How To Clean A Coin In A Potato
By Dr. Sol Taylor
"Making Cents"
Saturday, March 22, 2008
When, and then, is information technology OK to clean a money, and how is information technology to exist done properly?
If a money is caked with dirt, grease and such when found in the ground or in a pile of nails or household items, the cleaning procedure is as follows.
Outset, determine if the coin has some numismatic value. If it is a common silvery coin (1964 and earlier) and shows signs of wear, utilize whatever silverish cleaning compound you have at abode and yous will get a prissy, shiny coin. It is yet worth only the silver content, known equally "junk" silvery.
If the money appears to be in mint condition — that is, has Mint sheen under the dust or shows luster around the rim and is not an ordinary junk silver coin, use a dip such as JewelLuster. Follow the instructions on the jar, and be sure to rinse it in distilled water or pure alcohol when finished with the dip. That volition remove the dust and nearly of the tarnish. If you're lucky, the coin will look a lot ameliorate than earlier, and mayhap even close to uncirculated.
This is a risky process which requires an experienced eye, a frail touch, a expert sense of timing, and an element of luck. Many such dipped coins expect artificial and every bit such are worth less than if left solitary.
Never use anything abrasive on potentially valuable coins such every bit steel wool, a toothbrush, silvery polish or special cleaning cloths.
Do not attempt to conceal a bad cleaning job past putting the money in the oven to tone the surface, which may hide some blemishes. Some such techniques include baking a coin inside a potato for 35 to 45 minutes at 350 degrees, or heating a money in ketchup for 10 minutes at 300 degrees. There are many "recipes" for�the bogus toning of a coin.
If the coin is gold, a quick dip in a mild acid such a household bleach, muriatic (pool) acid or fifty-fifty nitric acid volition remove surface grime, finger marks, and even toning — although gold coins normally practise not evidence toning. Hold the coin with tongs by the edges and rinse thoroughly in alcohol to dry.
Old copper coins (pre-1857) crave more intensive piece of work to restore whatever quality features lie beneath the layers of dirt, grime, tarnish and oxides. The obvious backlog can be carefully removed with a toothpick or air castor.
The nature of the surface volition make up one's mind which chemicals and tools are best suited for the job. Carbon spots are the hardest to remove but tin can be lightened with a dab of Nic-A-Lene or CCC applied with a toothpick or tiny pipette. Oxides and carbonates, unremarkably in the form of greenish chaff, can be removed with a light awarding of a weak acid or Nic-A-Lene; the underlying surface may accept been pitted as a result of the enrustation.
The restoration of a copper- or bronze-colored surface tin can be achieved with a very careful application of miniscule amounts of highly toxic compounds of cyanide, mercury oxide or similar products. No i should try these — even in a laboratory with an frazzle hood, proper tools and safe backups.
Bronze coins (post 1864) require similar treatments and oftentimes do well with a quick dip of Nic-A-Lene or CCC. Heavily encrusted, darkened coins will look just every bit bad after cleaning, every bit the removed areas will be pitted, eroded and often discolored. For coins that are submitted for encapsulation by the major grading services, many (or about) cleaned coins are returned ungraded.
Cleaning coins that take been immersed in sea water for long periods require overnight bathing in diluted muriatic acrid to remove the lime encrustation. This may too leave pitting on the surface, just the coins by and large will appear better than earlier. Many treasure ship coins have been so treated and look "salty" as a consequence of existence cleaned for resale. Many accept too been carefully brushed to get deeper into the lime deposits.
This is not the process for any other types of coins that need a cleanup. Many ancient coins take besides undergone this type of cleaning to meliorate place the features.
From 1975 to 1977, I conducted several laboratory sessions at the American Numismatic Association'southward Summer Seminars where students worked on cleaning coins that needed some attention. The cease result of several days of careful cleaning and restoration was that well-nigh half the coins came out better looking than before, while the other�half came out worse off than earlier.
For the beginner, the answer to whether to clean a money is mostly NO.
Numismatic Guaranty Corp. offers professional "restoration" services for more valuable coins that need a little "makeover" at the hands of professionals. Such handling likewise tends to add together points to the coins' eventual grades.
Dr. Sol Taylor of Sherman Oaks is president of the Society of Lincoln Cent Collectors and author of The Standard Guide to the Lincoln Cent. Click here for ordering data.
©2008 SCV COMMUNICATIONS GROUP & SOL TAYLOR · ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.
Source: https://scvhistory.com/scvhistory/signal/coins/soltaylor032208.html
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