I've recently starting metal detecting and so far have only found more recent coinage (aside from a buffalo nickel but it was so badly corroded that it was hardly distinguishable from a bottle cap). Now I have almost $10 in grimy looking brown clad coins. I would rather not burden a cashier or banker with these horrifying specimens, so is there an easy way of cleaning them and restoring them to somewhat presentable condition? Aside from using a rock tumbler or rinsing for hours? I have tried ketchup, tooth-brushing, and oxyclean, but these have done nothing. The pennies I have found are simply beyond hope, as most are so corroded that only about 50% of some of them remain intact.
I would just spend them a few at a time. The really dirty clad coins I find I wash with plain water and there really is not much more you can do to get them to look anything close to "normal" again.
I guess I'll do that and spend them a little at a time. I tried bleach on a few of them and it resulted in pink-spotted coins. Odd.
I opened an account with TD Bank, so free coin counter and you get a receipt so you can get cash back. Just a balance of $100, and get an on line statement so no fee.