Cleaning for jewelry and craft purposes

Hey all! I have a question. I know why people in the coin world discourage the cleaning of coins - because the patina and toning is valuable and because some pieces are fragile and can be destroyed by cleaning. I have a question about cleaning for jewelry purposes, though. Recently, I purchased a couple of coins online to make into cuff links. A conductor I work with loves Verdi and once told us the story about the unification of Italy. During the struggle, the slogan was "Viva Verdi!" because V.E.R.D.I. also stood for Vittorio Emanuele Rei d'Italia, who took the throne in 1861. So I found a few pennies engraved with this moniker and portrait from 1861 and I want to cast them in resin for cuff links as gifts. The coins are 15mm and made of 96% Copper an 4% tin. If I dip these into a solution of vinegar+salt and then rinse with water, will it eat the detail or just restore the color? Asking before I ruin it. Photo is of an actual coin I purchased. Any tips are appreciated.

Thanks to @lordmarcovan for introducing me to this forum!

 

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Personally I wouldn't clean them, even for jewelry purposes. It will just make them look fake. Part of the appeal of coin jewelry is the antique look. If you've got a modern cent, having it be shiny won't look strange, but an 1861 centesimo will look very unusual. Also, when you clean copper it doesn't end up with a natural copper color like you might expect. It can take on a strange pink coloration. Again, I would leave it alone, and if you're making cuff links, just try to find two with a similar patina.

 

Clean them first with some soap and water. Then, put them down on some crumpled aluminum foil. Pour some white vinegar to cover them, then sprinkle some salt around on the foil. That will begin to clean them. But make sure to watch them - if you leave them too long it will destroy them. If you watch them for 3-5 minutes, you will see a big change. Then just monitor them. You may need to exchange the vinegar and salt. This will make a weak hydrochloric (myriatic) acid. These coins are not numismatically valuable, so you aren't destroying anything that would make me wince. If they were AU or better, then that would be a different story.

 

Such great insight so far! Thank you all for these ideas and tips.

 

Are you trying to restore the copper color?

The salt/vinegar mix that you suggesed is going to be damaging to the surfaces of the coin and will leave them less than desirable.

There are other less caustic ways to restore some of the copper color if that is what you're aiming for.

 

I guess my aim was to have them look nice enough to wear with a tux on stage. There's another cosmetic option- I have these rub-on luster pigments. It feels waxy and you apply it with your finger. I could just "fake it" by gently dabbing a copper color on the raised parts of the coin, just to bring out the detail before doing a self-doming resin.

 

Leave the coin as is but you could clean with soap and water but not scrubbing. You don't want them to lighten up or turn pinkish.

 

most copper cleaning will leave coins a pinkish color as collecting nut mentioned.

If this color is acceptable, then clean away, you're using them for crafts, not collecting. If pink is not quite what you want, then I suggest the pigments.

 

Well, I must admit. I thought it was pretty cool (numismatically speaking), so I ended buying two for myself. I totally get why people collect coins now! Not only are they pretty, but some have a lot of historical significance! Hoping to learn more in this group.

 

I wouldn't use salt. Vinegar will make the copper a little pink.
You can take any toothpaste, and put a little on front and back and rub it between your fingers and a lot of the dirt will come off.
Vinegar is not terrible on nickel (if you don't mind ruining the coin) but on copper I don't like the color. You can always experiment on a couple of old dirty pennies.

 

While there are many materials that would brighten the color of the copper, I have yet to find one that doesn't trend toward pink, and pink just looks unnatural.

 

Nice to "meet" y'all!

 

Welcome to CT!

 

Welcome to CoinTalk

 

Welcome @Beena David. Judging by some of your interests in classical performing arts you might well find yourself attracted to the dark side (what we call the ancients section).

 

Wouldn't part of the appeal of this jewelry be the antique look? You expose copper to any kind of acid, even as weak as ketchup, it's going to "pink." Better to rub it with your thumb and fingers in a gentle soap, then brush it with a toothbrush. That won't leave any marks anybody admiring antique jewelry would be concerned about. Then, just rinse it off, set it in the jewelry how you want, and there you have it.

 

@Beena David is it the color that's you're trying to achieve? or is it a cleaner coin for casting?

 

Welcome to the neighborhood @Beena David !

Below is a link to a lot of images of coin jewelry. There are even some images of cufflinks. Maybe some of these will give you some ideas.

Chris

https://www.bing.com/images/search?q=coin+jewelry&qpvt=coin+jewelry&FORM=IGRE

 

Hey everybody! I'm on my phone, so I can't find the like button for your comments. But thank you for all the great input and questions!

In response to what I'm trying to do with the finish of the coin, I just want it to look clean/clear enough to where the Maestro might consider wearing it for concerts. I'm sure he might appreciate the sentimental value, but part of me is scared that if it doesn't look polished enough, it's not going to go well with the tux or a suit onstage. And yes, it's the thought that counts, but there's something about knowing that your gift is going to good use, rather than sitting in a drawer somewhere. Also, I don't want to come off as a suck up, so my gift is going to be anonymous. Lol It's more of a parting gift from me since I'll be retiring from the chorus after next season. But we're doing Verdi Requiem, Mozart Requiem, Aida and Handel's Messiah to celebrate the 100th anniversary of the WW1 Armistice for the 2018/19 Season. A good farewell season for me.

And yes, while I was researching which coin to get, I discovered ancient coins and was smitten! Knowing that there are medieval coins from India and even B.C. coins in existence kinda blew my mind.