First let me say DO NOT do this to valuable coins, this is for common date coins. A lot of people know about using vinegar and salt and has been around for years. I found out about this many years ago and works very well for removing the crud and the red color on dug nickels. It will usually bring back the date and detail on dateless Buffalo's but it leaves the coin a dull gray color. If you try to remove the dullness it will also remove the date and detail of the coin.
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Results Of Using Vinegar And Salt On Dug Nickels
- Thread starter ron_c
- Start date
bountyhunter1972
New member
I used that method on some pennies once, and I mean once. I ruined them, I mean they were so disgusting looking it wasn't even funny, I did shake them too, so that might have been why they turned out so bad. But I might give it another try and not shake them this time.
I use to use only the vinegar myself until I was told to add salt as it somehow works better
I use an old margarine dish.
1. Pour about 1/2" or so of vinegar into dish. (depending on how many coins you are cleaning)
2. The amount of salt isn't critical, but about 1 level teaspoon or less. Stir until salt is dissolved. If all the salt will not dissolve it was too much salt. Next time use less salt.
3. Place nickels into solution. Do not let coins rest on one another as where they touch it will not clean in these areas.
4. In about 2 hours or usually less the crud will dissolve. Turn coins(s) over and let them set until the crud disappears from the other side.
5. Let each side of the coin set in the solution until the red disappears. Turn coin(s) over and let it set again until the red disappears. In the case of the 1936 Buffalo shown it took a few hours for each side to complete. The solution will turn green. After use pour out solution and if you want to clean other nickels start with fresh solution.
6. Thoroughly rinse coin(s) with water to stop the process. Do not rub coins but pat dry. If the coin isn't rinsed thoroughly, in time it will start to turn green.
As I said it will leave the coin(s) a dull gray color but to me they look better cleaned this way but I know guys that say they like them left with the red color. If this is a dateless Buffalo, usually it will bring back the date and detail on the coin and I have found a few Key and Semi Key on dateless coins this way but if you try to remove the dullness it will remove the date and detail of the coin. In time the surface will change from a light dull gray to a somewhat darker dull gray. This works with dug nickels but doesn't work very well with dateless Buffalo's that hasn't been in the ground. This works on any nickels. Hope this helps.
I use an old margarine dish.
1. Pour about 1/2" or so of vinegar into dish. (depending on how many coins you are cleaning)
2. The amount of salt isn't critical, but about 1 level teaspoon or less. Stir until salt is dissolved. If all the salt will not dissolve it was too much salt. Next time use less salt.
3. Place nickels into solution. Do not let coins rest on one another as where they touch it will not clean in these areas.
4. In about 2 hours or usually less the crud will dissolve. Turn coins(s) over and let them set until the crud disappears from the other side.
5. Let each side of the coin set in the solution until the red disappears. Turn coin(s) over and let it set again until the red disappears. In the case of the 1936 Buffalo shown it took a few hours for each side to complete. The solution will turn green. After use pour out solution and if you want to clean other nickels start with fresh solution.
6. Thoroughly rinse coin(s) with water to stop the process. Do not rub coins but pat dry. If the coin isn't rinsed thoroughly, in time it will start to turn green.
As I said it will leave the coin(s) a dull gray color but to me they look better cleaned this way but I know guys that say they like them left with the red color. If this is a dateless Buffalo, usually it will bring back the date and detail on the coin and I have found a few Key and Semi Key on dateless coins this way but if you try to remove the dullness it will remove the date and detail of the coin. In time the surface will change from a light dull gray to a somewhat darker dull gray. This works with dug nickels but doesn't work very well with dateless Buffalo's that hasn't been in the ground. This works on any nickels. Hope this helps.
Sven
Well-known member
Mix up your salt and vinegar 50/50.
Throw in some of those cruddy looking wheat cents, a couple dug clad dimes and a few recently dug modern zinc pennies.
Wait about 5 minutes, strain them out of the slop and rinse them off.
What do you see?
Not sure the banks or anyone else would accept them...LOL Good for vending machines.
You'll have better success tumbling clad coins with small aquarium gravel and a few drops of dishwash soap for 12 hours.
Throw in some of those cruddy looking wheat cents, a couple dug clad dimes and a few recently dug modern zinc pennies.
Wait about 5 minutes, strain them out of the slop and rinse them off.
What do you see?
Not sure the banks or anyone else would accept them...LOL Good for vending machines.
You'll have better success tumbling clad coins with small aquarium gravel and a few drops of dishwash soap for 12 hours.