Cleaning Coins?

Should I ever consider cleaning coins? Here is an example of a 1936
penny that looks like it could be cleaned, but I read that you should
never clean pennies. Does anyone disagree? Should I clean it? If so,
how?

URL: http://www.proud-collector.com/21/5/collection.aspx

I aslo uploaded my 1925 and 1929 pennies.

----------
Collector's Website
http://www.proud-collector.com/
Jose's Celebrity Central
http://www.josescelebritycentral.com
Jose's Celebrity Central Blog
http://autographcollectingnews.blogspot.com/

On 2 Sep 2006 09:12:10 -0700, "proud-collector.com"
climbed to the top of the minaret and
sang out:

Should I ever consider cleaning coins? Here is an example of a 1936
penny that looks like it could be cleaned, but I read that you should
never clean pennies. Does anyone disagree? Should I clean it? If so,
how?

URL: http://www.proud-collector.com/21/5/collection.aspx


Generally speaking, no coins should not be cleaned, with a few
exceptions (which should be handled by a professional coin conserver
who knows how to do it without ruining the coin). That particular coin
is fine the way it is, I advise you not to try to clean it as in this
case even a professional conservation would not increse its
desirability or value any.\

---


Don't worry about the world coming to an end today. It's already tomorrow in Australia.

(Charles M. Schulz)

IF you have to clean a coin - and a dealer told me this - use CRC or
WD40 or similar , and a tooth brush, and a soft cloth - never use
anything that could scratch the coin, even on really tough stains. But I
agree - cleaning is not generally a good thing.

Greg

proud-collector.com wrote:
Should I ever consider cleaning coins? Here is an example of a 1936
penny that looks like it could be cleaned, but I read that you should
never clean pennies. Does anyone disagree? Should I clean it? If so,
how?

URL: http://www.proud-collector.com/21/5/collection.aspx

I aslo uploaded my 1925 and 1929 pennies.

----------
Collector's Website
http://www.proud-collector.com/
Jose's Celebrity Central
http://www.josescelebritycentral.com
Jose's Celebrity Central Blog
http://autographcollectingnews.blogspot.com/

"Greg" wrote in message
...
IF you have to clean a coin - and a dealer told me this - use CRC or
WD40 or similar , and a tooth brush, and a soft cloth - never use
anything that could scratch the coin, even on really tough stains. But I
agree - cleaning is not generally a good thing.

Greg


Do not use WD40 or CRC--they're petroleum based and they'll discolor the
coins over time leaving an unnatural appearance.
Do not use a tooth brush--they are guaranteed to leave hairlines. What'll
happen is you will trap something underneath a bristle and that will act
just like a piece of sand paper. Also water and coins do not mix--so don't
use tap water since it's loaded with all kinds of contaminates and chunks of
'floaters' that'll scratch the coin.
Any kind of stuff that you have to clean off will leave a mark on the coins
surface so it'll end up looking like a chunk of crud was partially covering
the coin and then someone cleaned it off.

"proud-collector.com" wrote in message
oups.com...
Should I ever consider cleaning coins? Here is an example of a 1936
penny that looks like it could be cleaned, but I read that you should
never clean pennies. Does anyone disagree? Should I clean it? If so,
how?

It's already been 'erased'.
Spend it--worth a couple of cents at most. 1936 is easy to get in MS for
cheap--like less than $5. One time I got a nice really high grade '36 that's
at least MS66 for around $5 from a dealer--they're real common. So are 1937
and 1939. Anytime I find those years in change I spend them since they're
among the most easiest wheats to find.
Keep looking--you'll find some way better than those you have posted. Don't
ever try to improve them by cleaning--you'll just ruin them.

It's already been 'erased'.

What are the signs of it being erased? I read someplace you could
clean coins (silver or copper) so they would look nice in your
collection if you use an art gum eraser. That sounded like a very
uninvasive way to handle things, but now I am afraid to try it. What
does erasing do? How can you tell - the penny looked great to me (an
admitted amateur)? It seems like you should be able to use something
to get the old mustard, greasy fingerprints and gumwads off of coins.
But What? Thanks. Kathy

On 2 Sep 2006 15:59:07 -0700, "kathy1945"
wrote:


It's already been 'erased'.

What are the signs of it being erased? I read someplace you could
clean coins (silver or copper) so they would look nice in your
collection if you use an art gum eraser. That sounded like a very
uninvasive way to handle things, but now I am afraid to try it. What
does erasing do? How can you tell - the penny looked great to me (an
admitted amateur)? It seems like you should be able to use something
to get the old mustard, greasy fingerprints and gumwads off of coins.
But What? Thanks.

Kathy,

At the very least, the problem with using an art gum eraser is the
same one that bri mentioned about using a toothbrush--one tiny sharp
edged particle under the eraser, and you'll drag it all over the
surface of the coin, leaving scratches.

There are two types of "things" that can get on the surface of a
coin. There are the things that are "mechanically" attached (like
your old mustard and gumwads), and there are things that cause
chemical changes to the surface of the coin. The "greasy fingerprint"
is really in both categories. The grease and oil are mechanically
attached to the coin, but if you leave the fingerprint on long enough,
the other chemicals in the print will cause a chemical change in the
surface. At that point, even if you remove the oil from the
fingerprint, it will still be visible, because it's caused a change in
the metal.

For the mechanical stuff, the standard answers are either olive oil
or acetone (not the stuff you find in fingernail polish, but the
industrial strength stuff. Don't heat it, and make sure it's in a
ventilated place.)

