The following is an example of why we shouldn't clean coins. This coins were cleaned with toothpaste (and brush), lemon juice and baking soda. originally they had a very nice and even patina. Of course after being cleaned they looked shiny for some time and then....well you can see the results. I cleaned this coins when I was 7yo and had no idea of what I was doing. I keep them in my collection to show the dont's to new collectors whenever I have the chance to meet one. Thought I'd share it with you.
although i haven't seen the before pictures as i'm sure it happened long ago I actually like those in the state there in now. I'm sure that the value of them has decreased but unless your planning on selling the coins down the road I guess it doesn't matter. :smile
I agree with both. Cleaning a coin harms it and creates an unnatural shininess and/or color, therefore greatly diminishing their value. But, suppose someone gives me some coins, and some of them are really pretty underneath all the dirt they happen to have. I don't wanna sell it, I wanna see it and show it to my relatives. Hell yeah, I'm gonna clean it. At least that's what I did in the past. Now no one gives me coins anymore And as for buying coins, it's very simple: don't buy dirty or cleaned coins.
I'm going back 40 years here... but I seem to remember the Blue Book recommending cleaning coins with baking soda.
Hey..since "uncleaned" coins look so good, why not spray 'em with used motor oil right off the mint line, and then just re-melt anything too clean? Then, they could be dubbed "US mint authentic dirt"...save everybody a lot of time and effort.
Nope...those coins are all ruined. Just throw them all away! Darn that baking soda. Let's only collect coins from AFTER the Blue Book published date that said that. Melt all the rest. They're mostly worthless anyway. Right?
when i was a kid, 25 years ago or so... i had a whitman album full on cents up the year in question. Some of the cents looked dirty and i thought i would be ever so smart and clean them up a wee bit lol well, i got out some silver polish, and gently rubbed the coin with a soft cloth. The coins came out looking great. After cleaning 5 or 6, i thought i would call a local coin shop about my great discovery. After taling to the nice man, i quietly put everything away, and was disturbed how i just ruined those cents Well, as a lesson, i never replaced those cents. Even today, when i open that album, those cents still ever so shiney, sit there as a reminder lol
