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 Replies: 11 / Views: 3,251 |
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Valued Member
United States
462 Posts |
Hi Everyone,
I know cleaning coins is satanic, but I picked up a box of wheat cents yesterday and they are disgusting. Most are fairly worn, but I have seen a couple that look like they've barely been circulated. I don't know what they were all stored in, but they all have a gross feeling and dark color to them. I find I have to wash my hands every 10 - 20 cents.
Is there a way I can mass clean them? I'm not looking to scrub them or anything like that. I don't want shiny new worn pennies either, but I'm afraid to even put these things in with my other bunch of wheaties in case whatever it is spreads.
There are about 500 - 1000 of them so I'd like to rinse them in bulk. I tried a couple in soapy water but had no luck. Would something like acetone work? I can post pictures later if need be, but half look like normal toned worn coins with an invisible almost gooey surface and the others have black fields. Any suggestions? Thanks.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4691 Posts |
Acetone is worth a try. But deposits will re-deposit if the acetone evaporates, so you will want to be sure to rinse them with distilled water after soaking. Acetone will not hurt. Regarding dishwater soaps, they are not all the same. Dawn is far superior to any others, if you want to try that again.
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Moderator
 United States
187851 Posts |
Quote:
...so you will want to be sure to rinse them with distilled water after soaking. No, rinse them with fresh acetone. This will effectively dry the coins without having to dry them. By the way, jimbucks, you need to get in on the current GTP season.  |
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Rest in Peace
United States
4078 Posts |
Quote:
rinse them with fresh acetone.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3755 Posts |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19935 Posts |
Put them in a strainer and rinse under hot running water.
Depending on the residue, acetone may have no effect and most likely a waste of time and money.
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
Honestly, in your shoes I'm thinking about getting out the pasta pot and boiling them.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
837 Posts |
Quote:
I'm thinking about getting out the pasta pot and boiling them   |
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
Wasn't joking.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1109 Posts |
I've boiled coins before to help get gunk off them. It works sometimes!
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
1. Do not use ANY dish soap on coins. Not only are all different but due to proprietary formulae, most are change periodically. So the soap that worked yesterday may not be the same today. 2. Do not BOIL your coins in water. Again, water is different everywhere and if you used tap water it may well contain Chlorine, Fluorine, salts and almost anything possible. 3. I suggest you simply start by soaking all in a large pot with distilled water for a while. Then using a CLEAN GLASS bowl, soak them all in Acetone. Steer occationally and carefully with a glass utensil. 4. Pour off all the Acetone and add new Acetone. Being careful where and how you discard the old and new. 5. Place all the coins now on a soft, clean cotton towel and allow to dry. IF all these coins remain full of STUFF, just send to me and I'll work on something else. You pay postage, naturally.   |
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New Member
United States
40 Posts |
dawn soapy water is the best bet. if some look like they have barely circulated, don't bother. as always air on the side of caution.
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Replies: 11 / Views: 3,251 |
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Posted 10/13/2014 11:38 am
