Hi! So Excited To Finally Be A Member

I'm glad you're so excited about collecting!
About polishing/removing tarnish- I would strongly suggest leaving the coins exactly as they are. When you clean or polish a coin, you are actually removing a very fine layer of the metal that leaves the coin with unoriginal surfaces and usually destroys the value. It also takes away those qualities that make each coin unique, such as the toning and circulation cameos acquired through decades of circulation, or the 'cartwheel' luster on Mint State coins. You could say that cleaning or polishing a coin takes away its character.
The only exception to the 'no cleaning' rule is acetone. Acetone removes debris without affecting the metal or patina, making it a useful tool.

Most collectors on here may have just cringed a little when they read that you cleaned a coin with toothpaste or silver cleaner.

toothpaste is made up of small diatoms which basically is like a very very fine grit sand paper. And silver cleaner will strip off the first few layers of a coin.

Acetone is used and recommended... it can clean off some pretty good "gunk" that's on coins... xylene is another compound which works well... also just a good soak in distilled water can work wonders.

iguess I should clarify....i cleaned some brand new pennies with toothpaste cause they were tarninshed by something beyond recognition and I wanted to see what they were. I cleaned a couple of silver quarters and dimes with the silver polish....and that is acetone anyways by the smell of it. I havent touched my world coind or old domestic coins with anything....in fact, I keep them in a box and seldom even look at them.

Wellllll, as long as you're not cleaning anything 'valuable'; just put 'em in a sock and tie a knot in it, then into the wash.

There ya go, made more cringes!

Okay...i know this is off-topic but I was going to try to upload some photos but I am at the mercy of my phone at home....does anyone have any tips for compressing a picture file on an android phone for uploading it to this site? I would really like some input on what ive got. I may just have to wait until I'm back on the work pc tomorrow...

Actuallly...on that note....don't suppose there's an app for this site? If not, that might be something worth considering...?

Well than I guess I will have to wait. I am very curious about my coins but have taken no time to catalogue and research them so I guess it is about time I take the time anyways.

That is part of why I joined....i have a whole bunch of world coins that I don't even know what country they are from. I think they are cool no matter the value but it would be nice to know what they are....aside from a cool forein coin lol