Cleaning Coins with Pencil Eraser!

OP, here's what I sent to a young friend who was coin-roll hunting. I hope you find this helpful.

Clean your coins:

1. If you collect pocket change for the joy of amassing different circulation coins because you just like to collect pocket change. They’re yours – make ‘em prettier.
2. If you’re a germaphobe (technically, mysophobia is a pathological fear of contamination and germs) and you want the pocket change you carry around to be clean – go ahead. The Centers for Disease Control will thank you.
3. If you intend to destroy the coins. Shine up that penny before using it for .22 practice – it’s easier to see, and still a challenge to hit.
4. If you’re experimenting with pocket change to learn about chemistry – have fun. Remember to wear safety gear, have proper ventilation, and request (and read) a MDS (Materials Data Sheet) from the manufacturer of the chemical. Take notes, and share your scientific experiments.
5. If there are contaminants on the coins which are dangerous to people. Immediately rinse off infected blood (darn vampires), accidentally spilled acid, or other dangerous contaminants (e.g. you work in a bio-weapons lab). Again, the CDC (and I) will thank you.
6. If you need to gently remove enough dirt to identify the coin. Metal detector hunters routinely rinse off dug-up coins. Beyond soak and rinse – stop: If just pocket change, see above, of not, see below.
7. If you’re sending them to NCS, or Numismatic Conservation Services http://www.ncscoin.com/.

Don’t clean your coins:

1. If you think there’s any chance it has any numismatic or investment value. It’s likely true and the reason you’re on this forum, and the assumption everyone is making when they shout “NO!”
2. If you intend to sell or bequeath the coins. Even if you disclose that you’ve cleaned your coins, the person you’re selling or leaving the coins to may not, and that’s a problem.
3. Why?
   1. Personal reasons: It will ruin the value & will reduce the liquidity (how easily you can sell) of the coin.
   2. Community reasons: It is or likely will be deceptive to future owners, and damages a piece of history (they don’t make those old coins any more).

Maybe clean your coins:

1. While semantics to some, preserving is different. After you’ve done a lot of research, and after you’ve experimented with pocket change and junk coins, you may then tackle PVC damage and other chemical contaminant removal. Beyond that, send them to NCS, or don’t clean.
2. Preservation does NOT include: erasers, rock-tumblers, brushes, catsup, potatoes, etc.

Before you clean your coins:

1. If you’re asking, you probably should read this – no matter your budget, it’s worth the cost:
   1. The Coin Collector's Survival Manual, 6th Edition by Scott A. Travers
2. If you’re digging deeper, then these aren’t bad choices:
   1. Coin Chemistry by Weimar W. White
   2. The Dirty Little Secrets About ?Cleaned? Coins: A Common Sense Handbook on Coin Cleaning by John William Swank (Oct 20, 2008)

I hope that helps. . . .

 

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I have a Finnish Markka coin (Made of Silver) and I cleaned it with an eraser... It was and still is in mint condition... it was dirty but the eraser seemed to do the trick.
Also I had a coin that was already over 100yrs of age and me being stupid I "cleaned" it with a screwdriver... which seemed to do the trick but it already had little dents in it and me "cleaning" it made scratch marks. Should I just play it off as an old coin that has aged or... what should I do???

 

Welcome to the forum.
No, it is not in the condition it left the mint, you received it from some source and you mention it was dirty, so it had circulated and had environmental exposure. Using an eraser is not useful as 99.99 % have an abrasive additive to it of some kind. Some vinyl eraser don't , but they will leave scratches by the dirt that adheres to it. A grader or someone knowledgeable about grading will notice it has been altered, so not good. Silver coins can be chemically cleaned without visible damaging if done properly. Damage loss is usually determined by the degree of the damage and may be close to
100% for common coins. I would be honest and just say damaged and expect a reasonable price for the condition.
Jim

 

As stated, your coin now has damage from the eraser, it may not be readily visible to you but damaged none the less. Once your coins are cleaned there is not really much you can do, except take it as a lesson not to do it in the future! Hang around the forum and you can learn a lot!

 

One of my life’s regrets is that I loved to polish cents with an eraser as a youngster. The things we did before we all had personal I-gadgets and internets..... No, do not play it off as an aged coin. Anyone with the even minor coin knowledge will know you aren’t being up front. And a reputation is almost impossible to outrun. Be honest and open about it. And please, don’t polish old coins with erasers and screwdrivers in the future.

 

I am so glad this old thread came up. This was one of the most enjoyable, humorous and informative reads I ever saw on CT.

 

I used my "White Pearl" on a silver Truman medal and it came back MS 69.
There were milk spots under his chin.

PS This was the only time I tried it.

 

Not so on ancient coins. Check these out (click image to enlarge):

 

Wait a minute, Do I actually have one to share in the ancient forum? (Probably not, but I don’t know, these issues are amazingly diverse). Gift from Bing to my son a couple years ago and he still has an ancient fever.

 

Lovely! And with visible flow-lines to boot!

 

It's never too early or too late to learn. Welcome to CT. We have people on here from young teens to late octogenarians. We have a wealth of expertise and you will not often be led astray. An eraser will damage your coin. The material of the eraser is soft, but the grit, dust, dirt on the surface is hard and is scrubbed against the surface by the eraser. Live and learn. Show us the markka, we love photos.

 

Right up there with a pencil eraser, rubbing a coin with water and baking soda will destroy it. Did it as a kid. Don't do it!

 

Also, some erasers are less abrasive than others, like magic rub. That might help to minimize the irreparable damage you do to your coin when erasing it.

 

no

 

+1

 

On a lark, I decided to try the eraser method. I was going through my IHC culls and found what would've otherwise been an AU coin, but was badly covered in verdigris. I first soaked it in isopropyl, then q-tipped it. I then took a couple different types of erasers and went to town.

Most of the residue came off so you can actually see the surface of the coin now, which is an improvement looks-wise. Clearly the surface paid a price for it, but it was always going to be a cull. It's a shame too because it is a nice four diamond 06.

 

Wow I didn't know that work

 

Don't do it unless the coin has no value. Should have used acetone, it would have removed the gunk.

 

IT DOESN'T WORK except to make a coin REALLY a cull. That Indian could have been treated with VerdiCare and still been a nice coin.

 

I have a really scratched up 1918 wheat penny and its worth a few dollars what would it sell for?
I also have a 1906 Indian Head Penny and I have a few scratches on them, will it be worth its cost?