Vinegar and salt. Be gentle: A penny is a delicate coin and you dont want to scratch it up in the process of cleaning it. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUbe88W78I0&feature=youtu.be&t=13, https://sciencebob.com/clean-pennies-with-vinegar/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7mMp2OYpCq8&feature=youtu.be&t=27, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RHZSYR463uw&feature=youtu.be&t=41, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RS9-A1TO67c&feature=youtu.be&t=45, https://www.pennycollector.com/cleaning.html, https://www.scientificamerican.com/article/shine-bright-like-a-penny/, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7cfVkadI_A&feature=youtu.be&t=174, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w7cfVkadI_A&feature=youtu.be&t=928, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUPuRLcm7WY&feature=youtu.be&t=516, https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QUPuRLcm7WY&feature=youtu.be&t=542. Cleaning and polishing rare and old coins can devalue them. Rubbing the surface of a coin can damage it, even if you cannot see it. Silver dollars, or any collectible silver coin, should only be cleaned under certain conditions. Basically, it all depends on why you are getting your pennies cleaned in the first place. Maintain your coins in great condition through proper care, handling and storage. When you clean via any method, you are clearing off small parts of the penny surface along with the corrosion, so a slight change in the appearance of the pennies is actually inevitable. 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. If your pennies still dont get clean after the fifth step, you can mix baking soda with a tablespoon of water, then use an old soft toothbrush to gently scrub the surface. Microwaving 2 cups of water for 2-3 minutes should suffice and avoid boiling water. Pull the coins out of the liquid and gently wipe them with a paper towel to break apart the tarnish and dark spots. Try cleaning only a few pennies at a time. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". If you are planning to keep the coins for your own collection, you may certainly clean them as you see fit. So my suggestion would be to take a random corroded penny that you dont care about, and try this cleaning method. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. Minelab CTX 3030 Review, on How to Clean a Copper Penny:10 Tips and Advices. Let them air dry the rest of the way. There are also various commercial cleaners available in the market to clean your pennies, but they may prove a bit expensive if you have lots of pennies to clean. The olive oil is good at separating the dirt from the surface of the coin for a thorough cleaning experience, though it takes substantially longer. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. 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. There is one important thing to note, though. With -cup of ketchup, just dip your old toothbrush in and scrub the surface of the coin. Thats not necessarily to say the material so much as the purpose of the coin. Level up your tech skills and stay ahead of the curve. Signs of cleaning can be evident in many ways and often affect the value of the coin. Ultrasonic cleaners work by microcavitation. % of people told us that this article helped them. Dry them off with paper towels. Place your pennies in the vinegar or the lemon juice. It has 3 search coil options, all are waterproof. By using our site, you agree to our. Remove tough tarnish on coins by soaking them in hydrogen peroxide or . We will focus on the materials you need, how to use them, and most importantly, how to carry out the cleaning process in a safe way so that the pennies do not get damaged or lose their integrity. "What stood out was that very common household ingredients were used.". Youll be surprised at what works and what doesnt! The method of cleaning depends on the type of coin. Can hydrogen peroxide be used to clean coins? Fisher F22 Review Then, rub a small amount of vegetable oil onto each side of the coin to loosen stubborn dirt. For others, coins can be collected throughout the years, some of which become quite valuable. Safely storing your wheat pennies is critical for preserving and protecting them. Step 4 Now take out the pennies from that mixture, and wash them in water. Admittedly, this one is hard to see working well, so I always suggest testing brand new coin cleaning methods on a coin you care absolutely nothing about. Once youve removed the coin from the coke, gently rinse it under cold running water. 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. But, if you are in doubt about how to clean your pennies, it is a good idea to leave them alone or consult a rare coin specialist before you begin the cleaning process. 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. Removing the copper oxide by cleaning will give your penny a brand-new look. You can also try using a damp cloth with baking soda, which will help loosen any stuck-on dirt without damaging the coins surface. You do not want to leave behind any residue that may further degrade the pennys condition! There are a variety of cleaning methods for wheat pennies. Where I live, we have acidic and hard water. We hope you enjoy these tips and find the one that works best for you! Mouthwash not only helps with dental health but can help you clean up dirty coins. How to clean copper pennies using vinegar and baking soda. Let them sit for a month though you may need to let them go for as long as six months. Cleaning them can be a daunting task. As for what is best to add and enhance the cleaning action, I'm not sure. Very old or dirty coins require the extra effort. Make sure to use small, circular motions. Can I use isopropyl alcohol to clean the coins? These cookies do not store any personal information. This means distilled water. What is the best solution to clean copper? Rinse with warm water and dry thoroughly. They can eliminate or reduce the effects of outside contaminates that have caused issues with your coins. Its also an effective way to remove oxidation from copper and make sure that there are no stains left behind. PCGS offers a restoration service that can aid in cleaning your coins professionally. Mix it together and add the coins into the bowl. Mix 1/4 cup salt, 1/4 cup flour and enough vinegar to make a thick paste. 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! Other coins are molded from different metals, so the solution may not work as well on them. After a good shake, take the coins out and rinse them off. For tips on how to shine your coins with baking soda, read on! Pennies get dull and dirty because the copper in the pennies reacts with oxygen in the air to form copper oxide. Be extremely gentle! This detector works very well in areas with high soil mineralization. The acetic acid in white vinegar can help remove contaminants from your coins. