Hello, I am new to 'forums' and am try to learn the lingo I am seeing in these posts I have lots of Lincoln's and some of them look 'dirty'. Can I safely clean them? What do I use? Without damaging it's value (if any). A few have some green areas and one other has a dark red or brown. I tried to included a picture. I don't know how to do this. Help me...Pleaseeeee. Thanks
I suggest that you use the "search" button at the upper right of the screen, and look for "clean". Among other valuable and informative threads on the evils of tampering with the surfaces of coins, are this thread, this thread,[*]and this one. BTW even acetone is considered bad for copper.
You can try to improve an old copper coin by soaking it in olive oil for awhile, then using a green rose or holly thorn to remove dirt stuck inbetween the numerals or around the rim, etc. Old timers have done this for years. Then wash the coin off in warm water and pat it dry. I've used a old soft toothbrush to gently rub the oil on the surface of the coin (don't scrub!), but some think this may be too harsh. I would only do this for circulated cents. If they are AU condition or better, then I would just leave them alone. The object is not to clean the coin, but simply remove some surface dirt or grime that has accumulated. The oil has a very gentle acidic nature to it. Sometimes it gives an improved look to the coin without changing the toning. If you want to try it, use some old cents worth about one cent first to test it out. Houston_Ray
