Cleaning 1958 Franklin

Try this website out, don't kill me for pointing you all to another forum.

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Chances are cleaning this half is a bad idea;
But we'll take a look, post a picture.

As a general rule leave it alone. Without a clear photo of the coin, it is really difficult to say anything. Very possibly it is just dirty and a simple rinse with distilled water is sufficient. OR it could be all corroded and covered with all sorts of STUFF making salvaging almost impossible.

Never, ever feel stupid! Two things you should know is that we all have to start somewhere and that we all make mistakes. What matters most is what you take from progressing forward and learning from those mistakes.

I can't tell squat from that picture, it looks like regular toning. DO NOT clean it or you'll end up losing all numismatic value. Collectors like their coins uncleaned and natural.

Holy toning, Batman!!

Echoing everyone else, acetone is your friend. But since I see you are relatively new (), and nobody has mentioned, this, here are some DON'Ts for you to keep in mind:


--WIRE BRUSHES ARE YOUR ENEMY. Don't go "well, maybe if I'm just very gentle--" NO. REJECTED. PUT DOWN THE WIRE BRUSH. STEP AWAY FROM THE WIRE BRUSH. This also applies to scrubbies, steel wool, Magic Eraser, fine-grit sandpaper, pumice, silver polish, and any other "light abrasives" I've missed.

--Cloths are not quite as much your enemy, but they can still leave hairlines. If you must clean with a cloth (e.g. you dip in acetone and all this CRAP starts coming off), blot gently and don't rub. If this means swishing the coin around a bowl of distilled water (hold onto it and don't scrape it, please!) so you don't have to rub, go for it.

And finally:

--Don't assume that toning is bad. I personally collect pennies and I'm always tickled when I see one with unusual toning, like the Scotch Taped penny I found recently that had turned bright royal purple. If you'd prefer a Franklin that's not toned or is a little more evenly toned, it should be easy to find a buyer or trader for yours so you can upgrade--if nothing else, it's worth spot value.