Look on what method to clean coins with, had a quick look on forum but came up empty 
INFO ON CLEANING COINS
- Thread starter old hand
- Start date
Help Support Prospecting Australia:
Found the section after I posted this thanks
Sounds like money laundering
Lol good oneaussiefarmer said:Sounds like money laundering
I was thinking that too.. what's he found hahahaha :lol:
picked it up this morning with the racer 2 not sure if its a penny or token ,I have it soaking in some water and dish washing liquid at the moment
just had a look at it 1865 or 63 and its got peace and plenty on the top
just had a look at it 1865 or 63 and its got peace and plenty on the top
How to Care for & Clean Your Coins
This is a good place to repeat, Dont clean your coins.
If you dont learn anything else from this section, this rule should be it.
There are two types of cleaning for coins, often confused with each other.
Destructive cleaning uses abrasives or acids to clean (and alter) the coin surfaces. Non-destructive cleaning uses solvents that are harmless to the coins metal, whether that coin be silver, gold, or modern clad composition.
Destructive coin cleaning will reduce the collector value as much as 50 percent or even more. An expert can, in some cases, improve the value of an old coin by cleaning, but for the average collector the risk of damage is too great, as almost anything you do is going to cut the value. Unless you are an experienced specialist, the answer to how do I clean my coins? is, quite simply, dont clean them. The typical response from people who dont take advice kindly is Ill do as I please with my coins and you can go jump in the lake! Have a nice swim.
Cleaning Coins
Some collectors insist on cleaning their coins. One such collector had thousands of silver dollars. Every coin had been scrubbed with a harsh abrasive, every coin he bought got the same treatment, despite warnings from friends and dealers he did business with. The result, after he was done cleaning the silver coins, the only value left was the silver content, less than an ounce in each coin.
Another collector put his coins through a rock tumbler, hardly one of the proper coin cleaning materials. It ruined the collections value.
The metal cleaners you see offered for sale on TV and elsewhere all are acid-based cleaners. They remove some of the surface metal in the process of cleaning a coin. Avoid such coin cleaning products at all costs. Even a modern clad coin cleaned with one of these products will lose value. Ancient coins, or gold and silver coins will lose collectors value, and precious metal content through use of such cleaners.
A weak soap (not detergent) solution in distilled water will remove dirt and grease from an encrusted coin without damaging it, even if the coin is one of those grimy specimens found at the beach.
City tap water has chlorine in it, which will discolor the coin. Use distilled water, and rinse with distilled water. Acetone is another commonly used solvent, but there is a fire hazard that you should be aware of when using it as a coin cleaning material. Fingernail polish remover contains acetone, but it has other chemicals that may cause damage to upper grade coins.
Also this warning: There is no safe method available to clean your upper grade uncirculated or proof coins or copper alloy coins. Always seek professional help and advice concerning these valuable coins.
After using solvents, its important to rinse the coins with distilled water, and then either allow them to air dry, or pat them dry. Never rub, even with the softest cloth.
Heavily encrusted coins can be soaked for several months in olive oil. The oil wont damage the coin further, but it will eventually dissolve the crust. Generally speaking though, trying to restore badly corroded coins is a waste of time. Even if you successfully remove the corrosion, there is usually permanent damage underneath, leaving you with a near worthless coin. The same applies to the patina on ancient coins, which in some cases can actually contribute to a coins value.
Dont buy coins that have been cleaned. The bargain prices indicate the coins will not appreciate as quickly as coins left uncleaned.
Anywhere else, the discoloration on silver coins is called tarnish, but coin collectors blithely refer to it as toning. It can range from black to many of the rainbow colors, and some collectors will pay a premium for nice looking toning. This comes close to being a fad. It is also subject to abuse from artificial toning.
An ultrasound cleaner will work, but with care. Only one coin at a time should be cleaned and the solution in the bowl should be changed frequently.
Another threat to your coins is PVC (polyvinyl chloride). It is a softener used in plastics, such as the 2-x-2 coin flips. When it deteriorates, from age or excessive heat, it creates a green slime that will eat into the surface of the coin, doing irreversible and permanent damage to the coin. There are Mylar flips available which do not have this problem, if you have questions, check with your dealer, they can give you important advice on the products they sell, and on how to prevent damage to your collection in general.
