Cleaning your coins.

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Greasey feel coins....

I have a bunch of Lincoln cents I got from my local fast food eatery. For some reason the owner does not accept cents as payment for orders (apparently he does). These coins have a greasey feel to them and some are just dirty looking. I doubt they are of any value, they are just to search through to fill the slots I need in my album.
I have no interest in making them 'shiney' I just want to remove the 'greasey feel' to them.
There are a few that need more cleaning as show here: How should I go about this? Thanks.

 

fellow collector:
Well, as far as the ones that you showed, roll them up and go to the bank, then ask for a couple of rolls of cents.
You'll be able to replace those common dates in very little time.
Good Luck.

 

Thank you Treashunt for your input. As I see in you are also in New York as I. I'm the city and my bank is in Queens. I was trying to avoid a trip to bank. I am mostly interested in removing greasey feel so I can handle them, and keep the ones I need for my album. The rest will be back into circulation when done.
Those in pic I don't need for album, I was interested in knowing how I should clean, if and when I find one I need in the same condition.
Again, Thank You

 

I think that he is trying to clean them so that they'll be presentable for spending? AM I correct? Then, just put them in a tightly tied handkerchief and toss them in with your next laundry.
That should eliminate most of the grease.

 

OK, I can tell this isn't going to be too popular, but just trust me on this one. Had I not washed this coin, in just mild hand soap and water, I’d have never known it’s 30 times scarcer than I had first thought it was. Hope you can make out the pretty much faded away mint mark in the photo...

 

Eddie:
Okay, I can understand your logic, about cleaning the coin, and soap & water shouldn't be too bad.
However, now the bad news, I do not think that the coin is an S mintmark.
I can (barely) make out what you think is an S but I believe that it is post mint damage to the coin, in a similar shape.
The S should be stronger and more to the right (end of the wall).

 

1927-uh-S 25C

Well then, Treashunt, I guess we just say I stand corrected, but it was exciting while it lasted. Here's another image (damn this looks good! )...

 

Seems that there are several schools of thought concerning this cleaning issue. Some say that do not clean your coins at all, some will say that you can wipe them gently with acetone/isopropanol and rinse them with de-ionized water and drying before slabbing and some will say that even mild soap and water can be used in washing the grease, fingerprints and abvious dirt off the coins.

This is really problematic for beginners; I mean, how in the heck should I know which method is allowed one and which isn't if collectors themselves cannot determine the right way?

What I have concluded, is that I shall now leave a dirty coins alone, although I shall not use Dremel Tool to polish a silver coin. But I've chosen to go in the middle. If there is a lot of loose dirt, I shall use mild soap and water WITHOUT heavy rubbing, then I'll wipe fingerprints with isopropanol and rinse the coin with liberal amount of de-ionized water and dry the coin in mild heat. I dunno, if I'm doing something wrong but I've found that this preserved the natural patina of the coin, BUT I can also get rid of extra dirt and fingerprints.

-JJ-

 

thanx i nevr cleaned my coins before and was almost tempted to but i will never do it

 

What I like to know is if you do dip silver coin that in MS 60 and above, and keep it for say 15 to 20 years will this hide that the coin was cleaned since it will get some type of toning over the years?


Here is another link to one of the cleaning sites

http://www.mycoincollecting.com/collecting/cleaning-coins.html

 

I personally feel ...... LEAVE THE COIN THE WAY IT IS! ........... If you want a clean bright coin then we should buy a mint state coin.TtHIS IS JUST MY OPINION. I HATE WHEN I SEE A COIN RUINED BY CLEANING.

 

Ok, then I'm doing something wrong maybe. Good thing that I have done this only to 'worthless' coins.

But, if I'd like to do everything correctly, what should I do then if I'd like to seal some more expensive coins in an plastic capsule...shouldn't I remove all grease and fingerprints from the coins before sealing it?

-JJ-

 

i am new to this but i can have an opinion....
here it is-
it is basically like taking off memories and importance of the coin.....after cleaning it has no personality it is like it's naked

 

I recently cleaned the glue off some cheap silver coins using acetone. I just wanted to say here that it is very effective, BUT the glue itself must have bonded with the grit on the coin surface, meaning that removal of glue removes grit and leaves a clean splotch that is obvious to anyone. This does not happen all the time but enough that I would not attempt acetone cleaning on a $$ coin. Too risky.

 

Wow, when you put it this way...I got your point now.

-JJ-