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 Replies: 10 / Views: 1,775 |
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Valued Member
Canada
123 Posts |
Due to some humidity causing cloudy build up in my blue Uni-Safe folders, I am about to move over 1000 coins into a new holder/folder system.
Since I'm pulling them all out, I was wondering if there is a *light* cleaning that can be done to some of my dirty looking older cents, nickels & quarters (mostly the cents!)?
Note: these are just found in change and are not high grade.
Still I do not want to damage any of these coins, so:
1. Is warm water and soap ok?
2. If warm water and soap are cool, clean them with a cloth or just let them sit?
3. Should I use a special type of cloth?
4. For the few nicer coins I have, that may only have a finger print on them, is there a soft cloth that I can rub the coins with or will this make it worse?
Thanks for the help!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3345 Posts |
Im thinking acetone would work but wait til someone else gets on.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4897 Posts |
Yup probably acetone. But the fingerprints are ther to stay. The acid on our hands etches the print onto the coin and nothing is gonna take it off.
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Valued Member
 Canada
123 Posts |
Acetone is a little too harsh for me. So is it better to just leave them instead of water and soap?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4897 Posts |
Acetone...too harsh. But you considered rubbing them with a cloth? Acetone on the coppers is just fine. In fact, it will help to conserve the coins by taking any moisture away from the metal. I definitely would not consider soap and water. IMHO of course. :-)
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Pillar of the Community
United States
642 Posts |
I would keep any cloth far away from them. Hair-line scratches are some of the easiest things to notice on a cleaned coin, not to mention distracting and very destructive to the original finish.
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Valued Member
United States
350 Posts |
I would suggest just keeping the coins as they are.
Too much potential to damage the coins
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
With that many coins, that you intend cleaning, you are going to expose yourself to acetone for a loooooong time, if you decide to use it.
I stand to be corrected, but I think prolonged exposure to acetone may be carcinogenic to the liver. May be worth investigating the toxicology of acetone on the 'Net. My industrial exposure to nasty chemicals over my lifetime has been way too much.
If you must use the stuff, a mask, gloves, and use in a well ventilated area would be required.
Edit: I have since checked the toxicology, and acetone it is not quite as bad as I thought.
Edited by sel_69l
11/11/2011 03:10 am
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Valued Member
Canada
123 Posts |
Thanks everyone...It sounds like I'm just going to leave them as is. A little discolouration and grime just gives them a bit of history.
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Moderator
 United States
187702 Posts |
Quote:
Acetone is a little too harsh for me Acetone may be harsh to your skin, but it will not hurt the metal of your coins. It will only remove organic contaminants from the coins. It will not affect tarnish, toning, corrosion, luster, grade, etc. That being said, if you do not have any experience with coin conservation then it is best to leave the coins alone. My advice is if a coin looks so bad that you want to clean it, your time may be better spent looking for an upgrade.  |
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New Member
United States
2 Posts |
I cleaned all my junk silver by using mothers silver polish. The coins are highly polished in seconds with no real rubbing needed. I just patted them dry.The coins are like new and have a mirror finish.None of these coins have a collector value.I buy the nicest scrap silver coins I can find and polish them like new. I do this to Peace dollars,liberty dimes, liberty halves,and Franklin half dollars.I'm a stacker and I hate having dirty silver coins or bullion.I keep my junk silver in plastic medical bottles.The half dollars fit in the larger pill containers.My few hundred junk dimes are just dumped in the bottles.All my Mercury dimes look like new.Cleaned or not I will get the same price. I would bet all the junk silver has been cleaned before one time or another.I have used baking soda and a aluminum tray to clean coins that I feel have a small collectors value.These coins I'm very careful with and won't wipe with no cloth.I use a air compressor to dry them off and I wear cotton gloves. I have uncirculated coins that I would never clean. These are kept in air tight plastic holders.All my ASE,Dragons,Tigers,Grizzly,Wolves,are in plastic coin holders. |
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Replies: 10 / Views: 1,775 |
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Posted 11/10/2011 8:56 pm
