Sensitive Question

Danegeld · June 24, 2005 11:46PM

Hello All,

This may be a sensitive question to some of you, me it brings back pleasant or not so pleasant memories of childhood. Have any of you ever used lemon juice and salt to clean pennies. I'll admit I did as a kid when I started collect ing back in the late 60's after reading it in one of those beginner 'Whitman, How To Collect Coins' book. Heck, I had the shiniest copper penny 1909-1959 (minus several KEY pieces of course) collection you've ever seen, LOL. I still have those coins albeit up in the attic and "OUT OF SIGHT" !

My question is have/did any of you have a similar experience.

Take Care
Ben

keets · June 24, 2005 11:50PM

i used a brillo pad and a little water for the same result.

MrSpud · June 24, 2005 11:50PM

I used my Moms Brasso to shine up some Indian Head Cents and a few older Lincolns when I was little. Only did about 10 coins before my older brother stopped me from doing it. I still have the Indian Heads in the same 2X2's and I just recently upgraded the Lincolns to non-cleaned ones.

Danegeld · June 24, 2005 11:55PM

Chuckle, Brasso and a Brillo Pad. Good Lord!!! I was lucky cause my dad owned a hardware store and he'd let me go thru all the change in the evening, plus he collected too. I have his lincoln collection in a folder which only goes from 1909-1940 and then one from 1941-??? I haven't seen any like it.

Ben

09sVDB · June 25, 2005 12:15AM

Ouch! The only similar thing I can remember was using a pencil eraser on a 1921D Morgan.

fcloud · June 25, 2005 12:43AM

I remember my parents pulling out the silver cleaner and cleaning the silver coins they had put away--they used copper cleaner on the pennies. Now, it is a nice memory, then I thought it was cool. Now, I know better.

numonebuyer · June 25, 2005 1:05AM

There is nothing like a new collector to trash coins.

Shamika · June 25, 2005 1:31AM

I used vinager and salt. I don't know why I choose these two ingrediants, but it sure seemed to work. The salt acted like sand paper and the vinager like acid.

prooflike · June 25, 2005 4:21AM

I liked using Brasso, made 'em real shiny!

PerryHall · June 25, 2005 4:24AM

When I was a kid I tried every methosd possible to clean coins from baking soda to erasers. I even put mercury on coins to make them look like chrome. Fortunately I got it out of my system before I could afford to buy any real coins. The only coins I ruined were pocket change.

Numismanic · June 25, 2005 4:32AM

When I was a kid I used to soak my silver coins in Tarnex. Ooooh so shiney!

mhammerman · June 25, 2005 4:35AM

Yes, young preteen/teen collecting pennies, buffalo's, mercury's, and quarters from circ rolls. Used erasers...good job but it left too many marks but fun to do the fields on the quarters. Used mercury...now this really shined them up but it probably damaged my coin genes (at least I have an excuse for my mistakes). Nick-a-date...this stuff really worked on buffalo's but didn't help any of the silver stuff. Brasso...also worked good but scratched them some and it really worked good on pennies, especially when rubbed in with an eraser. Soap and water and a toothbrush or toothbrush with tooth paste and toothbursh with baking soda.

I hate to think of how much US coinage I damaged in my misspent youth.

ccr · June 25, 2005 4:37AM

When I was about 9 or 10, I would use Comet and water.

Those circulated Weaties needed a good scrubing.

DMWJR · June 25, 2005 4:37AM

Everybody has done it!

UncleJoe · June 25, 2005 4:41AM

Pencil eraser. Got the dirt off and eventually retoned normally.

Joe.

PS. I did this to a 1909-S looking for the VDB. (it wasn't there).

rip · June 25, 2005 4:57AM

Before I knew better, I took alcohol and a clean, lint free cloth (a t-shirt) and using the lightest pressure possible tried to remove a finger print from a proof Frankie. Here is the result:
1956 Proof Half

MrSpud · June 25, 2005 6:02AM

At least the fingerprint is gone

rip · June 25, 2005 6:18AM

<< <i>At least the fingerprint is gone

>>

Yes, it's gone!

lathmach · June 25, 2005 9:34AM

Salt cleans pennies pretty good.
Try it on some old common cruddy lincoln wheats.
Get some salt water boiling and put a penny in with a spoon.
let it work for a bit and take it out. If it looks okay, rinse the salt off.
Lemon juice? Never tried it but I'll bet the acid will make your cents look pink and unnatural.

Ray

Jdurg · June 25, 2005 10:15AM

I did a load of laundry this past weekend, and I guess I forgot to take some pocket change out of my jeans. I saw a penny at the bottom of the washer, and when I picked it up and held it to the light it was beautifully toned. So I guess warm water and laundry detergent will clean the gunk off of a copper penny and add a magnficent color toning to it. Now my question is, since this was 100% purely accidental, is that considered NT or AT?

(I'll have to post a picture of it later. Even more eerie is that the coin is a 1980 coin which is the year I was born).

Sensitive Question

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