Do I D A R E throw the electrodes on a wheat back???

[beachguy777]

You know I just g o t t a rag on you guys just a little, but seriously, this coin cleaning business is flat starting to p--- me off. I seems like the only SAFE way to clean coins is olive oil, soap, etc. , but the only thing that's ever worked for me is the electrolysis method, but I keep reading where it can degrade the value of a coin. "What's a mother to do", as they used to say in the fifties.? To zap it or not to zap it? What do ya think, you intellegent men of metal deteciting out there???

 

[Rick(ND)]

Over the years I have tried many different ways to clean coins. Now if it is a rare one then I would not attempt to clean it and just protect it. Common clad and memorial pennies I use my rock tumbler with some aquarium gravel water and a little of the Real Lemon juice.
[attachment 7938 clad2.jpg] [attachment 7939 pennies.jpg]
Now for Wheaties and the common IH I will use some hot peroxide and I have a fine brass bristle brush, but these are only on the ones that are not so full of crud that it has not leached into the coin as these will be pitted and don't know you would get the crud off without getting pits in them. Here is by best IH penny I did.
[attachment 7940 100903c.jpg]
Now I also have used a vibrating tumbler the kind used for polishing brass and just add some gravel some cleaner ( I use Awsome I get at a dollar store for a buck), but only a little bit. I turn on the tumbler and add water until the gravel and coins roll around and leave it go for 8-10 hours rinse and dry, then tumble again in crushed walnut shells, but no water for another 6-8 hours. Now I will take the pennies out and the walnut shells and run the pennies with just water and a little more cleaner for a half hour and dry. These come out looking natural looking and not too clean like lemon juice would do to them. I don't have a picture on my computer or I would post it.
I have also used Electrolysis too on some silver that has black on it that will not wash off with soap and water. I keep checking it so it don't do too much and pit the silver. Now if it is common silver I will use wet my fingers and put them in cigarette ashes to clean what the Electrolysis wont take off. This has worked good for some of the silver that has been in a fire or in water for a long period of time. Sometimes they too are too pitted to do much with, but we keep trying different things.
Like I say if it is a rare coin I don't do much with it other than a little water and soap.
Now the older keeper nickles are something else and some are just to far gone to do anything. I will clean them with the peroxide too and the brass brush, but they still look dark looking so i will take a Miracle Cloth that has lemon juice in it and rub the nickle for a while as this sometimes takes a while and can get it close to natural as you can get it. It actual polishes it a little at a time. I will see if I have a picture on my computer and post it. I believe this is one I cleaned a little along with a couple other finds.
[attachment 7941 scanner065.jpg]

 

[beachguy777]

Thankyou Rick. The picture really helps. Sounds like your on the right track. I acturally did the electrolysis thing on a wheat back I found the other day because it was so crudy, but like you say, some of them are so bad, even if you get the crud off it leaves pits. This on had some green patina spots on it that didn't all come off. I need to see if I can't take some picutres soon and send them to you on the forum. I ran the electrolysis for about 20 minutes. It cleaned the crud off, except for the green patina spots, but also left a few copper colored scratches, I guess where the alligator clips were. I know that sucks in the value department. The penny stayed dark colored but it was clear and clean except for the patina, and the copper colored scratches.

 

[beachguy777]

Part 2. Ran out of space. I like the way your indian head looks. Very interesting. It doesn't look copper though. Is it some other kind of metal. Looks clean and crisp though, and I guess I'll have to try the ashes thing. I also want to try the peroxide deal. I read about that on another forum and that seems to work pretty well looking at the pictures. I really appreciate you going to all the trouble to post the pictures along with the info, because I think this is a very important area to deal with, not only for your own pleasure of haveing a coin look good personally, but keeping it in the true value range and not losing value because of too much cleaning. Also, I think the tumbled coins look great. That tumbler seems to do a great job on the regular clads and stuff. I guess if you toumbled the wheaties and valubales they'd be too clean. At least that's what I'm hearing from everyone. Too bad in a way, because they look so nice after they're toumbeled. Thanks again. Marc Trainor.

 

[POPPET HEAD]

Hi to all ,
Has anyone heard of Olive oil ? , make up a bowl or container with pure cold pressed organic virgin olive oil [ plain supermarket brands do work as well ] and without rubbing the coin what soever soak them in it , this might take some weeks , or months , but the olive oil breaks down dirt and surface contaminates via capillary reaction , and does not harm the bloom , or patina of a coin at all , i would definitely NOT use any brass- copper cleaners on any valuable coins , [ silver is the exception , and i think Goddard's silver dip , then the foam cleaner is great , ] and would not think of tumbling them , for your non valuable stuff , sure , but unless you want to rub the 00`s off the value do not mechanically or physically rub any valuable coin. for excessive dirt build up , just soak them in water for some days , you can even make up a nice little timber racking bottom tray so that your coins can stand up next to each other , and not rub or ly on each other

The Olive oil method , a friend told me about after hearing an expert coin collector talking on a radio program , i have a hoard of coins and badges , ornamental type finds soaking in oil , and they are cleaning up superbly , just be patient it is worth it ,

Cheers Paul.

 

[beachguy777]

Wow, that sounds great. I've heard of rubbing them with olive oil but never soaking them for weeks on end. That's certainly worth a shot and if it would slowley disolve the crud, what a deal. I like th electrolysis method because it seems to really get the deep crud and buildup off quickly, B U T!!!!, ....I've had trouble with the alligator clips scratching some of the darker color off and on the wheatie I just tried, there was some thick green spots that it didn't get off. I chickened out on letting it go any longer and took off the clips, but if that olive oil thing does the trick, that sounds like the safest way to clean and hopefully keep the right color of the coin in tact, whatever that is. I know the coin dealers don't want them too fake or shiney and stuff. Thanks for the tilp.