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 Replies: 29 / Views: 31,357 |
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New Member
United States
3 Posts |
I've seen several posts about cleaning the 1943 Steel Lincoln Wheat cent and thought I'd share this. If the coin is not rusted too bad, and had only the "common" white residue on it, try soaking it in WD-40 for 15-20 minutes. It was made to free up and clean rusty, stuck mechanical parts and it will also provide some protection against more rust if the coin is wiped gently, leaving a thin film on and not enough to gomme up your holder if you want to put it in one. Give me a hammer, some duct tape, and WD-40 and I will conquer the world, as a friend of my Dad's once said! |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2150 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
4944 Posts |
Quote:  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4000 Posts |
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Moderator
 United States
15522 Posts |
First of all ......  to the forum. You can tell by their reaction that most experienced collectors consider 'cleaning' of any coin to be a bad idea. Perhaps you can share some photos of the results of this method? David Take a look at my other hobby ... http://www.jk-dk.art |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
The only problem is the cost of the WD-40 and your time really isn't worth the results. Usually a 1943 Steel Cent sells for about $0.25 to $1.00 in really nice shape, no rust, no tarnishing, etc. Above AU will usually cost a little over $1 but not by much. At some flea markets I've seen bins full of them and for $0.10 but mostly full of rust, tarnishings, etc. I've presently have 2,234 of those things and mostly AU or much better.
Even if the WD-40 did work, I'd rather use it on something that is needed.
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New Member
 United States
3 Posts |
I've also read, and a local dealer told me the same thing, that Mineral Oil will aslo clean the 1943 Lincoln Steel Cent, as long as it isn't too cruddy. Mineral Oil takes a little time to work though.
I don't clean many coins, but if it's one I want to keep I might touch it up a little. The majority (99.99%) of the time I'd rather have an uncleaned circulated coin IF it's in pretty good shape. Being retired and unemployed right now I can't justify giving BIG $ for AU or MINT condition coins.
I really like's the CCF site and forum too! Hopefully I'll get enough posts soon to get some photos loaded.
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Valued Member
Canada
56 Posts |
is WD40 safe for the coin?
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Valued Member
United States
397 Posts |
WD-40 was notQuote:
made to free up and clean rusty, stuck mechanical parts It was made to displace water. In fact, that's what WD-40 stands for - Water Displacement, 40th attempt. Considering it does leave a residue behind on everything with which it comes into contact - there is no way I would put it, much less leave it, on any coin. |
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Valued Member
Canada
56 Posts |
Im also affraid to use it. What are the long time effects?
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Moderator
United States
189767 Posts |
Removing gunk without damaging the coin is okay. This is exactly what water, acetone, and xylene do. They break up the filth, but do not react with or damage the actual metal of the coin.
The question is whether or not WD-40 will react with or damage the metal itself. I do not know the answer, but I can almost guarantee everyone that BadThad does.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Look at this like this. You soak a few 1943 rusted, corroded 1943 Steel Cents in WD-40 for a few days or weeks. They now look shinny but mostly due to the WD-40. So now you take them out of the jar of WD-40 and spend about $0.25 for soap and water to clean the jar. Now you have to wash your hands since they too are full of WD-40 and that too cost for the soap and water. Now you lay that slimy coin on a table and your wife screams that you just ruined her table cloth so you run out and buy a new one. Still she is really irritable and a divorse follows. AHHHHH, but you now have your almost worthless, cleaned 1943 cents so there.  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Forgot, you have to rinse off all that WD-40 from the coins so more work and material.
Edited by just carl
11/22/2010 7:48 pm
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Valued Member
Canada
56 Posts |
She will probably throw the coin away and your left with nothing lol
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1231 Posts |
WD-40 is a good ant killer
but I sure wouldn't use it on coins
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
I put some acrylic spray lacquer from a spray can on a 1964 Kennedy half when I got it in 1964. The lacquer was as clear as water, and on the coin is almost impossible to detect. The coin now is exactly as I sprayed it in 1964. That's 46 years ago. |
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Replies: 29 / Views: 31,357 |
Posted 11/19/2010 7:28 pm
