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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;GDJMSP, post: 1477255, member: 112&quot;]Justin - </p><p><br /></p><p>It&#039;s been answered many times, and in many different threads. But there is nothing simple about it. And the reason it is not simple is because there are so very many variables involved and there is a great deal to know.</p><p><br /></p><p>First of all it depends on what the coin is. Then it depends on what is on the coin. Then it depends on knowing whether or not cleaning that coin should even be attempted and whether or not you have any chance of success. Then and only then do you decide on which method to use. That&#039;s the complicated part, the part that requires a good deal of knowledge and experience.</p><p><br /></p><p>Then comes the simple part, the actual cleaning. It&#039;s simple because you don&#039;t do anything other than immerse the coin in a liquid. But you have to know which liquid, and you have to know which liquid should be used on which coin, and for how long.</p><p><br /></p><p>Basically there are 4 liquids.</p><p>1- distilled water</p><p>2 - acetone (there are possible consequences if acetone is used on copper coins)</p><p>3 - xylene</p><p>4 - a coin dip, but there are many different kinds of coin dips. And using a coin dip gets way more complicated and requires even more knowledge and experience than all of the other things combined. And it should <u>never</u> be attempted on a coin of any consequence until you are certain that you have the required knowledge and experience.</p><p><br /></p><p>But the procedure for using the first 3 options is basically the same. It is explained in detail in this thread - <a href="http://www.cointalk.com/t193708/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.cointalk.com/t193708/">http://www.cointalk.com/t193708/</a></p><p><a href="http://www.cointalk.com/t193708/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.cointalk.com/t193708/"><br /></a></p><p><a href="http://www.cointalk.com/t193708/" class="internalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.cointalk.com/t193708/">T</a>here are also some basic safety rules for using #2 and #3. You should avoid breathing the fumes of either as much as possible. You also need to be aware that the fumes of both are highly explosive if allowed to accumulate in an enclosed space - such as your house. And you have to know how to properly dispose of these liquids once used. You NEVER want to just pour them down the kitchen drain for example, or any drain.</p><p><br /></p><p>With these 4 things you can (sometimes, and I say sometimes because of what I explained my second paragraph) clean a coin and do no harm to the coin - <b>IF</b> you do it properly. If you do not do it properly then you will not succeed and it is also possible with some of them to harm the coin, in particular #4. And possibly with #2 if used on copper coins.</p><p><br /></p><p>Now there are some cases where none of these 4 things will work and much more involved and complicated processes need to be used. And even they are often not successful. </p><p><br /></p><p>And it should be known and understood that with all 4 of the methods mentioned above, that once used, you may end up wishing that had you had not used them at all. That is because once a coin has been cleaned it often reveals things that would probably have been better off left covered.</p><p><br /></p><p>Now after reading all of this you should realize that you still do not have an answer to what you thought was a simple question. But that&#039;s because it isn&#039;t a simple question.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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