Abrasive cleaning, using a brush and an acid or alcohol solution, can leave the coin with hair lines and discrepancies in the metal that may only be seen under the right lighting and magnification. Let them air dry the rest of the way. Other Ways To Clean Copper Coins Without Damaging Them 1. Baking soda and vinegar have proven to be one of the most effective ways to clean tarnished coins. The more contact the coins have with one another the more damage they take on. The level of water in the container should determine when you stop adding pennies into it because they must all get totally submerged into the solution for this process to work. Keep your coins in a stable, cool, dry location. Simply hold your copper penny by its edges between your thumb and forefinger, then dip its entire surface into a small bowl of freshly squeezed lemon juice. How to clean green corroded copper coins Mix cup vinegar with 1 teaspoon of salt in a bowl that is non-metallic. This way, you can take any preventative measures necessary to clean the coins and retain their value. If it can clean oil off baby ducks, it should be able to clean your wheat pennies with very little damage! The cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. Its important to note that cleaning tarnish off valuable or rare coins can greatly affect their value. Something like a penny for example. 3 What is the fastest way to clean copper coins? Of course, there are other ways to clean corroded pennies. Soak your coins in a glass or other non-corrosive container for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight, and then wipe with a clean cloth or scrub gently with an old toothbrush. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 438,144 times. Wait about five minutes and check your pennies. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Gold Nuggets Metal Detectors Soak the coins for 12 hours. "What stood out was that very common household ingredients were used.". You can use lemon juice to clean copper pennies, but youll want to work in a well-ventilated area when you do. These coins range in value from a few cents to a small fortune, if you are lucky enough! 2 Pour a few ounces of vinegar into a shallow dish. If you have any other ideas, please share them in the comments below. Can hydrogen peroxide be used to clean coins? Place your pennies at the bottom of the cup or glass so that they are not stacked on top of each other. Maintain your coins in great condition through proper care, handling and storage. Coins / February 17, 2021 by Walt / Leave a Comment. The composition of the coin, the condition of the coin, and the year of the coin all affect its value. Apmex is a well-known auction site for coins. HCI works, but you get an orange look to the copper and still need to use your elbow grease to clean it. Clean pennies with Vinegar and Salt NurdRage 664K views 10 years ago How to CLEAN coins HardCoreCopper 43K views 1 year ago Coin Collecting : How Do I Clean Dirty Coins?. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. The best method for achieving that is with salt and vinegar. This method you will help you to clean old coin properly without any damage to. That is because ketchup has vinegar in it, which is naturally acidic. [5] The salt and vinegar in the ketchup will remove tarnish from the penny. Start adding your pennies into the solution, but dont throw everything inside at once. Just make sure you keep the rubbing to a minimum. Cleaning and polishing rare and old coins can devalue them. If youre more of a do-it-yourselfer, try using a basic household cleaner to start. They were initially made of bronze, a 95 percent copper alloy. If they look clean enough, use a soft cloth to dry them. For preservation purposes, most collectors recommend against treating collectible coins. By clicking Accept All, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. How To Clean A Copper or Zinc Penny - Coin Collecting! Leave the coin to soak for about 5 minutes or so and then check on its condition. It has 3 search coil options, all are waterproof. You dont have to sacrifice the quality of your pennies just so you can have them looking good. Its a very interesting question and a great DIY project. Be patient and try not to get frustrated. It is easy to just use any cleaning agent for this, but you need to understand that there are many cleaning materials that will potentially damage the penniesand even hurt your skin in the process. The vinegar poured into that bowl should be enough to cover those pennies. One of the simplest ways to clean coins is by using distilled water and a soft towel. How to clean coins without damaging them - YouTube Make a paste: Use a lemon juice/salt or vinegar/salt paste and a sponge to scrub the copper. If you want to use tartaric acid on your pennies, all you have to do is dissolve some crystals of it in warm water. The acetic acid in white vinegar can help remove contaminants from your coins. If you have a penny that has been cleaned with another method but still looks dull or dirty, try using the baking soda and salt method to bring back its shine. How to Clean Pennies