No don't clean!

I think a pretty good read. Holy crap! actual information rather than the "Danger Will Robinson!!" approach.:bigeyes:http://www.minelabowners.com/coincleaningadvanced.html

 

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Thats just chocked full of info...thanks for sharing.
I fear that people will indeed find that article so interesting they will try some of these techniques.
I know Im interested in the a/c electrolysis bit:goofer:

 

Just be real casefull with anything valuable when it comes to trying something you read on a web site. Why, I really don't know, but there are individuals that spend many hours producing articles that are completely bogus, have no scientific facts, dangerous too. This one appears to be a typical article written by someone that just spent a lot of time looking up miscellaneous information and made that web site. There are many coin cleaning types of web sites out there and many are just someone's attempt to make a web site with little to no idea of what is what. Be carefull out there.
And yes read the disclaimer at the far left carefully.

 

"It is estimated by some that as much as 70% of the ancient finds of the last two decades have been destroyed, or permanently damaged, by incorrect cleaning."

Sounds amazingly familar to what is said around here. Imagine that.




Yeah every once in a while I've heard that mentioned here before. Seems like the article was a bit more broad than that though. So are you "cherry picking" the lines you like, or are you lending credibility to the entire article? Just wondering cause it seems to also suggest the clean-, scuse me, "conserving", can be and is done rather routinely (among the many other points that are mentioned). That is amazingly familiar to what has been said in here before. What a concept. Provide the reader with pertinent information and let them decide for themselves, sparing them all the attorney type fear mongering rhetoric. Imagine that?

 

I do not believe in cleaning coins. I will not buy cleaned coins either.

 

I do not believe in cleaning coins. I will not buy cleaned coins either.


No...me neither. I import mine straight from the press.

 

But somehow, you always manage to ignore those comments and focus only on the fact that I advise people that do not know what they are doing to not attempt it.

Yes Sir, I do focus on it, because, that's the turn you make that is wrong IMHO. Someone asks you how to clean a coin. You say, no, don't,etc. They're gonna do it anyway. So why not offer some pertinent information. Start them out practicing on common circulated and then teach them Doug! Better WITH your help than without, isn't it? Don't assume everybody's brainless and are going to destroy a worthwhile piece. Spew your disclaimers if you must, but for God's sake man, lend a hand, help...knowledge..share it!!!!

 

I never clean coin but I might take a cloth and wipe off a little of the build up that comes right off and I mean very lightly rub it, but never any chemicals.
Bob

 

As to buying a cleaned coin. I purchase many of them and polished ones also. The more harshly cleaned by someone the better. My reasons are in the attempt to restore some of it's originality. Usually not an easy thing but if the price is right, it's fun and educational. Polished coins are the most difficult to do anything with as to restorationing. There are those that actually polish coins with metal polishes and a buffing wheel. This makes a coin shine like a mirror and removing such results is chalanging. I fail mosly with Nickels. I've made some fantastic restorations with Silver coins though. Mostly I end up spending time with coins on a kitchen window sill for months after miscellaneous solutions to make them look normal.
Naturally the final results still are cleaned, scratched, etc coins but I end up with something that is a lot better than when I purchased them. None could ever be worth the same as a coin in it's natural state, but it's still worth the attempt to try.

 

You see Tom, that much I do know

I know you know much Doug. You are very familiar with the effects "cleaning" has on coins, and offer lots of information pertaining to cleaning, so you gotta know some end results of same. Perhaps you never have cleaned any...ok..you have to had come across information that you can relay to other over the vast piles of time and experience. Lastly..how can you "poo-poo" suggested methods others suggest, when you haven't tried them yourself? Saying you don't know because you haven't tried it is, well, something doesn't wash, ya know what I MEAN?:goof:

 

I have Doug, and only really got ONE response of someone that's actually tried it, and they didn't do it the way I would have suggested. I think most are only interested in proving their own beliefs...not really interested/searching for anything that will disprove what they think they know (human nature I guess and that includes myself). Maybe if "professional conservationists" were more forthcoming with their methods/components used, I'd be more apt to believe that there actually aren't many more methods, but their particular methods are difficult, if not impossible, to locate. I guess it must like revealing the greatest stock market tips...the more you let anyone in on it, the less for you..all I can figure, but doesn't mean they don't exist. I can believe you when you say you don't know of more than two Doug, but I also believe you that you wouldn't accept a contrary method, even if you found it one...not because of your own ego, so to speak, but because you personally believe that it IS impossible for there to be any other methods. I'm determined to discover one or more of those methods and maybe even a few more of my own. There HAS to be a more obvious, less complex way to accomplish it and I'm gonna find it. Coins are essentially man made or altered chemicals, and chemicals react to other chemicals, whether it's known, secret, or simply unbelieved..it has to be there. I just don't know what it is....YET...

 

I never meant "all" coins Doug, but certainly the majority, I would think.
The "not sharing" of methods I can also understand...to a point. I do not understand apparent "shroud of secrecy" that seems to envelop the whole subject. My point is....we all know there are methods that work...I just want to know what they are (other than H2O and acetone). Maybe the secrets are buried deep beneath one of the great pyramids in Egypt. Maybe when one discovers those secrets, Ali-BaBa appears and grants you three wishes but swears you to secrecy, or maybe having that knowledge shifts the "space-time continuim" and causes world destruction. Who knows. I guess I'll just keep experimenting with whatever till I find out. Let's see.....what's next on the list...Anti-freeze, gopher urine, lemon-scented Pledge, pancake syrup, brake fluid, Big Mac's "special sauce", hummingbird food, roof tar, crushed acorns with wine, snail slime, who knows. I'll let ya know.

 

Thanks Tom you just gave me an idea , the secret sauce , I'm going to Mickie dees right now and get me a coule Big Macs , ya never know , I'll be rich !!!!! JK
rzage

 

Thank God someone else has figured it out!!! You are now an official member of the "don't clean if you don't know what you are doing" roundtable. The secret formula is hidden within the Vatican Library, taken from the Nazi team during the Euro conversion.



Jim