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 Replies: 19 / Views: 7,286 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3229 Posts |
Here are two War Nickel finds from rolls. I have soaked both in acetone for 3 days. I am considering cleaning with baking soda or toothpaste. To clean or not to clean? That is the question.   |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3171 Posts |
I tried soaking 5 War Nickels in white distilled vinegar for 2 days and they came out pretty nice looking!  Type "vinegar War Nickels" in the CCF search box and you'll see allot of posts.  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19935 Posts |
They look great as is! LEAVE THEM ALONE. Baking soda and/or toothpaste will only cause damage making them melt coins.
Lincoln Cent Lover!VERDI-CARE™ INVENTOR https://verdi.care/
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2120 Posts |
i really like the character of the second one I bet if you put it in a 2x2 and let it sit for a few years. it will turnout with nice yellow hue to it.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
508 Posts |
Both of those look nice as is. I'd say leave em be. I've got about 20 or so War Nickels that are in horrible condition. Thinking of giving them an acetone bath, from what I've seen it'll be a vast improvement from their current condition. |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
3229 Posts |
Majority rules! I will let them be! I like them enough that I am looking for more!! It's exciting to find a 35% silver coin in a roll!  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
880 Posts |
They are in better condition than the typical cull War Nickel, but not nice enough to be worth too much more than melt (that's just my opinion). Melt is roughly $2 a coin and if these are in MS60 (which I doubt) they're worth a little over $3. So depending on what you want, cleaning them is only going to remove $1 off of the resale value at most. If for some reason you really want to just clean one and experiment - do it on the 43 as it's clearly the worser of the two condition wise. |
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Valued Member
Canada
311 Posts |
Every coin book I have read always tells you do not clean coins. When coins are slabbed and cleaned they will be graded as cleaned. Why do collectors keep asking if they should clean coins? Don't clean them.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3345 Posts |
 soccerdad is 100% right NOT to clean coins |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2200 Posts |
Cleaning coins is like someone getting botox. The results are not reality, and you can always tell that something is off.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
721 Posts |
When I was a kid I cleaned OLD silver coins with a baking soda/water paste and rubbed it into the coins with my fingers. I still have them. They are nice and shiny and worn smooth and boy they stick out like a sore thumb. They are now in my melt bin. DON'T clean your coins!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
880 Posts |
I'll stick by my statement here... In general you shouldn't clean coins, BUT if you want to experiment with it than this would be a good coin to do it on. The value in this coins is purely in melt (at least the 43 - I do see some step detail in the 45). So if it's slick, shiny, corroded, black, white, green or w/e it's still worth about $2.
Yes you should not clean your coins, read all the books and understand why. If you have the urge (which I'm sure everyone here on this forum has done...) and must do it, than this is a fine coin to clean.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3229 Posts |
So I did not use any baking soda or tooth paste. What I did do was soak the coins in vinegar. Here are the the new picks! What do you think? Better? Worse? Thanks for all your views! I am learning a ton!   |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
687 Posts |
Soaking them in vinegar damages the coin, so I'd have to say worse.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3229 Posts |
I am curious how vinegar damages the coin. I have seen this method posted a couple of times but did not read that it does damage.
Thought I would try it on a couple low end coins. Does the vinegar damage the metal or just the patina? Or is there something else that I am missing.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
802 Posts |
Good question what Todd said. I was wondering how vinegar would cause damage also?
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Replies: 19 / Views: 7,286 |
Posted 06/04/2011 12:55 pm
