Whats A Safe Way To Clean Gunk From A Coin?

I'm a long way from an expert, but I have been reading quite a bit. Cleaning is a bad word around here. From my limited knowledge you could try an acetone dip (from a hardware store) that could potentially remove some organics from the coin without affecting the silver.

Or just try soaking it in some distilled water for a bit to see if they crud comes off. I'm sure there will be some people here with a lot more experience than me that will chime in. Congrats on your find!

I know what you mean with the gunk. Sometimes I get coins from a roll that are hairy, cruddy, caked, blackened, gross, foul, and unsavory.

Generally, they're not worth even looking at. If they're that covered in crud, there's probably something else wrong with 'em so why not shine them up a bit if it's a coin you need for a collection or one that's worth collecting in general? You're not going to retire off of any proceeds one way or another. Improve it as you see fit (utilizing the ample advice on this forum) and showcase it in your collection. Most of the coins I put in my albums that I pull from circulation I gently rub with a microfiber cloth to remove any debris.

"Do what's right for the coin" is a good motto, but one that can be difficult to interpret. When do you shine a coin with a Crown Royal bag and when do you soak in acetone and pat dry? Time and experience help to answer that one.

Coin surface problems vary widely, no single method can be prescribed without first approximately determining the nature of the problem. Can you post some pictures? That will at least get us in the ballpark.