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 Replies: 20 / Views: 2,984 |
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New Member
United States
24 Posts |
Hi,
What is the best way to clean a coin. I know there is solutions out on the market but I want to use the correct solution and proper process.
Thanks
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1005 Posts |
It depends what is on the coin that you want to remove. Salt/residue from a flood? try pure water. Sticky/cloudy residue? try pure acetone. Green corrosion on copper? try verdicare. Brown/black patina from age? Do Not Clean. This is desirable and if you remove it you will ruin your coin forever.
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Rest in Peace
United States
18456 Posts |
It's best not to clean at all . But if you must , only use acetone ,Verdi-Care or distilled water . That's it nothing else . And best not to do anything above unless you know what your doing .  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10034 Posts |
 Remember that to coin collectors, shiny does NOT mean valuable. Some people totally ruin the value of a coin by rubbing it or using some other method like a polishing compound wheel to make the coin "look new" (to their eyes). Coin collectors are interested in the amount of wear the design on the coin has. Therefore anything that removes surface metal in even the least way will spell disaster. What llewllin said is correct. The chemicals she mentions do not harm the metal. If you post some pictures, we might be able to help you determine what to do. |
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Valued Member
 United States
460 Posts |
Don't use polish. Don't use cleanser. Don't use a brush or even wipe it with a cloth or paper towel. Anything that scratches the coin even microscopically can damage it's appearance and value.
The methods described above are all acceptable if used correctly. Personally, I don't trust myself to even try to do anything to improve a coin's appearance.
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New Member
 United States
24 Posts |
Here is what I got. This may look like a cent with DDO on the date. See attached  |
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New Member
United States
24 Posts |
I should have been more descriptive. This cent has what appears to be green debris or dirt around parts of the date and I would like to clean the cent so as to remove what could be hiding a clue to DDO. |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
8938 Posts |
Not a DDO but MD and circ. damage |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1005 Posts |
A good soak in acetone might remove some of that stuff. If it doesn't, you could leave it alone or if you're feeling brave, you could soak in acetone to soften that material then use a very small thorn from a plant (softer than copper) to gently pull the debris from within the letter
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10034 Posts |
 and But I use a porcupine quill. ...eBay if you don't have road kill where you are. Also very inexpensive, the tips are very durable, very soft, and the longer shaft of it is easier to handle than a rosebush thorn |
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Moderator
United States
14463 Posts |
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Valued Member
United States
325 Posts |
"But I use a porcupine quill."
What about the plastic toothpick from a Swiss army knife, or something similar in plastic that's been sharpened a bit more than that?
For that matter, a fingernail clipping might work. I tried scratching a silver coin I got that had been polished to an unnatural sheen, and I couldn't make a mark on it with my thumbnail.
But the quill sounds very interesting, and more durable.
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Rest in Peace
United States
18456 Posts |
So if you can't find a porcupine running around your back yard , just use the teeth from a mountain lion .  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10034 Posts |
@Pauldog That is an interesting idea if you could find something that could maintain its strength while being sharpened down to the size small enough to scoop the gunk out of the inside cavities of a mint mark. A Swiss Army knife "toothpick" is way to large. To some quills, the inside of the 0 in the OP's pic would be a relatively large area. A fingernail clipping is a good idea also. But harder to manipulate. @T-Bop  https://www.ebay.com/itm/american-p...D0:rk:1:pf:1Edited by Earle42
01/31/2019 12:34 pm
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Valued Member
United States
325 Posts |
I've seen porcupine quill earrings for sale at powwows and some shops. I could possibly track down a maker and buy a few quills, or trade a silver dime or quarter for some.
Or I could just get a "rescue porcupine" from the local animal shelter. Maybe this could somehow dovetail with the upcoming Groundhog Day. I could watch that movie with my new pet porcupine and groundhog. (This is starting to remind me of the old "Pogo" comic strip.)
I also noticed a piece or two of plastic that had gotten broken off from something, and of course I've got several kinds of plastic in the recycling bin. A polypropylene lid might do the trick, if sharpened enough. Polypropolene seems softer than most other plastics. I could test a few kinds of plastic on a silver coin I don't care about.
Edited by Pauldog
02/01/2019 3:24 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10034 Posts |
I hope the plastic can work. It might be able to last even linger than a quill. They do wear out after awhile by the point either fraying or bending when I apply too much pressure. It will take some micro sharpening though for sure. I need to sometime post some pics of using one of the quills so people can get a better idea of how small, yet sturdy that can be.
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Replies: 20 / Views: 2,984 |
Posted 01/30/2019 8:13 pm
