Comments on: How to Clean Coins

on 2/16/2007 Try using vinegar, soda, ketchup, sea salt and hot soapy water.

on 9/9/2006 Do not clean your coins to increase their value! This cannot be stressed enough. However, sometimes pieces that are dug from the ground are in such poor condition that to even identify them they must be cleaned. This often happens with ancient Roman coins. I've found that the best way to remove the dirt and grime without removing the patina (natural coloring) is to soak the coin in trumpet valve oil for two or three days and then brush them with a firm, yet soft, toothbrush. You may need to repeat this several times.

on 8/8/2006 Tabasco sauce or Taco Bell hot sauce is the best, both instantly give copper a brilliant shine. When done, rinse in white vinegar and lightly coat with vegetable oil.

on 8/8/2006 Use a mixture of salt, baking soda, and vinegar. Pour some vinegar in a cup and put in the coin. Then pour in some baking soda and it should make a chemical reaction and start bubbling. Right away pour in some salt over the coin and let soak for 5 minutes, turnover for other side to soak and your done. It gives it a great shine, but shouldn't be used for collector coins.

on 8/8/2006 If you really have to clean coins, use something very gentle. Stuff like vinegar and acids are way too harsh for collectors coins. Use canola oil if you really have to and you can soak it in there for over a month to get of the dirt.

on 8/8/2006 You first put the coin in distilled water, afterward, use a soft toothbrush to clean and remove dirt. If that doesn't work, use olive oil.

on 7/9/2006 Nail polish remover and cotton balls does a good job, but you have to rub the more difficult stains. But it does work.

on 7/2/2006 Line a small Tupperware dish with aluminum foil. Place the desired coins in the dish, fill it with enough vinegar to submerge the coins and sprinkle some salt on it. Personally, I think it works fine, except for the smell of the vinegar.

on 6/30/2006 You first put the coin in distilled water for some time, after this use a soft toothbrush to clean and remove dirt. If that doesn't work, use olive oil.

on 3/21/2006 I tried several ways to clean pennies. Many of the ways that were attempted we're from this web site. Such as vinegar, ketchup and tooth paste. Out of those 3 I found the ketchup to work the best.

on 2/23/2006 My secret weapon for cleaning coins is none other than ketchup. Just put your coins in a bowl and squirt or pour ketchup all over your coins. Just wait a few hours and your coins will be clean. The acid from the tomatoes in the ketchup will clean them up nicely.

on 1/25/2006 The two most popular major coin grading companies, PCGS and NGC will not grade a coin which they have determined to be cleaned. The coin will be returned in what has become known as a "body bag" and marked as cleaned. Cleaning a coin, especially rare and copper coins, can reduce the value of a coin by 50% or even more. If a coin has dirt on it, a simple soaking in warm soapy water can remove much common dirt. If a coin has PVC damage on it (usually from being stored in a soft coin flip in a very warm humid environment), PVC oils can be removed by using acetone, but the damage has likely already been done and the value of the coin has already been reduced. Removing the PVC oils simply will help prevent further deterioration of the coin. There is an excellent book entitled "Coin Chemistry," which details a number of ways which have been used to clean coins over the years, as well as the good, the bad and the ugly about cleaning coins. A highly recommended book.

on 12/28/2005 If you are considering cleaning coins to increase their value or so you can sell them - don't do it. Collectors examine coins through magnifying glasses and microscopes - literally. They don't look at how shiny a coin is, they look at the surface of the coin to see if there are any scratches, wear, or if any chemicals have touched the coin. Chemicals includes acids in lemon juice, cola, vinegar, ketchup, taco sauce. These things make the coin shinier by removing a layer of metal. Then, the coin has had metal removed, and they can see it. They don't want a coin that has had the surface metal removed.

on 11/30/2005 easy off bam is a good why to clean coins it comes in a puple bottle and it work good

on 11/22/2005 Don't clean coins. Period. Regardless of your intentions, cleaning coins reduces their intrinsic value. All major grading companies consider most cleaned coins to be ungradeable. On the few very rare coins which have been cleaned (and which can still be graded) plan on having at least half of the value removed.