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unfamiliar
Valued Member
United States
142 Posts
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I'm taking a couple day break from posting coins. For starters, I'm sure some of you were getting sick of me. :) And I want to try my hand and cleaning a couple of the coins before I post any more.
For the first batch, I picked two coins that were literally unrecognizable. I figure no harm, no foul if I screw up my first attempt. I'm also doing the coin you guys said was in the early stages of bronze disease.
For now I just plan to leave them in distilled water, pull them out every two days, gently wash and brush them, then put them back in for 2 more days and rinse and repeat as necessary.
I'll update this thread with my progress.
As always any and all advice is welcome.
And as a side note, I've picked up a couple boxes of coins to try coin roll hunting to keep myself busy in the meanwhile. I'm sorry to say, fellas, but I think I'm hooked on coins. Once I feel I've gotten cleaning down, I might actually pick up one of those ancient coin lots from eBay and see what I can do there.
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Pillar Of The Community
7697 Posts |
Good luck--and look forward to see the results!  |
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Valued Member
United States
318 Posts |
You are just one week ahead of me, Unfamiliar. I swear, this past Wednesday night was just crazy.
My little story (whether you want to hear it or not)... here goes....
For the past almost 30 days I have been bidding on eBay to win some uncleaned roman coins. I have never cleaned any before. So, every day... without fail.... I would have bids on various coins ranging in number from 10 to 200 in a batch. Lost every single one of them because I refuse to go over $1 a coin.
So, needless to say, I always have about 6 bids going - BECAUSE I LOSE EVERYONE OF THEM! That is why!
That was not the case this past Wednesday night... no one was on eBay. Don't know where they were, but they were not bumping my bids. I won a total of 268 uncleaned roman coins in 5 diff. auctions. I got them at a great price, but would have been happy to lose the rest after winning the FIRST AUCTION.
So, I have punished myself because of the total cost of those winning auctions and I can not buy anything off of eBay for at least a month or two. When these coins start coming in, I will be busy cleaning mine too.
Want to have a coin cleaning party at your house?
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
1384 Posts |
Hi all,
Glad to see there are other coin "noobs" (as my kids would say) here! I just started cleaning about a two months ago , got a few practice coins then started buying small batches on eBay.
I'd say don't be afraid to pay more than a buck per coin, just got a batch of 50 for 50 bucks, 50% junk, 30% poor, 20% mediocre. Now I want to see a picture of each coin (prefer front and back), not a stock picture of coins or a stack of coins with the 3 best sitting on top of a hill of beans (my batch of 50 I mentioned)...If they look like I could attribute them, I'll pay more money no problem.
Plastic toothpics are great by the way, I've had lots of luck with them!
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Valued Member
Canada
298 Posts |
I too will be venturing into the cleaning of ancient coins. Another newbie in the ranks. I have never done this but it should be interesting and could be costly if I get hooked
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
2078 Posts |
Quote:
50 for 50 bucks, 50% junk, 30% poor, 20% mediocre Thats about average from my experience on eBay. If you look up "uncleaned" or "as found" on vcoins you might get some better results for a little more money. Keep in mind that most of these coins are not cleaned for a reason usually a spot of corrosion, or scratch kept the sellers from bringing out the flaws in the coins by cleaning them but you will get some nice attributed coins in the end. Good luck and have some fun you will enjoy better grade, problem free coins in the end and have some experience attributing them.  There are many methods to clean coins and usually it will take at least a couple of these combined to get a nice one. Distilled water is probably one of the best methods and does the least amount of damage.
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
2078 Posts |
If anybody is interested I have a concoction that will help clean your coins that has been posted and discussed before. I can answer questions if you have any about pretty much any cleaning method you might have. I have a few years experience in cleaning ancients and would be more then happy to help out, Just message me.
Edited by jessvc1
03/10/2012 08:36 am
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Formerly jwharper
4253 Posts |
I want to wish all of you good luck on these coins. Hopefully, all of you will have some nice coins to attribute when the cleaning is all done. As I have said before, I have sworn off of uncleaned lots for the very reason chrsmat71 gave when he described the coins in his lot. Not once did I find a coin worth the money, time and effort. But I hope that's not the case with all your coins. I'll be watching to see the results.
Regards
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
1384 Posts |
Thanks for the vcoins tip!
I had to google "coin roll hunting", guess it's pretty much what it sounds like it is...good luck with that unfamiliar!
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Valued Member
United States
318 Posts |
I have a question..... what do you do with the "junk" and "poor" coins? After you clean them and there is nothing really visible to see, where do you put them? Trash?
Was just curious. I have a feeling I will have many of these and did not want to just throw them away, but would good are they if they are that bad?
Would love to hear your thoughts.
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Formerly jwharper
4253 Posts |
FORVM coins will take any coin you wish to donate to be given to students in Roman history classes free of charge. You can check on their site on how to donate: http://www.forumancientcoins.com/ |
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Moderator
United States
9896 Posts |
I hate to trash the culls. The ones that still have some detail and can be attributed to an emperor I either give away to young collectors or sell on eBay for a few dollars as very low grade and culls. The ones that are just slugs I put aside and forget about.
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
1384 Posts |
Total junk ends up in landscaping gravel around the fire pit....should make for some interesting conversation when we roast some marshmallows out back.
I'm working on a "poor" collection that's going on eBay, but most I'm giving away to people or donating to the western civ instructor at the community college I teach at to show his students.
I'd gladly donate some to other schools also, thanks for the info about donating to forvm coins...I"ll do that!
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Valued Member
United States
318 Posts |
OK guys....... I have some questions. Below are some pics of my coins. They were not that dirty when they arrived. They have been soaking in distilled water for only a couple of days and have been lightly brushed. I think they are clean now. Seems to have no residue coming off when they are brushed and wiped on white towel. Am I wrong? After they bake in a low temp oven, are they NOW ready for an olive oil soak? OR should they go back to distilled water for more soaking? What do you suggest?     I think I have a lot of bad ones in here, but since this is my first attempt, I am really not sure yet. |
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Pillar Of The Community
United States
2078 Posts |
This looks like a better lot than many I've purchased, just let them air dry for a while then throw them in some olive oil. I think the baking part is more important for at the end of the cleaning process to get rid of any moisture that may still be in the coins.
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Valued Member
United States
318 Posts |
thank you so much JESSVC....... will put them in olive this evening. What is left on them is not coming off with a light brushing after soaking, so an olive oil soak is next so I can pick off any layers that allow me to.
Glad to hear your comments about them not being so bad. My first thought was "OUCH... I just threw a bunch of money down the drain".
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Posted 03/09/2012 3:50 pm
