1929 Set Really Ugly, I Want To Clean Them.

..In a back issue of the mag,coins of canada- one of the writers said that if a coin was previously damaged by corosion then it was okay to clean it...I have heard people here say that under the corrosion is pitting (Or a hole-burning through metal), the rust damages the coin-(In fact rust is by definition Oxygen reduction)

"Cleaning coins" is a very touchy subject and there are very fine lines between whats considered acceptable and what's not... That's just the way it is, lol.

Soaking a coin in Acetone is safe on coins, though a "harsh" chemical it doesn't react with the surfaces the coin or affect them in any way, it only removes organic materials on the coin (ex. dirt, pvc residue).

Silver polish, MS-70 (a store bought coin cleaner) and "dipping" a coin actually remove a layer of metal (probably not noticeable to the naked eye), and on coins that still have remaining luster, it will be removed leaving the coins looking bland and cleaned.

As far as soap and water goes.... A soak in distilled water would be ok and not hurt the coin (but it will also not remove toning), but if you choose to go this route do not wipe the coin with anything, even if you use a jewelry polish cloth or other super soft, micro fiber material it will leave hairline scratches on the coin rendering them "cleaned" and reducing their value to that of the silver. And using any type of "polishing wheel" or whatnot on a dremel etc. would also (obviously) leave hairlines and render the coin cleaned.... Big no no.

And also, what you mentioned about comparing classic cars to coins... When the Coin leaves the mint it will never be returned to the state that it is in that day.... No matter what is done. Toning is a natural occurrence that every coin on this planet will be subjected to eventually, as it's the natural reaction between the metals in the coin in the natural elements found on every inch of this earth and in every millimeter of the air we breathe... Sure a lot of people do not like toned coins and consider it damage... but I'm not one of those people, lol, far from it. Toning is inevitable, and it will happen eventually. Sure, precautions can be taken to slow down the toning and maybe stop it for your lifetime even, but bottom line is that eventually all coins will tone. Not to mention that when they enter circulation and get signs of that it can never be returned to the mint state that it left the mint like...

And as I and a few other people mentioned in our prior posts,your coins are circulated... So if you bring them back to a blast white state you need to remember... These are worn coins,so they will never look the same as they did when they left the mint... and in all honesty I think it'll make them look worse because they'll be obviously cleaned, as circulated coin should not be blast white like that, they should show the tale of their life. And if you wipe the with something, again, it will leave hairlines, so not only will they look out place being blast white and heavily circulated but also be covered in hairlines...

Edit* lol, you replied as I was typing.... So basically you want to remove the toning? This is almost as confusing in the Coin World as cleaning, lol... Up until recently dipping coins, which removes the toning was common practice and quite acceptable... And some people still consider toning to be unattractive whether it's colorful or dark and will dip any coin they get and not consider it cleaned... Then there's other people out there such as myself who prefers toned coins and consider any dip to be cleaned as dips remove a layer of the metal as well and if done wrong/ too long will also remove the luster.

See, the way I see it is kind of like you were talking about... I want my coins to be as close as possible to when they left the mint... only my perception of that is different from yours because I understand that toning is a natural process that will happen to all coins, so I want them in that natural state, never to be messed with it all, which includes not being dipped, which to me is 100% cleaned. I don't care how carefully it was done, to me a dipped coin is a cleaned coin period. I would rather have a natural looking Coin that is toned opposed to a blast white coin. But there are definitely people who disagree with me on that one... Lol. Though I would be willing to bet that most people would recommend you do not dip them in you leave them in their natural state

A picture is worth a thousand words. When he had the coins the condition was like this..


now they are like this...


The decline in appearance has occurred after 12 years of storage. They never were in "mint" condition, and I never expect them to be.

NathanASE asked if I want to remove the toning. I don't know since I am finding that words have different meanings in the Coin World.
What is it called to return the coin in photo B to the condition of photo A? Restoring or preserving?

To me the definition of original means to be the same as when something first originated, or came into being ,but that is not so in the Coin World. In the CCF glossary original means the coin never has been dipped or cleaned.

Mint state in the Coin World means Original condition in the real world.

There are many more questions, maybe for a different thread. If the natural state of the coin means untouched, and that is desirable, why are there professional restoring services available? If a coin was restored and then sent for grading, would it be graded as original condition ,or restored? Would an original condition coin have a greater value than a professionally restored coin?


Can you see why I am confused?

Thanks nathanASE



That is the answer I needed. If they can never be like it was in the first picture, I will just throw them back in the box.

Again, thanks to all contributors for your patience.

Your welcome and no problem.. By posting pics of what you wanted it took like again helped a lot! And sorry if I was sounding annoyed, it wasn't my intent and I didn't totally get what you wanted until you posted the two pics. And don't feel bad at all, lol, cleaning and toning are most definitely the most difficult and debated topics in coin collecting... It can be quite confusing.

^^ That is true... You can slow the process by storing them in a different manner. Had they been taken out of that holder before being stored away they'd probably still look like pic A today... For another example my gramps sets of which I posted the quarter pic would have not toned that drastically if they were not stored in those folders for that long period... It's the sulfur and other chemicals in the paper reacting with the coin... So if you take your coins and put them in a non PVC plastic holder (or even individual non PVC 2x2's) and keep them stored right you can at least severely slow the progression of the toning, which even if you put them away again you may want to do as they'll turn completely black.. I would 100% recommend doing this... If you "don't like" them now leave them in that same holder for another 10 years and see how much you like them then...

And I wouldn't be too discouraged and just pack them away if I were you ... Obviously you can do as you please but I'd throw them in other holders (either one large, multi coin holder or separate ones) and display them proudly... Heck with the toning! Especially if they were a meaningful possession of your father and law. Or.... you can give them to me and I'll display them proudly, just playing..

Glad to hear that. Personally I'd move the all, just keep the original packages separate.

One more thing: if you plan to clean them, remember that buffing them will leave them rounded with whatever shape you use with which to polish them. If you use your finger if will take a round dimpled shape. Flat and you will take off only the high points and the fields, leaving a weird gap where the field meets the high points, therefore the only detail you will have will be between the high points and the flat fields. It will look weird in either case via polishing/buffing.

And, you will never bring a proof coin to its original state. Ever.

Here is the set I spoke of earlier. The obverse side is as the day it was new, (mintstate?) but this side is like so..
The penny and loonie have no stains on them.



I promise I won't use the "C" word, the "P" word or the "B" word again