i only did 10 rolls. Did I find both a 1996 near and far 6 Canadian Nickel in this batch which actually had some decent looking coins, earliest being a 1962. As well, only 4 Jefferson’s the best being a 1984 D. If I got the duo, I’ll just need an attached 6, however, if the one that I think is of the near variety, I’ll have to eventually replace as you can see its gunkyness.
Gack! Clean it? What’s the first rule of Fight Club, er, coin collecting? I don’t even like to breathe on my coins. When their up close to my face I hold my breath. Actually, I am trying to learn to spot the difference between cleaned and not and so far, I ain’t been so sure of anything. I did a test with my magnifying glass cloth and tried to polish a coin, it got shinier but it still got scratched. The silver coins my grandparents amassed for this collection, most look milky. I was certain someone had tried to clean them but when I took them to a dealer he said that appearance was normal, so yeah, I don’t know about cleaning. Thanks for your confirmation on the near and far btw... sometimes I don’t trust my eyes but I became a little more certain when I photographed them together.
You are correct to be cautious but if the coins are not uncirculated or proof, they probably already have lots of scratches. Your magnifying glass cloth didn't scratch the coin, but scrubbing around any grit that was on the coin would have. Have little fear of damaging a coin by rinsing it or soaking it in pure solvents (water and acetone being the most common), the damage is in the rubbing. If you do use acetone, be careful of the vapors since they are both irritating and flammable. After rinsing or soaking, lay the coin on a soft cloth and blot it dry. Welcome to CT.