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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;GDJMSP, post: 535372, member: 112&quot;]You will find countless methods for cleaning coins on-line, in books, literally all over the place. And some of them will be made by names you recognize as being &quot;somebody&quot; in the field of numismatics. But that doesn&#039;t necessarily mean you should follow their advice.</p><p><br /></p><p>Up until the 1940&#039;s or so cleaning your coins was considered to be the thing to do. It was commonplace and every method imaginable was used. Now not everybody agreed that coins should be cleaned, even back then. But as time wore on more and more collectors began to realize that most methods of cleaning coins was harmful to them. And they began to appreciate those coins with original surfaces.</p><p><br /></p><p>In today&#039;s numismatic world coins with original surfaces are highly prized and bring premiums at sale. While cleaned coins, even those cleaned properly do not. Those cleaned improperly bring fractions of actual retail value.</p><p><br /></p><p>Something that many do not think of when they buy coins and consider cleaning them is this - yes, they are your coins, you paid for them. And you can do whatever want to them. But think for a minute, that coin that is 100 or 150 years old, how many other collectors owned that coin before you did ? They treated the coin with respect, why shouldn&#039;t do the same ? How many more will likely own it in the years to come ? And if the coin is cleaned, how many of them will be wishing that the previous owner had not cleaned it ?</p><p><br /></p><p>We, as collectors, owe something to the coins we own. And we owe something to those who owned it before us and those who will own it in the centuries to come. We must never lose sight of that.</p><p><br /></p><p>Imagine if you will, this coin which is 645 years old, what would it look like today if it had not been properly cared for over the last 6 centuries ? What would look like tomorrow ?[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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