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US Mints cleaning coins
islemangu
Posts: 1,596 ✭✭✭✭
I read in an old coin mag that around the turn of the century, the mint(s)? had a coin cleaning program in place for circulated coinage because of the fear then of bacteria on them spreading diease. The mag just touched on it briefly and was wondering if really true? and if anyone here knowledgable on this could share some info.
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Maybe they used steam back then?
There were several hotels in that era that cleaned coins with detergent and small steel shot.
Many women wore white gloves and would notice if the coins were dirty. There was at least
talk of the fed or mint cleaning them at one time but I never heard of such a program actually
being instituted.
Maybe the next time your barber is body bagged for cleaning you can appeal that its "Mint" state.
billy
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I read that the Treasury Department at one time used to wash US paper money. Banks would return currency that was no longer suitable for circulation to the Treasury for replacement with new bills. Many of these bills were heavily soiled but otherwise suitable for use in commerce so the Treasury would launder them using laundry soap and then return them to circulation. Perhaps one of the paper money collectors here can add some more details.
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Many years ago I saw the coin cleaning operation at the Francis Drake Hotel in SF.
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I have heard stories about people being concerned about Indian HE’s and QE’s due to germs growing in the incuse designs.
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So maybe some of those “washing machine” and “dryer” coins that all the newbies keep posting thinking they are rare mint errors really are mint made 🧐😉
Mr_Spud
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IS THIS WHAT YOU CALL MONEY LAUNDERING?
Many Shield Nickels were cleaned by the mint in the 1880s. Their heavy use in taverns probably contributed to their filthy appearance and there were a lot of taverns in that era. The temperance movement that eventually resulted in prohibition was fueled by a very serious drinking problem that existed during the 19th century.
Back when I was pushing for the Where's George comma club, I used to occasionally get really ratty straps of $1 from BofA.
I would wash them on delicate with a few drops of detergent, then iron them dry.
I occasionally get hits on those bills 10, 12 even 15 years later.
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FWIW, in doing my research for my book on the 1922 cents I read a lot of the Denver Mint correspondence files from the early 1920's. Though Denver did receive large quantities of used coins when the Sub-Treasuries closed in 1920 and 1921, including over ten million used cents, there is no mention anywhere that any of the used coins were cleaned before being returned to circulation over the next few years.