Cleaning Coins With Tap Water

If even using bottled water, be sure it is NOT just spring water. Should be either distilled or similar. And as to tap water, you really have no idea what is in there. That could well be depending on where you live. Many areas do put Chlorine or other similar items in the water to kill germs. Tap water from wells contain almost anything one Earth. And if your tap water goes through a water softener, it now contains salts. IF you feel you must wash your coins, use distilled water.

There is an art to preservation. That's why best left to true experts, like TPG company restoration of submitted rare coins. Certain things we can do that don't damage coins may indeed leave behind the teltales of cleaning, that's why it is necessary to know the candidate for cleaning.

That Gluck on your coins is a common example. How long its been there, how many "layers" are there, corrosive effects. Removing these causes blotchy or pitted surfaces, that is light surface cleaning. To remove spots and pits, more surface materials must be removed, greatly damaging the coin and assuredly lowering any possible value.

Good advice from mox as always.



to the CCF!