with Vinegar: 11 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow So here's how to clean a penny with vinegar: Get a small glass (or another kind of non-corrosive container) and fill it with some white vinegar - just enough to submerge a coin below the surface. Use household cleaners: Basic household cleaners like baking soda, vinegar and salt will work wonders for your copper pennies! Hold the coins under a little bit of running water to ensure all of the cleaning solution rinses off. The effect is immediate and obvious. With over 17 years of experience, Alicia specializes in creating a healthier, green alternative to chemical-based cleaning products and services. only use vinegar to clean a corroded penny, Metal Detecting in Massachusetts: Laws, Tips and Beaches, Metal Detecting in Pennsylvania: Tips, Tricks, and Laws to Know. If you had a rare coin you had cleaned too harshly, and wanted to have it valued, it would reduce the coins value. A common ingredient in DIY eco-friendly cleaners, the acetic acid in white vinegar can help wear away the contamination on your coins. This article has been viewed 60,522 times. Finally, drop the coins in, seal the lid, and shake it. Make sure to use small, circular motions. Remember, you dont want to use anything that has abrasive qualities to them because they can scratch the coins. The first step to cleaning a copper penny is soaking it in vinegar. At this stage, the corrosion on the pennies mustve reacted with the lemon and salt solution, so it is time for you to start removing them from the container. Signs of cleaning can be evident in many ways and often affect the value of the coin. Okay, so you have found some corroded pennies you want to clean and you have also gathered all the materials we listed above now its time for action. As you will come to find out, there are different methods for cleaning different types of coins. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. Easy & Effective Ways to Clean Dirty Coins at Home, 10+ Ways to Clean Your Clipper Blades like a Pro Barber, https://www.howtocleanthings.com/how-to-clean-pennies/, https://sciencebob.com/clean-pennies-with-vinegar/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mMp2OYpCq8, https://www.apartmenttherapy.com/how-to-clean-copper-and-brass-with-ketchup-223741, Wie man Kupfermnzen sekundenschnell reinigt, Pulire le Monete di Rame in Pochi Secondi, . These became known as Lincon wheat pennies. I usually DO NOT use water or oil, b. Make sure that you continue to stir in the salt until it dissolves, then place the pennies in so that they are not stacked in any way. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Start with a mixture of warm, soapy water when cleaning silver coins. Should you clean old gold coins? Explained by Sharing Culture Clean copper coins in a vinegar and salt solution. Mix 1/4 cup salt, 1/4 cup flour and enough vinegar to make a thick paste. Place your pennies in the vinegar or the lemon juice. I would not do any cleaning at all. In a small container, place a small amount of table-salt (1 gram is plenty). Cleaning these will absolutely devalue them if they are not cleaned properlyso just be mindful of this. Again, use small circular motions, scrubbing the entirety of the coin for a minute or so. Let them sit for a month though you may need to let them go for as long as six months. Required fields are marked *. Other coins are molded from different metals, so the solution may not work as well on them. Many people think that a shiny coin will be worth more than a tarnished, old looking coin. It might even be a good idea to stay away from even hiring a professional service to clean them for you. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. How To Clean Old Coins (Hint: Don't!) - Vintage Cash Cow Blog Experts can always tell if a coin has been cleaned improperly. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Pennis that were made prior to 1982 had more copper in them, which can lead to a more intense reaction chemically while cleaning. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Soak them in vinegar or ketchup: If youve ever used ketchup on your penny, then you know that it can clean it up pretty quicklyand with very little effort on your part at all! Metal Detecting Hack: How To Clean (or ruin) Copper Coins Cleaning in small batches is a better option. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. If this does not bother, you and you simply want to restore the coin for yourself you can use a baking soda paste. How do you clean old copper coins without damaging them? You can also use just a touch of olive oil for polishing older coins that have become tarnished. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. Take them out, setting them on the cloth. Soak your coins in a glass or other non-corrosive container for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight, and then wipe with a clean cloth or scrub gently with an old toothbrush. Rinse off any excess liquid with water and set aside to dry. Wait a few minutes, then check on the quarter. This is a simple, inexpensive method that works well on pennies that arent too tarnished. Step 3 Now put those pennies into the bowl containing the mixture of vinegar and salt. