Cleaning your coins.

Thanks for the info

What is the correctway to dip ?

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

if the coin needs cleaning, dont clean it. Let the next guy clean it. a collector doesnt want a badly cleaned coin. A collector who likes clean coins and has cleaned them correctly can do it himself!! ask yourself why you're obsessed with cleaning a coin. whats the point? is it going to sit in a glass case in a museum? why does it have to be clean?

 

An amazingly mature and insightful comment from someone your age! :thumb:

 

I have some 1/2 dollars with green spots on the - probably dirt of some kind - sny suggestions on how to get them off? thanks

 

thank you

 

I have an Indian head penny that came out of a jewelry mounting - and has glue on it - any ideas what type of glue may have been used for this purpose and what will get ti to soften/come off?

 

If it is very old, if could be hide glue, if that case use heat to take it off. If not, try water and then acetone.

 

I have a silver dollar (silver - not alloy) that has a coating ofiron rust onone side - probably from contact with rusting iron - any idea on how to get it off without damaging the coin - thanks

 

i dont think there is any way to do it 'without' damaging the coin. So its all up to you. kep it as is to minimize the damage already there, or damage it a bit more to have a shiney clean coin ...

good luck

 

this is odd to me as you are talking about a coin in fine condition so it is obviously a coin that is already well worn. But then you say that mild cleaning will be so very obvious...I would love to get so called experts together, do some mind cutting of dirt on a coin caked with dirt (leaving the toning)...and put this to the test...I call bull hork Unless it is truly harshly cleaned (scrubbed with bristles) then I dont think anyone would know on an already worn coin...humble opinion.

 

Yeah, I cleaned an 1816 sixpence with a toothpick, and removed all the dark spots to reveal some really nice toning....

 

Well, I have read this thread from post 1 and would like to put my opinion on the table. I know I am a newbie at hobby of coin collecting. But I have been collecting antique cartridges for guns for 30 years...

When it comes to cartridges, cleaning is ok, nothing harsh though. You never ever, under any circumstances, want to remove the patina or toning. But you have to get the dirt, oils and corrosion off the specimen before it eats itself up, or you are left with a puddle of brass, copper and steel where $2000.00 used to reside...

There is no "mint" or "proof" when it comes to cartridges... So I beg to question what is wrong with non-evasive cleaning of circulated coins? I would rather garner from the thread that you are not supposed to rub your coin because it will leave scratches... But if it is not mint or proof it will already have scratches. (And I understand about leaving shiny spots on Abe's cheeks on the Wheat pennies. Nothing harsh.)

If the Mint or proof coin develops heavy corrosion and pitting, is it mint or proof any more? It just doesn't make sense to me.... Toning does, I understand that. But dirt and corrosion doesn't...

Excuse me if I seem to be a bit harsh and insensitive... But I think few people in this hobby are a bit Edited: Language. It's all right. We Have them in the cartridge collecting fraternity too...

Just my two cents. I'll shut up now and continue reading on....

Thanks.

 

When I first started reading posts on this forum, cleaning was Sooooo taboo.

Since then a lot of people have made comments similar to you and now, there seems to be a much more mellow attitude - just as you say - mild, maintenance cleaning of obviously circulated coins. And also saving some coins that thave substances on them that will only spread and get worse if something isn't done.

I can't give you the thread links, but if you do a few searches on this forum, you'll find some recent threads about safely protecting your coins.

 

AAhh yes..If I had only known NOT to clean my coins <sigh> I've had some coins for many years and came acrossed them in a recent move...I thought to myself..oh ..these could use some cleaning. Luckily after cleaning a few coins..I put the cloth and polish down and made some calls. Knowledge IS power

 

Is it safe to dip a coin in pure 100% distilled water. Same question goes for a coin that is toning. I would appreciate advice from the admins, and i know it is better to just leave the coin but i have my reasons. All i want to know is if it is harmful to dip a coin in pure water?

 

poker_prof_AA:
It is okay to dip in distilled water, dry carefully, do not rub dry.
But, why would you want to so this?

 

I agree with Frank---why? Maybe if you could tell us alittle background we could be of more help!

Speedy