Yes - mid 1700s? They are certainly worth conservation. Here is the thing about cleaning coins...collectors and owners of collectable coins do more damage to coins trying to clean them than the public does in circulating them. Ruben Ruben
Here are examples of why bother the morgan is salt water damage. It's one thing if it's been there for a short while it's another when it's been a week. The penny in the shredder is a given. (It fell in!) The last example is of quarters from a fire. they will not come out any better. For the most part it's not worth it. Yes there are ways to conserve coins but as others have said if you don't have the experience don't be sorry when it looks horrible. So as Mr Brooklyn was saying.... Don't clean them because 1 it is most likely a waist of your time & money & 2 you will cause more damage to the coin. Granted experimenting is always fun though.
This did seem to be the last resort. When I did get a better look at some of the more easily cleaned coins I had 2 1970D's. Local help amounted to DONT' CLEAN THE COINS.
Acetone removed some of the color, but it did not touch the "crust". If I were to use olive oil, what damage could it cause?
I asked a local jeweler to clean 2 of the more common coins in his ultrasonic cleaner. He used a detergent that was made for this type of equipment. The coins looked great. I asked a "coin expert" (shop owner) to look at the coins and tell me if the ultra sound had hurt them. He said he couldn't tell that anything had been done but the coins did look better than he would expect then to for what they were.
If the coins were circulated, it is possible that the cleaning damage was slight. If you put uncirculated coins in an ultrasonic cleaner with detergent, they almost certainly would be damaged. Also keep in mind that owning a shop doesn't necessarily make the owner an "expert." Can you post photos of the cleaned coins?
Residue from the oil can create growth on the coin. Ultra sonic causes vibrations. I know nothing of the type of detergent they use. I've heard of others using ultra sonic on old buried coins but I've been told leaving coins in to long can add to wear. I'm glad they came out.
The advice, " Don't Clean Coin's " is sound advice , if you have the slightest intention of re-selling the coins for profit. If not, than you have done what you felt you needed to, in order for you to sleep at night or satisfy a curiosity. Not a practice you want to repeat. So now you have learned some things. Enjoy learning to collect, and always minimize your risks, by asking experienced collectors for advice before letting your curiosity or frustration take over. It's part of your leaning curve. Lots of good folks here to help you out with difficult questions , or if they cannot, more than likely they will direct you to where you will be able to get the answers you seek. Tom.
I realize that just owning a coin shop does not make you an expert, that is why I put it in quotes. But with that said, the guy did compare my coins under a microscope, side by side, with an example of the same coin in ms-67 and we could not see any difference except for bag marks.
It would be nice to see accurate pictures of the two coins side by side. I find it hard to imagine that there is not a difference in color or luster. Just my two cents worth.
And there is no greater threat to coins than exactly that. So many try what others claim works miracles in cleaning and base it on what someone read, told them or a story on TV. Why how could others be wrong? As to the original post. Try to remember that regardless of all the stories of magic cleaning agents, many are just stories. Many are from people that have no idea what they are saying at all. Example is the Olive Oil treatment stories and never mentioning all the possible differences in that substance. It is a manufactured item so is not necessarily consistant in properties so what worked for you today may not work at all tomorrow on a different coin or different purchase of Olive Oil. There are stories of Copper coins in Acetone in the Sun creating a photo electrical reaction that dissolves the coin. There are stories of people that cleaned all thier coins and sent them to PCGS and all came back slabbed, not cleaned. Such stories are why a good, no a great, practice is DO NOT CLEAN COINS.
If you clean 1700 coins based on hearsay and the limitations of your own small experience your going to destroy a world treasure, a piece of authentic history, like a fool. It's really that simple. If you have coins of that value then send them to a professional coin conservation service like NCG and don't assume that your smarter than you are. Ruben
Well it sounds as if, in spite of the best advice offered, there are those who are destined to repeat their errors or try to slide one by. Trust me, I don't care what that Jeweler said, a dealer and or seasoned collector will know whether a coin has been touched. All the more reason, I only conduct coin business with respected associates and two reputable Dealers locally.
It might sound harsh Freaky but it won't be as harsh as the disappointment he will experience when he destroys a coin he loves. Ruben
Your comment about olive oil is spot on. The differences are mainly due to oxidation. According to a St. Louis Art Museum Antiquities Conservator. Foreign material can be softened and removed by soaking in olive oil, but best practice says to change the oil often.
Correction the jeweler made no judgement on the coins, he mearly cleaned them for me. The OPINION on the coins was given by a coin dealer, with the equipment and experience to do a comparison. It seems from what I have read so far is that everyone's coin "expert" is the best, just like everyone's medical doctor is the best.
To close this out, as far as I am concerned. The olive oil removed ALL of the flood crud, then rinsing with DI (DeIonized) water left me with 20 nice coins (4-1964, 2-1965, 8-1970D and 6-1976 Kennedy Halves) IF I ever decide to sell any of them I have enough integrity to tell the buyer what they have been through. As far as this site is concerned, I did get some help and advice and I do appreciate those that tried to help. BUT I also got preached at to the point that I think I will make this my last effort by the mechanism.
sorry your feeling that way. My suggestion is to let it go, and come back. Lots of good folks here, and the opportunity to speak with other collectors at a stroke of the keyboard.
