How I cleaned a penny

Get dishwashing detergent (powder version)
Get a sponge
Rub the powder on the penny for about 3 minutes
Wash it
Annddddd done


(Stupid bleach messed up my penny lol)

Im not responsible though

 

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I hope that coin wasn't anything valuable. Any kind of power will be very abrasive and will damage the coin. Cleaning coins is not something that you want to do. It will result in irreversible damage to the coin the vast majority of the time. I would suggest to avoid cleaning coins.

 

Wheat penny but nothing too valuable ( I don't have anything worth more than like 25 dollars) it actually helped it lol

 

It might look a little better, but I'm sure the coin was damaged if cleaning was as described. I don't think there is anything wrong with playing with worthless coins because it is a good way to learn what damaged coins look like...but I can guarantee you that "rubbing powder on the penny" will damage the coin. What happens is, the coin will get fine hairlines from the abrasiveness which will be in the metal of the coin. They are a tell tale sign of cleaning and quite obvious to an experienced collector.

Here is an example of a coin I picked up years ago and bought it when I was young. I knew it was cleaned and bought it at an substantial discount (although I probably shouldn't have bought it at all). This is an 1893-CC Morgan Dollar. Can you see that it has fine hairlines all over it's surface? This is a result of scrubbing the coin. No matter how gently the coin is rubbed, this kind of damage occurs.

 

I use comet and a brass wire brush and it only takes me 1 minute ...

 

I just put them in the automatic dishwasher basket and snap the little lid closed...easy as can be ~sparkly clean~

Note: be sure to add Jet Dry to the dispenser so the coins don't spot

 

Brasso and Silvo. Shiiiiiiiiny!

 

I usually just leave them in my pants pocket when doing laundry.

 

Brillo pads are good, but you should rub softly with them.

 

I kinda like a bench grinder with a pumice wheel ..... a little spit on it helps.

 

lololol

 

Note: Very simple use an eraser on a pencil shines the coin AWESOMELY

 

John doe , other than the very amusing threads here, a coin is usually lessened in value by cleaning, it may look better but collectors don't pay for shiny coins, infact a hundred year old coin with lots of shiny will usually set off alarm bells in most collectors heads. Now if you want them shiny and don't care about reducing their value go for it. leave the patina on the coin, thats how it it supposed to look, that coin earned that look. this is probably true of 99.9% of coins in collecting, there are always exceptions. you will also find tat many collectors do not buy cleaned coins, or would only pay very little for them. good luck!