Help With Cleaning Coins From Smoking

I'm not sure, but I went into a coin shop in Waco, TX and both guys had obviously been chain smoking in the place for about 3 decades. I didn't buy anything, but my clothes stunk after being in there for 5 minutes. I can only imagine what it must be doing to the coins and paper money in the store...

Acetone should do the trick and getting rid of the paper wrappers right away too.

Distroy the wrapping paper. First try soaking in distilled water for a day. If any odor is still present, then try the Acetone dipping. Any odor should really be gone after the distilled water though. Staining from smoking is a stain though so if those coins are smoke stained, that will not come off easily. But for the odor, just distilled water should do the trick. Cigarett smoke does not really soak into metal but does leave a residue on everything.
Commeter trains in my area USED to have smoker cars and every thing in those cars was sort of a yellowish stained tone. All the Aluminum handrails were all yellowish. The Commuter system actually replaced all the equipment since they just couldn't revive it to looking normal.


I think more people should take a tour through the Cancer Treatment portions of hospitals. I was there and it's enough to make anyone stop smoking.

i would try warm soapy water first. dish soap in warm water will not harm the coin just make sure you dry each coin by sitting them on a towel and then touching the other side with a towel. touch do not rub just in case you have a key or two. good luck and don't forget to rinse in distilled water

Completely wrong. Never use DISH SOAP on coins. YES some really do hurt coins. Some dish soaps are strong enough to disolve all sorts of greases and so to may attack the metals of coins. You can not just say DISH SOAP since every one is different. Look at a shelf at a store and you would see many, many varieties and brands of them. READ the lables and you would sse that very little is noted as ingrediants. This is due to a proprietary system to keep others from copying their products.
DO NOT USE DISH SOAPS ON COINS.
And a towel? What type? What material? Some towels too are abrasive.

ok, dish soap is out. I'll start with warm water. Distilled water that is.

Did a small batch last night with just water. It did knock the odor down some.