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Pillar of the Community
United States
3499 Posts |
So I have heard that one can use dish washing liquid in order to dislodge some dirt from uncleaned ancients. It it advisable to create a solution of dish soap and water or it is alright to just let them soak in some pure dish soap?
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
The first thing I do when I get a lot of uncleaned coins is to wash then with hot water and a little dish soap. This just removes some of the loose dirt. Than they are dried and placed in olive oil to soak.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4253 Posts |
There are many ways to clean ancients. I generally let them soak in distilled water for a few days before I take them out and brush with a child's soft bristle toothbrush. Then I rinse and dry before I place them in olive oil to soak. This soaking can take a day or several days, or several months. Every so often I take them out and repeat the brush and rinse. I currently have several I've been soaking for almost a year now, but they are coming along beautifully. I should have a finished product to post soon.
JW
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
3499 Posts |
Ah, thanks for the input, everyone. I will certainly try this.
So it would NOT be advisable to let a coin sit in pure dish washing liquid?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4253 Posts |
I wouldn't and I wouldn't advise it. But that is just me. I don't want to take any chance that something may destroy the potential patina. I'm not saying that dish-washing liquid will do that, but I don't know that won't.
JW
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Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
I wouldn't let them soak in just dish soap either. You never know what additives they use and they may be harmful. I would stick to using olive oil.
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
Dish washing liquid ain't a good idea. It works as it does in two ways.
1.) It has a high pH (in other words is alkaline, so it can chemically react with grease to form a water soluble grease, that is, a form of soap. Soap after all, is really a water soluble grease or detergent).
The high alkalinity is not good for a metallic surface, and will stain / corrode it, depending on the degree of alkalinity. It is designed to chemically react with grease to dissolve grease into the water.
2.) The molecular structure of detergent is such that one end of the molecule dissolves in water, and the other end dissolves into grease or oil. In this way, the grease or oil goes into an emulsion into water. The emulsion makes it appear that with the aid of the detergent, the grease has dissolved into the water, to be flushed away.
It is mainly because of the first reason that detergent ain't a good cleaning agent for coins.
If an ancient coin has grease on it, soak in acetone, dry, then soak in olive oil for an extended period for months even, if required. Look at other threads on this forum to learn more about the best olive oil to use. Some types are better than others.
Edited by sel_69l
09/24/2011 03:57 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2661 Posts |
Quote:
Than they are dried and placed in olive oil to soak. For a very long time in some cases. I have about a dozen that have been soaking for nearly 3 years now. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
Have you used the same olive oil for three years, or have you changed it every now and again?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4253 Posts |
I can't answer for Tim, but to me the oil goes rancid after a while and begins to smell bad, so I change it every so often.
JW
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3499 Posts |
Thanks for the help, everyone!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3499 Posts |
I now have a second question. I sometimes use rubbing alcohol when I want to remove gunk from my early modern and modern coins. Would it be advisable to try this with a few uncleaned ancients? Would it have any affect upon the stuck-on dirt?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1205 Posts |
Google cleaning ancient coins---check the metal detecting forum too.
CG
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Pillar of the Community
Bulgaria
843 Posts |
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Replies: 13 / Views: 3,141 |
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Posted 09/23/2011 6:21 pm
