Formula for Cleaning Coins

collectible silver coins + silver polish = bullion


("Silver polish" can be replaced by any number of other things, but the equation will remain true.)
(Gold fits too.)

I did not originate this formula, but it easily answers so many questions that I thought it was worth repeating.

Are there exceptions?
Yep, but so few that it's not worth complicating the original simplicity.

 

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Funny how some TPGs make it a big part of their business however.

 

Silver Polish will leave a coating on the coin. I suggest some battery acid instead. :goof::smile

 

formula.......

can you be more specific, aslanmia? how do the tpg's figure in to this?

steve

 

Checkout this recent post: http://www.cointalk.org/showthread.php?t=35572

Sorry, my bad... when these guys clean coins, it's called "restoration". I'd freak if my coin came back with that big old hair/scratch above the eagle...

It annoys me a little that everyone says to never clean coins, but it's okay for professionals to do so because they know how to do it right. Well, why don't these professionals share their knowledge with the rest of the world so we can ALL clean coins right. Errr... restore coins right.

 

The difference between "cleaning " and what NCS does is that cleaning agents work by actually removing a small ammount of the surface metal leaving you a shiny but damaged coin. NCS' methods remove the contaminants from the surface without removing any of the metal. The scratch you referred to was not put there by NCS, it was under the crud that they removed. What they did to this coin is not much different than using acetone to clean crud off of silver. It doesn't damage the coin.

Richard

 

A couple associated items:

1. I just e-mailed NCS to see if they would give me a statement about what measures the will take with a coin and what they won't.
I'll post their answer if they give me one, even if it's sort of a cop-out or a non-answer.

2. I recently had my collection appraised.
The appraiser (nationally known and respected) indicated that I had some PVC gunk on a gold coin slabbed by a reputable TPG.
I was thinking I'd go back to them and see what they would do about it.
But just to be sure I was headed the right direction, I called the appraiser.
He said he only noted the PVC gunk only for accuracy, and that PVC will not harm gold.
That made that easy for me.

 

There is a HUGE difference between heart surgery and cleaning coins...

A child can clean/restore a coin properly with the right instructions, and I'm confidant I could too. (I can't say the same about heart surgery or dentistry though... lol.)

My point is that there IS a correct way to do it, but it's a closely guarded secret by the "professionals". When they say, "you shouldn't do it, even though we do it, and we won't tell you how we do it" THAT annoys me.

 

I'm a little surprised that NCS methods have remained secret for this long. They shouldn't give away the secret, nor should we stop trying to figure it out. It's just one more little sideline to the hobby that makes it enjoyable.

 

Good point. That is their business...how they make the money to pay their mortgages and feed their families. Most of us don't walk into a store and demand free food or into a gas station and demand free gas, as much as we'd like to sometimes. If their cleaning practices were to become common knowledge among every joe and jane out there,they'd be out of a job.
Guy~

 

Yawn... SOS. Cleaning Coins is like drinking milk/juice from the carton, farting in church, or any-other cultural or socially unacceptable taboo etc. Everyone tells you not to do it, but they (the ones who tell you not to) have all done it in the past, will continue to do it in the future, and you will only be exposed as a (coin cleaner or whatever) if you get caught with your pants down so to speak...

 

It's hypocritical for someone to develop "proprietary information and techniques" on how to clean coins, and yet preach that you should never clean them.

It's the double standard that annoys me, not the fact that some won't share information, because some do. (Some of the cleaning threads on CT being a good case in point.)

 

It's about as hypocritical as those that want companies to divulge information on something that those wanting it in turn say is bad in the first place. If "cleaning" is such a no-no, why the disappointment in not being able to obtain the information on performing it? Who's hypocritical now?
Guy~

 

Hmmm... I'm not sure if I understand your post properly, but I personally never said anything about cleaning, good or bad.

Forget about the wrong or right way to clean coins, that's not the issue... the issue is we're told not to do it, yet quite a few people do and many of them so called professionals. THAT"S THE HYPOCRASCY.

 

ANSWER RECEIVED:
"The best way to answer your question is to inquire about specific coins.
Shy of that, the best I could say is:

We can remove residues and undesirable toning. We can address spots,
corrosion, and fingerprints. We will not be able to do anything
requiring the movement of metal such as plugging of holes, reengraving
details, or repairing damage."

Considering the answer and GDJMSP's observation, maybe the coin should go in for conserving.
Problem is it's in a PCGS slab, but if I sent it to NCS it would end up in a NGC slab.
Close, but PCGS still seems to have the value edge.
Unless because of the "conserving" the coin comes back a higher grade.

 

excellent response!

 

Great way to sum it up, BD.

If you promise not to expose me when my pants are down, I'll do the same... lol