The "chemical" stuff is much harder. You essentially have to remove
the surface layer of the coin to get at "fresh" metal. This is
commonly done with a chemical "dip", which is usually an acidic
solution. The problem is that when done wrong, it can leave the coin
looking really, really, really unnatural. The other problem is that
unless you're very good, or very lucky, you'll probably get it wrong
:-)

(Just as an aside--I recently ran across a wheat cent that was so
encrusted with black "stuff" that I could barely tell it was a
wheatie, much less try to determine the date. Neither olive oil or
acetone did anything (I tried a month in each), so just as an
experiment, I left it soaking in a common dip. By the time I could
make out the date, it had eaten away enough of the metal in the
non-encrusted areas that they looked like the coin was made out of
sintered bronze. Luckily, it was a run-of-the-mill 1957-D).

take care,
Scott

Should I ever consider cleaning coins? Here is an example of a 1936
penny that looks like it could be cleaned, but I read that you should
never clean pennies. Does anyone disagree? Should I clean it? If so,
how?

URL: http://www.proud-collector.com/21/5/collection.aspx

I aslo uploaded my 1925 and 1929 pennies.

----------
Collector's Website
http://www.proud-collector.com/
Jose's Celebrity Central
http://www.josescelebritycentral.com
Jose's Celebrity Central Blog
http://autographcollectingnews.blogspot.com/



Hello ,

The standard issue penny is the most chemically reactive coin of all. Never dip a copper/nickel
penny. A dipped penny never looks the same again. Sulfuric acid and Thiourea major components
of some coin dip solutions will forever alter it's look. You might recall from high school chemistry
that acids break down into generally 2 things : Salts and H2O. H2O no problem, the salts are another
issue. It is the salts that get embedded into the coins macroscopic surface and make it look dull. You
would have to figure out how to either denature the salts or remove them completely. I will tell you there
is a way but it is not ethical or appropriate to inform someone how to alter a coin.

To quote #2 - 'That would be telling'

I just wanted to let you know there is a way.

But if you must attempt to make a penny look more pristine use : MS70 . Your wrist will get sore and you
will end up with a mountain of Q-Tips but it will not introduce impurities. Just keep in mind you will never get a
circulated coin to look any better than AU no matter what magic you use. Oh yeah get them certified (PCGS,ANACS, etc)
otherwise they are just nipple armour.

Cheers

Should I ever consider cleaning coins? Here is an example of a 1936
penny that looks like it could be cleaned, but I read that you should
never clean pennies. Does anyone disagree? Should I clean it? If so,
how?

URL: http://www.proud-collector.com/21/5/collection.aspx

I aslo uploaded my 1925 and 1929 pennies.

----------
Collector's Website
http://www.proud-collector.com/
Jose's Celebrity Central
http://www.josescelebritycentral.com
Jose's Celebrity Central Blog
http://autographcollectingnews.blogspot.com/



Hello ,

The standard issue penny is the most chemically reactive coin of all. Never dip a copper/nickel
penny. A dipped penny never looks the same again. Sulfuric acid and Thiourea major components
of some coin dip solutions will forever alter it's look. You might recall from high school chemistry
that acids break down into generally 2 things : Salts and H2O. H2O no problem, the salts are another
issue. It is the salts that get embedded into the coins macroscopic surface and make it look dull. You
would have to figure out how to either denature the salts or remove them completely. I will tell you there
is a way but it is not ethical or appropriate to inform someone how to alter a coin.

To quote #2 - 'That would be telling'

I just wanted to let you know there is a way.

But if you must attempt to make a penny look more pristine use : MS70 . Your wrist will get sore and you
will end up with a mountain of Q-Tips but it will not introduce impurities. Just keep in mind you will never get a
circulated coin to look any better than AU no matter what magic you use. Oh yeah get them certified (PCGS,ANACS, etc)
otherwise they are just nipple armour.

Cheers

Does this only apply to pennies?

wrote:
Should I ever consider cleaning coins? Here is an example of a 1936
penny that looks like it could be cleaned, but I read that you should
never clean pennies. Does anyone disagree? Should I clean it? If so,
how?

URL: http://www.proud-collector.com/21/5/collection.aspx

I aslo uploaded my 1925 and 1929 pennies.

----------
Collector's Website
http://www.proud-collector.com/
Jose's Celebrity Central
http://www.josescelebritycentral.com
Jose's Celebrity Central Blog
http://autographcollectingnews.blogspot.com/



Hello ,

The standard issue penny is the most chemically reactive coin of all. Never dip a copper/nickel
penny. A dipped penny never looks the same again. Sulfuric acid and Thiourea major components
of some coin dip solutions will forever alter it's look. You might recall from high school chemistry
that acids break down into generally 2 things : Salts and H2O. H2O no problem, the salts are another
issue. It is the salts that get embedded into the coins macroscopic surface and make it look dull. You
would have to figure out how to either denature the salts or remove them completely. I will tell you there
is a way but it is not ethical or appropriate to inform someone how to alter a coin.

To quote #2 - 'That would be telling'

I just wanted to let you know there is a way.

But if you must attempt to make a penny look more pristine use : MS70 . Your wrist will get sore and you
will end up with a mountain of Q-Tips but it will not introduce impurities. Just keep in mind you will never get a
circulated coin to look any better than AU no matter what magic you use. Oh yeah get them certified (PCGS,ANACS, etc)
otherwise they are just nipple armour.

Cheers