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 Replies: 12 / Views: 1,244 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
535 Posts |
Now if I asked this question, most people would say "DON'T CLEAN A COIN - you'll destroy it. Just don't do it!"
Over the last few weeks I've been noticing a lot of people talk about 'pocket pieces'. Lots of people have them and think they are neat. It seems to me that this is basically putting a coin into circulation (albeit a very small circulation). A coin getting worn in your pocket seems like it could be just as bad for a coin if you cleaned it.
Even if its already bad, you're just going to make it worse. So why is it acceptable to put a coin in your pocket and scuff it up?
What if I wanted to clean my pocket piece? Would you have a problem with that?
Just trying to figure this out....
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
14454 Posts |
a pocket piece is just carried around as a good luck piece or just a basic conversation piece, most doesn't hold much value over bullion to start with so no matter how wore the coin got it would still be worth the same bullion value. The reason no one wants a cleaned coin is because it simply ruins a coin when it is cleaned especially when improperly cleaned. I have gave certain coins a acetone bath and stuff like that, that some people considered cleaning but this sort of cleaning is market acceptable because acetone doesn't harm the coin what so ever (it doesn't even remove the toning on a coin)
Edited by Bryan1315
09/16/2007 11:47 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
62064 Posts |
When you take a worn coin, like a pocket piece, and clean it. It looks like a bumpy slug. Kind of like the V nickels turned into after a lot of wear. Edited by coop
09/17/2007 8:36 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
If you have a Lead-Acid battery in your car, use a turkey baster and remove some of that acid. Place in a glass dish, add your coin, allow to sit until nice and shiny. Use your fingers to remove the coin since this will also help clean your fingers. Of course you can purchase many types of acids in a standard hardware store. Used to clean driveways and concrete walkways. Also, great for coins.  One nice thing about these methods is that the size of the coin will deminish making it easier to carry. Naturally there are the standard Lemon Juice, Tomato Juice, WD-40 and/or just a wire brush method. All will work to some degree.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1984 Posts |
I'm going to be contrarian here and tell you that there's nothing wrong with cleaning your coin. It's your coin. Experiment with different chemicals and solvents, especially if it's a coin that only has sentimental value and you want to clean it. Acetone, ketchup, vinegar, alcohol, whatever. Toothpaste. Go to town. Have fun with it.
Edited by halfabustisbetter
09/17/2007 1:55 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
812 Posts |
In most cases, cleaning a coin reduces or completely removes a coin's numismatic value. The bullion value should be unaffected. Cleaning a coin with little numismatic value in the first place is not much of an issue.
Likewise, the wear associated with making a coin a pocket piece reduces the numismatic value, while having no effect on bullion value. A pocket piece should also be one that won't break your heart if it disappears. Pockets get holes, clothes go into the wash without being checked, etc.
I carry a well worn and cleaned (not by me) large cent as a pocket piece. I'd have to work pretty hard to alter its current minimal numismatic value. But, it is identifiable and is a good conversation starter; and it has shiny copper "highlights."
Many coin collectors (myself included) cringe when they see a coin that has been cleaned, which is why most don't do it.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1952 Posts |
most pocket pieces start out as cleaned coins that have very little value because they are cleaned. but if you use a cleaned coin as a pocket piece it will wear the cleaning away a little at a time. you loose a grade or two most of the time but the effects of the cleaning is gone "most of the time" and like HABIB said it is your coin do what you want with it. lol go ahead and turn that $100.00 coin into a $20.00 coin I will give you $10.00 for it and then put it in my packet and in a month or three I will sale it for $50.00-80.00 lol so either way you loose if you clean it and I win lol
Gary
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
965 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1267 Posts |
It's all up to the owner of the coin and what condition the coin is in to begin with. A coin will rarely increase in value after cleaning but some coins are in such bad shape with encrustations or concretions when found that the only way to even identify them is thru the use of a cleaning method.
A mind is much like a book. It's of no use when you fail to open it...
Ben
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Moderator
 United States
23522 Posts |
Taken from a post I made earlier today, at another forum: quote:
There is a point which bears repeating until you're tired of hearing it: It is not difficult to learn how to properly clean a coin. What is difficult, is learning when to choose cleaning. You do not always enhance the value of a coin by removing what's on the surface; indeed, as you've read, there are many among us who would never take such action excepting in the very worst cases, which is to say PVC contamination and nothing else.
Consider very carefully whether this is the best course of action for your coin.
If you want to know how to clean a coin, I'll teach you how to clean a coin. I believe very strongly in putting that information out to anyone who asks, because if you're thinking of it, you're likely to do it and better to do it right than wrong. However, the most important part of cleaning is knowing *when.* |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3402 Posts |
To clean or not to clean, that is the question... I have "conserved" some large cents that had more than a little verdigras (green stuff) by placing them in a container with some lemon juice. It completely removed the verdigras, yes there was some pittng but it looked a hell of a lot better than it did with green stuff all over it. The coin was nice and shiney so I toned it not by putting it in my pocket but on parts of my body that sweat, ie sneakers with no socks and other parts I won't mention. Color came out very nice. The longer you leave it and depending where on the body you have it the darker it will become. Sheldon actually mentions some of these processes in his book Penny Whimsy. I also used this process on a HTT and it looks great. On silver or C/N coins I use a mild toothpaste and tone in the same way. By using the body parts I eliminate the jingling with pocket change. There is nothing wrong in doing metal cinservation on a coin. I buy cleaned coins that have a nice overall color appeal. No I will not buy a "pink" large cent, unless its a strawberry leaf. Remember you're not cleaning a coin you're performing metal conservation. Museums do it all the time and it enhances their collection. Why can't numismatists?  |
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Valued Member
United States
455 Posts |
When I was 8 or 9 my dad taught me a cool trick. All I needed was a dirty coin and pencil with a good eraser.
I ruined the finish on plenty of coins, fortunately none of them had much value.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
In reality cleaning of a coin is more dependant on it's future. If ever wanting to sell a coin, best let it alone. If it's your coin and no plans on selling for a profit someday, then naturally if you want to make it prettier, why not. Someone once posted a web site for all types of cleaning of coins. Just do a search for that one. There were many, many methods listed including the Lemon Juices, Orange Juice, Tomato Juices, WD-40, pencil erasers, Vinegar, mild acids, etc. As already noted it's your coin so do with it as you want.
The only thing to remember is as pointed out on that Antique Roadshow TV Program, any attempts to clean anything will ruin it's value. And in some instances, by a very substantial amount.
If you go to Google and just type in coin cleaning, you will see well over 2,400,000 items.
Edited by just carl
09/18/2007 11:16 am
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Replies: 12 / Views: 1,244 |
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Posted 09/16/2007 11:01 pm
