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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;medoraman, post: 1308924, member: 26302&quot;]I agree. There is a strong tradition of using olive oil in cleaning ancients. I believe this started before movern chemistry. Oo is a very light acid, meaning it will not damage a coins surface quickly, but has an acid to slowly help dislodge adhered particals and frankly the oiliness gets in between layers and helps dislodge them. However, oo will darken a copper coin in almost every case, and because its not a pure product can have varying levels of acids, making control difficult. </p><p><br /></p><p>My preference in cleaning coins is distilled water. Its water so no oil or acids are attacking your coin, but the lack of minerals in the water allows the water to dissolve the mineral on the coin. Always use large quantities, and change often. What you are doing is slowly dissolving the minerals on the coin in a completely safe environment, but the water will reach saturation point quickly so frequent water changes speed it up. Dislodge encrustations frequently, and put the coin back in fresh water to remove minerals from the freshly exposed surfaces.</p><p><br /></p><p>Not the fastest way, certainly not faster than an acid, but completely safe, and free if you simply use water from dehumidifier or air conditioners. The main caveat is to thoroughly dry when done and the coins will not longer be submerged in water, as water can promote bronze disease. Also, NEVER clean a coin with bronze disease with any other coin, or allow the water that the bronze disease was soaking in to contact another coin.</p><p><br /></p><p>After leaving US coins the only thing I have ever used for conservation has been pure water and renwax, a reversible coating.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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