Dont buy a cleaned coin unless it is absolutely the last resort.
Cleaned coins will show little or no appreciation, lagging far behind an uncleaned version of the same coin.
This is a good place to repeat, Dont clean your coins.
If you dont learn anything else from this section, this rule should be it.
There are two types of cleaning for coins, often confused with each other.
Destructive cleaning uses abrasives or acids to clean (and alter) the coin surfaces. Non-destructive cleaning uses solvents that are harmless to the coins metal, whether that coin be silver, gold, or modern clad composition.
Destructive coin cleaning will reduce the collector value as much as 50 percent or even more. An expert can, in some cases, improve the value of an old coin by cleaning, but for the average collector the risk of damage is too great, as almost anything you do is going to cut the value. Unless you are an experienced specialist, the answer to how do I clean my coins? is, quite simply, dont clean them. The typical response from people who dont take advice kindly is Ill do as I please with my coins and you can go jump in the lake! Have a nice swim.
Cleaning Coins
Some collectors insist on cleaning their coins. One such collector had thousands of silver dollars. Every coin had been scrubbed with a harsh abrasive, every coin he bought got the same treatment, despite warnings from friends and dealers he did business with. The result, after he was done cleaning the silver coins, the only value left was the silver content, less than an ounce in each coin.
Another collector put his coins through a rock tumbler, hardly one of the proper coin cleaning materials. It ruined the collections value.
The metal cleaners you see offered for sale on TV and elsewhere all are acid-based cleaners. They remove some of the surface metal in the process of cleaning a coin. Avoid such coin cleaning products at all costs. Even a modern clad coin cleaned with one of these products will lose value. Ancient coins, or gold and silver coins will lose collectors value, and precious metal content through use of such cleaners.
A weak soap (not detergent) solution in distilled water will remove dirt and grease from an encrusted coin without damaging it, even if the coin is one of those grimy specimens found at the beach.
City tap water has chlorine in it, which will discolor the coin. Use distilled water, and rinse with distilled water. Acetone is another commonly used solvent, but there is a fire hazard that you should be aware of when using it as a coin cleaning material. Fingernail polish remover contains acetone, but it has other chemicals that may cause damage to upper grade coins.
Also this warning: There is no safe method available to clean your upper grade uncirculated or proof coins or copper alloy coins. Always seek professional help and advice concerning these valuable coins.
After using solvents, its important to rinse the coins with distilled water, and then either allow them to air dry, or pat them dry. Never rub, even with the softest cloth.
Heavily encrusted coins can be soaked for several months in olive oil. The oil wont damage the coin further, but it will eventually dissolve the crust. Generally speaking though, trying to restore badly corroded coins is a waste of time. Even if you successfully remove the corrosion, there is usually permanent damage underneath, leaving you with a near worthless coin. The same applies to the patina on ancient coins, which in some cases can actually contribute to a coins value.
Dont buy coins that have been cleaned. The bargain prices indicate the coins will not appreciate as quickly as coins left uncleaned.
Anywhere else, the discoloration on silver coins is called tarnish, but coin collectors blithely refer to it as toning. It can range from black to many of the rainbow colors, and some collectors will pay a premium for nice looking toning. This comes close to being a fad. It is also subject to abuse from artificial toning.
An ultrasound cleaner will work, but with care. Only one coin at a time should be cleaned and the solution in the bowl should be changed frequently.
Another threat to your coins is PVC (polyvinyl chloride). It is a softener used in plastics, such as the 2-x-2 coin flips. When it deteriorates, from age or excessive heat, it creates a green slime that will eat into the surface of the coin, doing irreversible and permanent damage to the coin. There are Mylar flips available which do not have this problem, if you have questions, check with your dealer, they can give you important advice on the products they sell, and on how to prevent damage to your collection in general.
Dont buy a cleaned coin unless it is absolutely the last resort.
Cleaned coins will show little or no appreciation, lagging far behind an uncleaned version of the same coin.
Jaros said:
Jaros,
Can you expand a little further on the ultrasonic cleaner method . Understand one coin at a time but what solution and why change frequently .
I received my new cleaner today and for coins with a little value I was thinking of distilled water only .
Cheers
goldrat
Yes that's the coin thanks
