bigjpst

does anyone use a sonic jewelry cleaner to clean coins? they say that you only need water, or would this only work on gold or silver coins?

borgovan

Don't even think about it.

No type of cleaning is appropriate for coins; not even the sonic cleaners. Yes, they will remove surface dirt, but they will also remove the surface layers of metal, which is a very bad thing.

Please do not use this method of cleaning your coins, or any method, until you know what you are doing. You stand to lose a good deal of value if you choose to proceed.

bigjpst

thanks...just curious...I knew that no traditional cleaning was appropriate, but I read alot of posts about acetone, dipping all these things that seem they would do damage, saw a sonic cleaner while out doing christmas shopping thought I would ask the more knowledgable..good thing

Ripley

Yeah I use a sonic cleaner in the 40,000 Hz range. i put ammonia and liquid soap in the solution. This works great. Then ionize the coin to bring out details. Then ultrasound again to get the ionization solution off the coin. you will have a brilliant coin if you do this right. Traci

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DoK U Mint

"Then ionize the coin"?

How do you do that?

I tried a sonic cleaner with ammonia and liquid soap in mild solution on common coins to see what happened.

I'm glad I tried in on common cents as they really don't look right afterward.

Just my experience except for the "ionize" step.

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borgovan

No doubt it is "brilliant" -- that's what happens when you remove metal from the surface and make it smooth, but in the process you are damaging the surfaces of your coins, and decreasing their value.

Just Carl

It's true that those sonic cleaners will really, really clean your coins. Yes they may come out looking like a pretty, shinny coin.
Unfortuately they will also have lost about 75% of their value.
Remember that ANY cleaning of a coin does ruin the coin for many reasons. One is that much of the dirt, corrosion, contaminations, etc are a combination of the coins metal and other substances. When those are removed, so goes the coins metal which is in reality the coin.
If you watch the Antique Road Show on TV you will hear many times them saying "If you hadn't of cleaned this item, it would be worth many times what it now is worth".
Yes you'll hear and see posts here and on other coin related web sites on how to clean your coins. Also, when reading them, remember that those saying that may, and usually don't, have any idea of what they are saying. You don't know them. If you ruin YOUR coins due to what someone says, TO BAD. They are your coins and many others just don't care. Usually won't even say SORRY, I just made that up.

Conder101

I seriously doubt if a sonic cleaner and plain (distilled) water would do any damage to your coin unless the dipping basket is made of metal. I do NOT recommend using ammonia or liquid soaps/detergents for cleaning your coins as they can/will react with the metal to give an off appearance.

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Just Carl

If true, then why even bother spending the money on a device that is of no use? Why not use use the distilled water in a jar? Why not just use distilled water in a pyrex jar over a stove?
Why? Because once cleaned a coin is now cleaned. If you suspect there is nothing to a sonic cleaner and water, try doing that to a valuable coin. I have but not with anything of value. Check it out and you'll see it is now a cleaned coin.

Ripley

Ionization is the pulling of free electrons out of the coin to enhance the details and deep clean ancient coins. Traci

__________________
And I saw heaven opened, and behold a white horse: and He that sat upon him was called Faithful and True, and in righteousness he doth judge and make war.

bigjpst

I appreciate all the input..

zekeguzz

So what does ACETONE do to a coins surface? Isn't it a carcinogen? Or a very mild solution of soap and water and long thorough rinse?

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piratej 21

Isn't a carcinogen a substance known to cause cancer in humans? What would causing cancer have to do with coins? Granted I'm in no way a biology/chemistry expert, so there may be a connection there that I don't know about.

desertgem

1.Although there are some who will argue differently, acetone will not affect metallic components under normal environmental situations. IMO.

2. Acetone is not a carcinogen as per MSDS
http://www.jtbaker.com/msds/englishhtml/a0446.htm

3. Fools can destroy their nervous system, die from asphyxiation, or damage their corneas if they pour it into a plastic bag and breath from it for several minutes, or,

If they smoke or use it in a garage with gas hot water heaters, they may ignite it and themselves, especially if they use a plastic container that acetone will dissolve so it runs over the floor.

You should wear an approved aspirator, but occasional and short time, small use shouldn't affect you unless you have liver dysfunction or damage.

IMO. Use common sense (cents)

Jim

Conder101

Yes that's what a carcinogen is, and more substances are carcinogens in California than anywhere else. What does it have to do with coins? It's a veiled warning about acetone, that you had better be careful using it to degrease your coins because it is a carcinogen in California. (The Federal government doesn't consider it to be one, but the state of California does.)

__________________
Slab collector and researcher
reported as of 12/29/06
132 companies 332 production varieties