Came across a nice new unit at a thrift store for a couple bucks, so of course I picked it up, thinking it could be useful for something. Now, I know the dogma about not cleaning coins... but there are some that I want to experiment on anyway. I'm in an experimental mode, I'm trying to learn how to detect various insults to coins, and figure that the best way is to do them myself. In particular I have one coin, a 1933 Walker, not valuable but a nice coin anyway, and it's got some sort of organic gunk on it (it smells organic, like someone either tried to tone or clean it, unsuccessfully). How would ultrasonic cleaning impact a coin, I mean negatively? And, I was thinking of putting all my really old grungy icky coins from rolls (cents mostly) into it just to clean them before putting them back into circulation. What do you say?
The enegy waves should do no harm whatso ever, but the solution you put in could effect the metal the coin is made from. Be especially with any solution that may be flamible, as this will sure get the fumes going. In other words.....open the windows and protect your eyes.
Hmmm... I was planning on using water, lol (ok, so I'm a wimp). People really put organic solvents in a sonicator? eek
I use a mild mix of soap and water on my romans and it seems to work a treat on loosening the crud round em De Orc
if you think the gunk is organic then dip the coin in pure acetone (from a hardware store). Acetone is innocuous to silver so you can let it soak overnight with little worry about the coin. If that doesn't work, then I'd try the sonic cleaner.
