variable "new" surfaces, some not attractive as has been pointed out.

Well, I am running on but suffice it to say that there are other methods as well, including electrolysis which can be effective but that require practice. I may be able to help with some problems if people ask.

[Geordie582]

Thank you for that erudite dissertation! I'm sure it will be of great help to many on the forum. I must admit to 'cleaning' coins in a variety of ways, as well as using the "siver paper wipe" on some of the more obscure coins, but I must emphasise, I am a collector of hammered silver of the Plantagenets and stycas of Northumbria.

[E Dawson]

Yes, that would make it a bit simpler, but I would imagine that you get bits from the ground via metal detecting and the like.