coin cleaning confusion

I know not to clean coins in any way but found a lincolin cent with gum and grime. I ended up thinking probably it's nothing, so I scrub it off and ended with a cud. I have many cuds so I wasn't to upset that this happend. Now my question: What is the best way to solve this problem?? How does one tell it's been cleaned or rubbed? Lots of people (who don't collect) "play with " (rubbing and jingling).:devil:

 

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If some scrubbed a coin there will be fine hairlines on the surface. If a coin has been dipped or scrubbed the original mint luster will be gone (the cartwheel).

 

while all that is true.....wouldn't the gum and grime destroy that already? and I would not find that cud.

 

I think we should judge all coin issues the same way many of us have become accustomed to judging toned coin issues. In this case, since you didn't intend to clean it, your purpose was just to remove gum and grime, it's not cleaned. But, it's not a cud, either, because you didn't intend to find a cud. That's the only drawback to this intent standard, sometimes this backfires...

 

Does your coin really have a cud (which includes the rim) or just a small die chip?

 

If your purpose is to remove gum and grime, you could also use steel wool, a wire brush or the proverbial rock tumbler. The whole point is that cleaning coins is tricky and you do it at your own risk. If you abrade a coin in any way, that is easily detectable, changes the surface of the original coin, and will detract from appearance and value of the coin. Rinsing, soaking and even dipping can avoid most of the problems.

 

Why wouldn't it still be a cud if he removed the grime? I don't get it.

 

clean cud

Here's the coin that I found with gum, grime and cud (the R in Trust)...judgement day on this Lincoln....

 

sorry wrong pic

sorry uploaded the wrong pic on the cuded coin. This is the right one I found gummed and grimed

 

Can you post a photo of the reverse?

 

The real answer is that you should always try the gentlest methods first and usually the first thing you want to try is to just dissolve the contaminants away starting with plain distilled water then working up through Acetone, Xylol, and Methylethyl ketone etc. Any type of abraision or rubbing is the absolute last resort and in most cases if you have to get to that it isn't worth doing. Most likely your tar and gunk would probably have come loose with one of the three organic solvents I mentioned. And as for whether or not the gunk would have damaged the luster, well that all depends on what the gunk was made of and whether or not it would have reacted with the metal chemically. Many oily based gunks don't. But water based ones especially if they contain dissolved salts and acids will react with the metal.

It was a joke dealing with "intent" which is often used as a way to justify ignore something you did so as to gain a benefit.

You put a coin into and environment where it will most likely tone "I didn't INTEND for it to tone so it is not Artificial toning."
"I didn't INTEND to clean the coin, so it isn't cleaned."

But that kind of logic can work against you.

"I didn't INTEND to find a cud when I removed the grime so I guess that isn't a cud."

Jokes lose a lot when they have to be explained.

 

Finelly an answer!! I wrote down your steps and what to use....A friend dropped by last night and we got talking about this subject and asked to see the cud. He is a collector now, bought this coin for $20 so he would have an example of a cud. Tried to just give it to him. Guess I'll buy him 20 bucks of beer...don't like business between friends

 

That's a nice cud! Great find!

Always follow the polarity ladder when attempting conservation. Start by soaking for an hour and in each of the following solvents, in order, until the problem is resolved:

1) distilled water
2) acetone
3) xylene

When I'm searching circulated coin boxes, I've found the sink works well. I just hold the coin under as hot of water as I can stand and work it between my fingers. I never use anything to "scrub" the coin. You'd be surprized the stuff you can get off with just running water and your fingers.

 

Thanks for your answer.........I used to be so concerned with gunky coins and cleaning I would just throw them back into the pile. It got the best of me and a cleaning I did go. Never had found a process untill I came here. Big Thanks to all!!!

 

Similarly for me, but may I offer some advice that might not occur to new users,

1. If you are doing it over a sink with a garbage disposal, cover it. If the coin slips out of your hands, it can be ugly getting it out.

2. Many sink connections are made of pvc, so if you go to step 2 ~acetone, do not use it over the sink, use it outside where the excess can evaporate safely away from flames


Jim

 

gotcha on both points! I been down that disposal just this last week due to cook thinks raw meat will go down but not this time! Thanks again

 

Just wanted to bump this thread. I have some coins that are pretty nasty with grease and dirt where they look awefull. They are all low value coins. What is the best way to clean them? I have been soaking in vinegar but if acetone is the way to go then I can do that. Vinegar seems to help a little, but very little.

 

I agree with the ladder but I was under the belief that acetone and copper do not mix (makes for ugly coloring)?? yes, no, maybe sometimes?


PS Fantastic find, that is one serious cud.

 

There are two different kinds of solvents for "stuff" that can be on coins, polar and non-polar. Polar solvents like water and alcohols will help to dissolve or lift polar materials like common dirt, salts or some dried glues or syrups. Non-polar solvents like toluene, xylene, hexanes, will dissolve oils and greases. Solvents like acetone and MEK (methyl ethyl ketone) are good mostly for oils and greases. Now to take off generalized crud, one should usually start with water (hot tap water is a good start) which can be tap water, but which should be followed with a rinse with distilled or deionized water if your city water is as salty as mine. If the coins are of low value, you might even want to add some soap or detergent (not going to make the distinction) as long as they are given a THOROUGH rinse with some hot tap water and then deionized or distilled water. If this is no good, you can try the other solvents I mentioned, always holding in mind that some of these are reputed to tone copper.

 

Does it make any difference if I am cleaning silver?