Using a Rock Tumbler to Clean Coins

Add Coins, Sand & Water

Place coins, some sand or coarse tumbling grit, and a small amount of water in a tumbler. When placing coins, don't put too many coins in at once, and separate them by metal types. Silver coins can be damaged by tumbling with copper coins. Use clean beach or playground sand, or grit that is made specifically for small rock tumblers.

Tumble

Tumble the coins for about 30 minutes. Stop the tumbler, and remove the coins and sand. Lightly rinse the coins, dispose of the sand and rinse the tumbler. Place the coins back in the tumbler with fresh water and sand. Tumble again for another 30 minutes.

Rinse

When the second tumbling process is complete, remove the coins and sand. Thoroughly rinse the coins off. This is easiest to do with a metal sieve, but can also be done by hand. Lay the coins in a single layer on a clean, dry cloth and use another cloth to dry them thoroughly. Do not let them sit in a pile to dry.

Resources

• Go Metal Detecting, Tips on Cleaning Your Finds