Log in or Sign up
Coin Talk
Home
Forums
>
Coin Forums
>
Coin Chat
>
To Clean or Not to, hey look!! A squirrel!!
>
Reply to Thread
Message:
<p>[QUOTE="Kentucky, post: 4117614, member: 33176"]Three things to consider 1) the metal of the coin 2) the wear in the coin and 3) what is the "dirt" on the coin. Actually I want to start with 2) first. If the coin is XF, AU or uncirculated or proof, careful clea... conservation can both enhance the value and protect it. If the coin shows more wear, actually you really have to be careful or you will make it look unnatural. As far as 1) metal, I don't have, or clean any gold coins...silver coins have several options...nickel, copper (and it's alloys) and aluminum are REALLY difficult to deal with. Finally if it is just generalized crud, a water bath won't hurt anything...you can start with tap water, but would probably want to do a final rinse with distilled or deionized water. If the crud appears to be sticky and organic in nature, the cure-all is acetone and/or xylene.</p><p><br /></p><p>One of the most important things in cleaning is not to rub/wipe/scrub the coins (unless they are ancients...and that's a different world). No matter what you wipe with, wiping grit over the surface will scratch the coin. After soaking of rinsing coins, you can just let them dry or blot with a clean, soft cloth.</p><p><br /></p><p>In-a-nutshell, that's about it. Each case has to be approached individually.</p><p><br /></p><p>In the case of pocket finds, fog (found on ground) finds and metal detecting finds, the rules may be bent to allow cleaning with a soap solution and a thorough rinse with possible acetone/xylene soaking. Now I'm gonna shut up.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="Kentucky, post: 4117614, member: 33176"]Three things to consider 1) the metal of the coin 2) the wear in the coin and 3) what is the "dirt" on the coin. Actually I want to start with 2) first. If the coin is XF, AU or uncirculated or proof, careful clea... conservation can both enhance the value and protect it. If the coin shows more wear, actually you really have to be careful or you will make it look unnatural. As far as 1) metal, I don't have, or clean any gold coins...silver coins have several options...nickel, copper (and it's alloys) and aluminum are REALLY difficult to deal with. Finally if it is just generalized crud, a water bath won't hurt anything...you can start with tap water, but would probably want to do a final rinse with distilled or deionized water. If the crud appears to be sticky and organic in nature, the cure-all is acetone and/or xylene. One of the most important things in cleaning is not to rub/wipe/scrub the coins (unless they are ancients...and that's a different world). No matter what you wipe with, wiping grit over the surface will scratch the coin. After soaking of rinsing coins, you can just let them dry or blot with a clean, soft cloth. In-a-nutshell, that's about it. Each case has to be approached individually. In the case of pocket finds, fog (found on ground) finds and metal detecting finds, the rules may be bent to allow cleaning with a soap solution and a thorough rinse with possible acetone/xylene soaking. Now I'm gonna shut up.[/QUOTE]
Your name or email address:
Do you already have an account?
No, create an account now.
Yes, my password is:
Forgot your password?
Stay logged in
Coin Talk
Home
Forums
>
Coin Forums
>
Coin Chat
>
To Clean or Not to, hey look!! A squirrel!!
>
Home
Home
Quick Links
Search Forums
Recent Activity
Recent Posts
Forums
Forums
Quick Links
Search Forums
Recent Posts
Competitions
Competitions
Quick Links
Competition Index
Rules, Terms & Conditions
Gallery
Gallery
Quick Links
Search Media
New Media
Showcase
Showcase
Quick Links
Search Items
Most Active Members
New Items
Directory
Directory
Quick Links
Directory Home
New Listings
Members
Members
Quick Links
Notable Members
Current Visitors
Recent Activity
New Profile Posts
Sponsors
Menu
Search
Search titles only
Posted by Member:
Separate names with a comma.
Newer Than:
Search this thread only
Search this forum only
Display results as threads
Useful Searches
Recent Posts
More...