Cleaning coins

Great visual warning

 

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Sorry, I got really busy trying to take care of my Dads estate and get things situated for my Mom. I will post pics later this evening. Thanks Bryan

 

So sorry for your loss. I know how stressful it must be.
Take your time and do what you can under the circumstances.

 

Sorry it took so long to post some pics. I just grabbed a handful and picked a few at random to post closeups.

 

Those are thick with corrosion. Unless you can find some key dates. I would just toss them to the wild.

 

I don't think there is an easy way to help the coins but I have a thought. Maybe make some type of art project with them. Something you could display in the house to remember dad.

 

I really like this idea, thank you

 

Baking soda and a toothbrush will work, but for that number of coins, I'd be tempted to try a white vinegar soak. That'll change the color of the coins (making them bright orange/pink), but it should dissolve the corrosion a lot faster than it attacks the rest of the coin. They'll be considered damaged afterward, but they're already damaged, so no real loss.

Whatever you do, try it on a few of the coins first, and see what it does.

Also, that green stuff is somewhat toxic. Wash your hands when you're done; it might be a good idea to wear gloves, just in case you're subject to contact dermatitis from these sorts of metal salts. Flush the waste down the drain with lots of water.

 

I tried a little experiment. I took the same coins. This is after a 36 hour soak in 50/50 mixture of Shakley's and water.

 

I'm going to post updates every 36 hours for 3 or 4 weeks. I'm just curious what this mixture will do.

 

They all soak at one time.

 

Hey @Bryan Dillard I'm sorry for your loss. May your grief be brief and your memories long lasting.

I hope this doesn't come off as harsh. It is certainly not meant to be. Your fathers stash of cents looks very similar to one that I've accumulated over the course of numerous decades.

I have two water jugs. One contains cents, like your dads'. And the other contains all other denominations of coins. My collectible circulation finds are always separated and never make it into those water jugs. All those jugs contain are my accumulated pocket change that is worth nothing more than face value. Basically it's my daily contribution to a rainy day, have fun, spend as you will, party fund.

I separated the coins as I did because cents just take up too much room. Are too heavy when it's time to move them. And definitely too voluminous to have mixed in with my other slush fund jar. I wouldn't want to have to sort/separate them after years of accumulation.

I don't see any wheat back (pre 1959) cents in your pix. Those are typically the cents collectors would focus on. There are absolutely some collectible memorial back cents 1959 and newer, but even with those taken into consideration, yours are severely damaged with corrosion. This would most likely render them virtually worthless as collectible coins.

I can understand wanting to keep them as a reminder of your dear dad. As a matter of fact, the recommendation by Larry, @ldhair jumps out at me as a spectacular memorial in your dads honor. Another aspect of the art project with the cents could be that if you left the coins untreated, as is, and don't do anything to preserve or prevent further corrosion, the 'finished' art project would never actually be finished. It would continue to change due to the progression of verdigris on the project as a whole. Ever changing. IMO a very interesting component of the memory itself.

 

I’d do the toothbrush

 

I don’t get it. Why would you keep all those nasty coins anyways

 

Just because they were part of my Dads collection.