These are all the Wheat Cents I found in my last 5 Metal Detecting hunts. They were buried for decades so they have plenty of dirt and grime. Some have green stuff on the surface. I did simple water and soap and a toothbrush but it didn't totally do the job. I would like to clean them up better. So I ask what is a good cleaning technique to make them nicer? Please share any cleaning tips you may have.
You can first soak them in vinegar, and then rub with a Q-tip to get rid of the green stuff and some dirt too. You can then use toothpaste and apply it the same way. It works pretty well, but it does damage them a little too, as most cleaning normally does. It would also probably take a while to do all of those.
Here is a site that has several different methods. One method will not work on all your coins. Experiments may be in order. Keeping notes, plus before and after photos are most helpful. http://www.metaldetectingworld.com/cleaning_preservation_coin.shtml
Here are two that I just now dipped in a jewelry cleaner I got a Walmart. I only had them in there for a few seconds.
With copper I use distilled water first, then I will rotate olive oil and water until the corrosion has mostly been removed. It sucks but you will have to do a little bit of picking at the edges to get some of the corrosion. Here is a medal that I dug up a couple years ago. It had a lot of corrosion. The reverse is still slightly unreadable but much better than it was. Also neither distilled water or olive oil will change the tone or color of the coin.
I have had luck with 40% Peroxide. I think it can only be bought at Beauty Supply stores. My wife and daughter owned several hair salons and they would pick it up for me. Don't put the lid on tight, it creates a lot of gas that will blow the lid off if it is tight.
By now you should be sorry you asked. Vinegar, Toothpaste, Olive Oil, Jewelry Cleaner, Distilled Water, Peroxide and WD40. Take your pick Paddy! Oh yeah, don't forget a Q-Tip, toothbrush and a toothpick. Have fun!
I've never heard anyone recommend this so I'm just putting it out there. What about a sonic jewelry cleaner? It doesn't use harsh chemicals (hot H2O, ammonia, dish washing detergent). No rubbing. Just a thought.
One quick correction: the stuff from beauty suppliers is "40 volume", which is 12% peroxide. 40 volume means one quart of it can release up to 40 quarts of oxygen gas. Normal drugstore peroxide is 10-volume, 3%. The strongest peroxide most people can get is 30% from a lab supply house, or 27% from a pool chemical supplier. Putting either one onto corroded metal will produce enough gas and heat to start splattering, and you don't want that stuff on your skin, never mind your eyes. Anything more concentrated is getting into the range of rocket fuel.
Yes, thank you @jeffB it is 40 Volume. That's why I let the wife and daughter do the hair styling. I use a very little and rest a cover over it. And put them in and out with a toothpick or two.
I would think that the purpose of cleaning them would be important. I have to assume that none of them are of collectors value and therefore, you just want them to be "clean" for depositing. You can use a rock tumbler and very fine sand to clean them well, but of course that removes more than just the surface dirt. LOL
I read a spoonful of salt then a small amount of vinegar enough to make it pasty. Leave on the cent for 5 minutes then bake at 450 degrees for 30 minutes .. Just kidding on the baking part!
I know what you're doing due to where you find them and I've seen a number of them. Some of them make me cringe but when you said you used a toothbrush I can't tell you what I said. But my wife did look at me. Lol
B-12 carburetor cleaner in the pour can. Use a glass container with a lid (loose) Do not keep it inside your home! It’s like acetone on steroids. Might take a day or two.
