How To Clean Coins

From time to time I encounter new collectors who wish to clean their coins.  They ask if soda is effective, does ketchup stain the coin, or if they should try acid or diesel fuel.  As long as you understand that cleaning a coin will reduce its numismatic value to zero, and are willing to accept that loss, go ahead and clean the thing, but do it right.

You don't need acid.  Acid can pit the coin and some forms of acid can dissolve it completely.  Chances are good that you do not have experience working with acid.  If you don't have adequate ventilation you can get hurt.  Acid and metals can and often do produce gasses which attack your mucous membranes...youe eyes, nose, throat.  These can close your airway with half a breath.  You'll need a full face respirator with activated charcoal cartridge.  Hydrochloric acid fumes will rust every piece of steel in your house.  Muriatic acid is going to screw up your septic tank, possibly rupturing it.  You want to clean a $20 coin and risk replacing the septic system or sewer lines?  Unless you are a chemical engineer, stay away from the acid.

Diesel?  Spill a little of that in the house and you won't be able to eat your food without gagging.  This stuff gets on your hands and from your hands it gets on everything else.  You've got to wash them with mineral spirits to get the diesel off, then LOTS of soap and water to get the spirits off.  In the meantime you are stinking up the house and making a gawdawful mess of the sink.  It aint worth the hassle.  Gasoline is easier to wash off, but you risk setting your house on fire.  Don't be a fool.  Avoid the petroleum products.

If cutting the value of the coin by cleaning it is what you want to do, use the right cleaning products.  The stuff you use to clean your pots, pans and dishes will do the job.  For copper, there is nothing better than dawn and a brillo pad.  Soaking it in soda will stain copper.  Silver is an easy one: silver polish.  Clean silver coins the same way you clean your holiday forks and spoons.  Give them a good scrub in hot soapy water first.  When dry, use a cotton cloth and a dab of silver polish.  You don't need to mix cleaners for any of your coins.  Its real simple.

If you must clean a coin, do it the easy way.  Use cleaners with which you have experience. Don't mix cleaners. Dawn dish soap and a brillo will do the job quick, easy, cheap, and safely.  Just give the thing a good scrub and be done with it.

Is it clean?  Congratulations!  You now have a coin devoid of numismatic value.
At least you didn't get hurt in the process.






 

Clean 1910 alongside an original surface

The 1910 here has great detail, but was returned to the seller because the surface has been altered. The original toning was removed in favor of Hospital Clean.  You could eat off the thing/
I'm not saying you can't clean your coins. By all means, they are yours, you can do what you want. But you won't be selling them easily or for a decent price.