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Your email address will not be published. Gently scrub them with either a soft toothbrush or your fingers. Overall, cleaning a copper penny is not that difficult most of the time, and any of the methods listed above will be sure to get the job done right. This service does not come with a grading protection guarantee. For many pennies, one tablespoon (15 g) of salt in 1/2 cup (4 oz) of vinegar will get the job done. But before you start your timer, make sure none of the pennies are touching themselves. How to Clean Coins - Teachpedia There are many metal detectors that are specifically for coin shooting, while others are all-purpose metal detectors. If you dont see any results after trying a method for a few minutes, move on to something else. In fact, it works so well that, like the other coin cleaning brews mentioned here, it can completely strip away the original patina and obliterate the value of the coin. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Level up your tech skills and stay ahead of the curve. In this video I clean three old worn large cents. How to clean copper pennies using vinegar and baking soda. Copper is a soft metal, so copper coins are prone to degrading over time. There are countless things that it can be used for, cleaning old coins and even jewelry among them. You can also seek the services of the Numismatic Conservation Services. Step 6: Rinse Silver Coin With Cold Water. The acid from the ketchup can help to deal with oxidation as it forms on your coins. What is the best solution to clean copper? If they're extra dirty or if you're cleaning a lot simultaneously, give them a few more minutes for good measure. The right materials will effectively clean your pennies and will also be safe for your hands. Mix your hand soap in with the water, creating a soapy mixture. Level up your tech skills and stay ahead of the curve. Repeat the treatment with more oil as needed. Copper, silver, nickel, and gold coins should strictly never be cleaned. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/e9\/Clean-Copper-Coins-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Clean-Copper-Coins-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/e9\/Clean-Copper-Coins-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid5915095-v4-728px-Clean-Copper-Coins-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":259,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":410,"licensing":"\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. The key is to ensure that you dont use anything super abrasive, especially on older coins. When they start to look cleaner, remove them from the bowl. There are a variety of suggested ways when it comes to cleaning coins, and cleaning . You can use your finger or an exceptionally fine brush to remove any stuck-on dirt. How do you clean badly tarnished copper coins? You can always put them on other websites like Facebook market, but you may not reach the intended audience with that forum. Alicia Sokolowski is a Green Cleaning Specialist and the President and co-CEO of AspenClean, a green cleaning company in Vancouver, British Columbia. For some of us, they just collect in a container until they are used or traded in. White Vinegar One of the most recommended cleaning solutions for wheat pennies is white vinegar. Fisher F22 Review Like vinegar, citrus juice is acidic and wears off copper oxide on coins. LARISA NIEDLE You'll Need: Salt White vinegar (or fresh lemon juice) Shallow plastic container Cloth or paper towel Baking soda (optional) Toothbrush (optional) Dishwashing liquid (optional) 02 of 07 Step 1: LARISA NIEDLE In a jar, combine 1 cup vinegar (or lemon juice) and 1 tablespoon salt. Cleaning Copper With Ketchup: Ketchup can be used to clean a variety of copper products. This fact makes it all the more important for you to know how to clean corroded pennies, especially if youve found a few wheat pennies from metal detecting. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. By using our site, you agree to our. Let us move on to how to clean wheat pennies you intend to keep or sell yourself without any type of professional grading service. You can use your finger or an exceptionally fine brush to remove any stuck-on dirt. Coins Metal Detectors 1/4 cup white vinegar 1 teaspoon salt A clear, shallow bowl (not metal) 2 clean steel nails A clean steel screw or bolt Paper towels Put the salt and vinegar in the bowl. This works well because the dish soap will loosen dirt and grim, and gently lift it from the surface of the metal object. 3 Ways to Clean Old Coins - wikiHow They include: As you can see, these materials are very cheap and easy to find anywhere. Sell them the way they are (or as is) and you will surely gain more money from your pennieswell, assuming they are actually worth something, of course. After applying, give it a couple of minutes and then rinse using distilled water. How To Clean Old Copper Coins Without Damaging Them