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 Replies: 17 / Views: 3,261 |
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Valued Member
Canada
89 Posts |
So last week I had an opportunity to purchase what I consider a large quantity of coins. As part of the lot there are 5-6 cigar boxes filed with loose world coins (a few silver but most base)all from late 1800's up to the 1970's. They stink. The room I've currently got them in is filled with their old musty odor.
What would be the best way to 'clean' them off. I'm thinking of using distilled water with them all first to rinse the loose dirt and hopefully the smell away, and then some acetone on any that have any gunk built up on them.
Any other advice?
Oh and before I start going through them I'll probably start a little thread as I'm gonna need some help identifying some of the coins and what to look for as I sort them out.
I'm pretty excited to go through them all but it's so darn hot/humid around here since I've bought them that I can't be stuck in the house all day.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1959 Posts |
Get rid of the containers and put them in zip lock bags until you get to them.
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Valued Member
260 Posts |
Um, try acetone. Also,  Edited by DeodatusAlp2002
08/21/2015 4:22 pm
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
5828 Posts |
 Acetone should help, also trow away the boxes. |
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Rest in Peace
United States
18456 Posts |
Forget the distilled water. get them out of their boxes. and give them an acetone bath ,only a few at a time. if they are really that bad then give them a second rinsing in clean acetone . throw the boxes away.
put all the good coins in 2x2 holders or flips.
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Valued Member
 Canada
89 Posts |
Well so far I've taken the boxes away and just have them sitting in some bags. Might rain tomorrow so that'll give me a good excuse to start dusting them off.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1192 Posts |
Most like it will be the boxes that harbor the smell.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7390 Posts |
Ya, old coins usually have a dirty metallic type smell that is unique to old circulated coinage. That box was the culprit. It's from mold spores using the cardboard as a substrate and food source. (Mold dosent grow on metal) now, if they adopted the smell from proximity to the spores then acetone is the way to go I would think as mold spores are organic and acetone is safe for coins (also an fyi, in general, with mold people automatically think bleach will kill it but bleach has too much water in it to be effective) not talking about coins of coarse but general mold
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Rest in Peace
United States
2668 Posts |
Febreze, in the vicinity, NOT on the coins.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
For Pete's sake, just dump everything into a sink with soapy water and throw out the containers!
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Quote:
For Pete's sake, just dump everything into a sink with soapy water and throw out the containers! Never, ever put coins in just water and soap. May as well just put them in a Acid bath. |
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Valued Member
Canada
89 Posts |
Well to this point. I've changed the containers, gave them a rinse in distilled water and some an acetone bath too. Only have gone through about a quarter of them so far. The cleaning off that is. Haven't spent much time figuring out exactly what I have yet.
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Rest in Peace
United States
17900 Posts |
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Valued Member
Canada
89 Posts |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Suggestion. As soon as possible, separate those coins. By that I mean separate what appears to be Copper from other materials. Then too, separate what may be Silver from other materials. Next take out any coins in those old Whitman Folders. Hopefully the rears of those coins are still OK.
There is a problem with dissimilar metals touching each other and creates an electrical charge. Small, yes, but enough to slowly ruin coins. Those old Whitman Folders usually have glue on the rear of the slots which also effects coins.
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Moderator
 United States
187840 Posts |
Quote:
Here's what it is I'm playing with. There are more in another container. There are 4 cigar boxes and a few containers of world coins and 2 tins of 40's and 50's Canadian pennies and nickels. Smell aside, that looks like a load of fun!  |
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Replies: 17 / Views: 3,261 |
Posted 08/21/2015 4:22 pm