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. [1] Start working on the coins that need the least amount of work. You should also rub the coin gently to remove debris, and rinse it under the tap to wash off the oil. Be sure to check with a professional before cleaning a corroded coin that may have significant value. Leave the pennies for around five minutes in the glass of vinegar or lemon juice. They also will not pay you until you ship the coins. This article has been viewed 60,522 times. With your paper towel, clean the pennies carefully and watch how they start getting clean and shiny. This natural acid can be used to clean coins, pots and pans, and more. Rinse the coin very well under warm water. I go from light cleaning, to using soap and water, to using olive oil. The baking soda isnt acidic like vinegar and citrus juice solutions, so leaving the paste in place for a while is safe. Ensure you rinse all the vinegar off the coin once it is cleaned. The key is to first know what kind of coin you have. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. If you decide to clean your wheat pennies, make sure you start with the least invasive cleaning method first. Vinegar will remove any oxides formed on the coin surface. Ammonia works well for removing rust from copper pennies, but it can also damage the surface of the penny if not used properly. That means a lot more options for getting them clean enough to use again. Rinse and dry: After scrubbing, rinse in warm water and dry the copper with a lint-free dishtowel. So there is no need for you to buy harsh bleaching agents, because you want to clean corroded pennies, these simple ones can help you achieve your goals if you use them properly. Hello internet and today i will be showing you how to clean your old coins without damaging them and I'll be cleaning my rare 1886 type 2 Indian head cent ju. While you're grasping the coin firmly by its edges, use a clean toothbrush to lightly scrub the flat surfaces of the coin. So, thinking about cleaning them is not wrong, and they can be cleaned in several ways. Keep in mind that adding more salt to the solution makes it stronger. In this article, we will go into details about the steps you should take if you want to turn corroded pennies into their original fine, bright form. That is because ketchup has vinegar in it, which is naturally acidic. Approved. We all enjoy the metal detecting finds we discover, and sometimes, even pennies fall into that category. Drop the pennies into the mixture for about 5 minutes. Remember, cleaning a wheat penny you have found while metal detecting might make it look better to you, but to a professional numismatist, it will be ruined. Just remember to rinse the pennies thoroughly after all cleaning methods. Simply run the water over the coin, or let it soak in the water. Enjoy! If pennies are collectibles, then cleaning them may reduce their value. You may want to try using some non-abrasive cleaners (like vinegar) if youre worried about removing any patina on your coinand always keep in mind that these cleaners are only meant as a starting point! If youre using lemon juice, be sure that the penny is very well-cleaned beforehand and that its completely dry before applying the lemon juice. Many people think that a shiny coin will be worth more than a tarnished, old looking coin. But before you start your timer, make sure none of the pennies are touching themselves. There will be times when you think your coin is clean, only to discover later that its still dirty. When you put your pennies in a vinegar and salt mix, the vinegar and salt react together and remove the copper oxide. It is definitely cheaper to clean it yourself, but there are occasions where it would be more prudent of you to allow professionals to handle it. Copper coins often turn a muddled brown color, and these marks can be cleaned off with salt and a mild acid like white vinegar. The aluminum foil is key to the reaction which removes the tarnish. These coins range in value from a few cents to a small fortune, if you, Read More How to Clean Wheat Pennies Safely and Without DamageContinue, ABOUT|AFFILIATE DISCLOSURE|PRIVACY POLICY|TERMS OF USE. You can clean as many pennies you want with a single pencil eraser. Pat the coin dry. Cleaning Copper With Ketchup: Ketchup can be used to clean a variety of copper products. The advantage is it will not cause any decrease in numismatic value, but there are better options for cleaning materials. Drop the pennies into the mixture for about 5 minutes. Vinegar solutions are effective for removing dark spots on coins, but they also tend to make coins look a little dull. Add more baking soda and water as needed for larger batches of coins. Hot sauce and brown colas are some other household substances that work well on copper coins. That way, if the cleaning method damages the coin, youre not going to be upset about it. Collectors actively look for the tiniest flaws in pennies and they have all the necessary tools to find those flaws. One not so common cleaning method I found is using ketchup. Metal Detector Reviews (for anyone), Garrett AT Pro Review Water is less abrasive than other cleaning methods and should clean most of the dirt and debris off your wheat pennies. A great way to clean coins without doing damage to them is using a bath of salt and isopropyl alcohol. You will not need to clean your coins repeatedly if you know the best way to clean pennies and how to preserve them properly. This is the important part: rinse with distilled, not tap water. Step 2: Sprinkle Baking Soda. For some of us, they just collect in a container until they are used or traded in. Let the coins sit in the mixture for about 10 or 15 minutes so that the soap can break down the grime. The vinegar poured into that bowl should be enough to cover those pennies. This should be enough to get them clean. It works similarly to ketchup. They include: As you can see, these materials are very cheap and easy to find anywhere. This happens because the vinegar and salt dissolves the copper oxide layer of the penny. 5 How do you remove green corrosion from copper coins? If the water is not enough, continue down the list and use dish soap. In this article well take a look at the top 10 tips for cleaning a copper penny. Method 1 Using Simple Washing Download Article 1 Sort your coins. 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. If you want to use tartaric acid on your pennies, all you have to do is dissolve some crystals of it in warm water. Its found naturally in wine, and it works by breaking down the copper oxide coating on your pennies. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. 2. So at the very least you need distilled water as a working medium. It only requires rubbing the penny with a pencil eraser. But we recommend the vinegar or lemon juice approach because the materials are safe for your skin, overall quite very effective, creates little to no mess, and the risk of damaging the pennies is fairly low. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Start with a mixture of warm, soapy water when cleaning silver coins. The first step to cleaning a copper penny is soaking it in vinegar. Cheap Metal Detectors Mix your hand soap in with the water, creating a soapy mixture.