Clean It??

[Dave]

I found a 1860 Indain Head penny last night. You can read the date, but it is very dirty. I did wash it with soap and water, but that did little. Should I leave it be or clean it with something else. Thanks

[NHsorter]

no

[Chaboo]

no

+1
Within reason, I'd rather have a lower condition coin in my set than a cleaned one.

[RichardPenny43]

The first rule of cleaning coins is,
Don't clean coins.

[scyther]

Well, it's already cleaned now, so...

[Romalae]

Never, ever, ever, ever clean a coin that has numismatic value. Under any circumstance.

Unless you want yourself and your collection to self-destruct.

[Dave]

I was told it was OK just to clean it with water and soap and to let it air dry.So you are saying I should not have cleaned it with soap and water. Guess I screwed up then even though you can't tell it was cleaned. If I didn't clean it you would never have been able to tell what it was.

[scyther]

I was told it was OK just to clean it with water and soap and to let it air dry.So you are saying I should not have cleaned it with soap and water. Guess I screwed up then even though you can't tell it was cleaned. If I didn't clean it you would never have been able to tell what it was.

I don't know much about coin cleaning so I can't say with 100% certainty that you shouldn't have cleaned it. But I have heard that soap can hurt coins. And just because you can't tell doesn't mean no one can. They look for microscopic traces of cleaning when they grade coins.

[Rodebaugh]

Pictures of coin in question please and I may be able to help.

There are 'industry accepted" ways to clean a coin without damaging or lowering value. Otherwise, rule of thumb is: Don't clean coins....let the next owner do it and take the chance of screwing it up.

[algae21]

Pictures of coin in question please and I may be able to help.

There are 'industry accepted" ways to clean a coin without damaging or lowering value. Otherwise, rule of thumb is: Don't clean coins....let the next owner do it and take the chance of screwing it up.

I've read on some other forums that acetone is usually okay? I've also heard that ultrasonic cleaners are a no-no, but I was at a larger coin shop once, long time ago, and definately heard an ultrasonic running in the back room.

When I first started collecting wheats as a youngster, I took a Brillo pad to a few of them. The old man rolled his eyes back and told me never do it again. I never did, but I think I was in my twenties before he would leave me alone with his Whitman albums.

[johnbrickner]

This may or may not help.

http://www.ncscoin.com/pdfs/conservation_guide.pdf

[Zincanator]

I think I was in my twenties before he would leave me alone with his Whitman albums.

Oh man I'm probably gonna be that same dad to my kids .