How to clean worn out coins?

Elli

I got two coins that are very worn out.
What can i do to make the worn out come off?

Steve27

Return them to the mint.

JohnZ

Highly-circulated coins that are cleaned end up looking like highly-circulated coins that have been cleaned. I would leave them alone. Uncirculated coins can sometimes benefit from an acetone bath to remove foreign matter or haze. I'm not in favor of dipping as a general rule.

Shamika

Soap and water.

MacCoin

it depends on the coin. I clean alot of my coins mostly bu dollars but there are many I won't because they look better to me without cleaning. Barber come to mind without cleaning liberty band and the leave on the cape stand out more.

MICHAELDIXON

.
use a grinding wheel

1jester

Sell them to Braddick!

topstuf

Only buy "wash n wear" coins.


Elli, if you're only 11, you are the strongest 11 yr old I have ever read.

I bet you can "pull a leg" over 100 miles.

nepbrs44

Use a belt sander or some steel wool…….that always does the trick

Baley

don't clean your coins.

1jester

Does anyone notice anything strange about this thread??

Elli started it at 9:51 today, but Steve27's post at 9:50 is listed first!!!!!

How in the heck is that possible, I ask you?

I guess Steve answered the question before it was asked....WEIRD!!!!

nepbrs44

I think this thread is on drugs!!!!

cladking

This also appears on an open forum thread from about 3 hours earlier. I'd guess
the time stamp is malfunctioning on occasion.

The worn out can only be removed from a coin through perception. One must stand
back far enough to not notice it or must change his definitions about just what con-
stitutes worn out. Otherwise try acetone.

cladking

<< <i>I think this thread is on drugs!!!! >>



...or soaked in alcohol.

Elli

Okay thanks everyone.

atomic

Use the following procedure:

1) Dip in sulfuric acid
2) Clean with Brillo Soap Pad
3) Dry with paper towel
4) Coat with furniture polish
5) Buff to a bright finish with cloth towel

Presto! Coin's good as new!

Atomic

Elli

Can i do something else to clean worn out coins?

nepbrs44

<< <i>Can i do something else to clean worn out coins? >>



Elli don't clean your coins a worn coin will never get better buy cleaning them. Just enjoy them as they are and maybe think about there history and where they may have been.

Good luck!

Elli

Thanks nepbrs44 for you're advice.

cladking

<< <i>Can i do something else to clean worn out coins? >>



Many old circulated coins will have layers of dirt and crud on them. For coins
which are heavily worn one of the easiest methods of cleaning is to simply push
oil from your hands into them with your thumb. The oil will get under the dirt
and lift it off without having any appreciable effect on the grade of the coin.

Many such coins are stained in addition to having the dirt on them and removing
the dirt will actually make them look worse. It takes experience to know which
coins will benefit from a cleaning and which won't.

91% isopropyl alcohol and acetone also clean coins well and can be used even on
uncs. These are both very inflammable and the acetone is worse so be careful.

Elli

Good idea but i dont know about acetone and isopropyl alcohol i wont use them, i'll use the first method you said.

BigGreek

<< <i>I got two coins that are very worn out.
What can i do to make the worn out come off? >>



Get them to tone up. It makes the worn-out come right off.

Elli

But how to tone them?

Elli

lordmarcovan

<< <i>Does anyone notice anything strange about this thread??

Elli started it at 9:51 today, but Steve27's post at 9:50 is listed first!!!!!

How in the heck is that possible, I ask you?

I guess Steve answered the question before it was asked....WEIRD!!!! >>



Oh, good. I haven't totally lost my mind. I guess that part comes later.

Elli

Elli

Here look at these worn coin's:

Elli

Bump

topstuf

Elli, maybe you should try wearing out clean coins instead of cleaning worn coins.

You can take some NEW coins and wear them out..... but SAVE the wear as it comes off. Then put it ON the worn coins and make them new again.

Another thing you can do is if your last name is not "Berg".......change it. Then all your coins could get "Elli's a Berg" on the slabs and they would be worth a lot even if they are all worn out.

And watch out for having too many e-mail addresses because it could get you all messed up if you had a brother named "Steve" and maybe he used both logins but not at the right time.

Numismatics is frought with hazards.

Be very careful.

I can send you some wear if you need any to put some on some cleaned coins.

Elli

What's a wear?

ealandg

I am sure I will be blasted to smithereens for this, but Elli, you do not sound like an 11 year old to me. I have reviewed some of your previous posts and I see numerous inconsistencies in language, ability, etc. Additionally, I have a few kids and you sound more like an adult trying to sound like a kid than a genuine kid.

cladking

Elli: The type 2 standing liberty quarter you picture appears pretty clean and will probably not
benefit from cleaning. It appears to be one of the 1917 to '24 issues from the Denver mint. These
didn't have a recessed date so they generally wore off long before the coin got to poor condition.
A coin in this condition is generally considered to be worth no more than its value as silver anyway.
There are acids which can sometimes restore a date even on silver coins but these too, are usually
considered to be worth no more than their silver value.

It requires quite bit of experience to know what coins might benefit from a proper cleaning so it
is advisable to practice on less expensive coins until you learn.

Another name for isopropyl alcohol is rubbing alcohol. This is not especially dangerous unless the
vapors are exposed to a flame, in which case it will ignite. For cleaning coins the 91% version tends
to be more effective and will not hurt coins, but can expose distracting stains that look worse than
the dirt.

There's an excellent search engine on this site which can be accessed with the icon above under the
"navigation" menu. Type in "clean" or "cleaning" and limit your search to just the US coin forum and
the World and ancient coin forum to see a great deal more on the subject.

Elli

I am 11, it's true.
It's just i read alot of books.

topstuf

<< <i>What's a wear? >>




Very few people.

Elli