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 Replies: 11 / Views: 1,266 |
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Valued Member
United States
137 Posts |
This Labor Day I've been preparing for moving in a couple of weeks. As I was getting all of my coin collection together I realized that I have about a double handful of Lincoln wheaties my grandfather had given me 18 years ago, and I have never gone through them! After going through them this afternoon, I find that most are 40's and 50's, but I did find about a dozen teens and 20's, one of them being either a 1921S or 1927S, I can't tell. Which brings me to my question...
What's the best way to clean dirt and grime of off circulated wheaties?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1801 Posts |
Leave them be. Don't try and clean copper or you will most likely ruin the natural color and cancel out any value the coin had. If it doen't rinse off with clean water, no rubbing of any kind, leave it be. (If you rinse it off, make sure you dry the cents completely.)
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Moderator
 United States
56855 Posts |
As a general rule,don't clean coins. That being said,i would use an old used soft tooth brush and mild soap. John1  |
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Valued Member
United States
438 Posts |
Stick with plain old water. If anything happens to the original brown color on a circulated cent, much of the collector value is gone.
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Valued Member
 United States
137 Posts |
Again, these are circulated from the collection my grandfather gave me years ago. I will never part with them as they are sentimental and will one day go to my children. I'm just wanting to remove any unsightly grime and dirt that wheaties pick up over the years of circulation. I do understand and have always heard that you don't clean coins (I've always wondered why dealers say that, yet they will sell you and keep a steady stock of coin cleaning supplies).
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3345 Posts |
I wouldnt clean them if I were you-the only coins I clean are the ones I find metal detecting.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
619 Posts |
My dad left me quite a few old wheats, and some were quite grimy. I tried an acetone dip for a few minutes, then a clean water rinse. It took most if not all of the dirt off, but none of the patina. They're still brown, but not as nasty as before.
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Valued Member
United States
137 Posts |
Thanks CPC24, I'l try that.
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Valued Member
United States
466 Posts |
Quote:
That being said,i would use an old used soft tooth brush and mild soap. hahahah  I always find the roughest bristle toothbrush around and some real gritty soap some 350 sandpaper works nice too all honesty though if you are going to clean it I would just soak it in water for a bit and then pat dry. Some people are concerned about what chemicals may be in the tap water, but for coins that aren't really expensive and for common coins I say try that. If you have a more expensive piece I would always leave it alone, or leave it to the experts. All of my roll finds get tossed right into a roll, or album without me tampering with them. It's your collection, have fun with it but be careful |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
As a rule, do not clean coins. Do not ever, ever use a brush of any type on coins. Do not use tap water on coins. Remember that when people tell you to do that, they well know those are YOUR coins and if you ruin them, so what. They would simply say to bad, your fault for listening to me. Tap water, brushes, soaps, etc. may as well use battery acid. Wire wheels on a bench grinder works too.
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Valued Member
United States
193 Posts |
Wire wheel on a bench grinder? Wow I never thought of that. Better use vice grips to hold the coins too. LOL
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19935 Posts |
As a general rule, DO NOT CLEAN COINS. Leave the grime on your coins before you ruin them.
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Replies: 11 / Views: 1,266 |
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Posted 09/05/2011 3:11 pm
