Best way to clean old silver coins?

DetecTom

Full Member
Joined
Nov 8, 2019
Messages
104
Location
Long Island, New York
Hello all, I’m sure this has probably been asked and answered at some point, but what’s everyone’s method on cleaning old silver coins. I know you’re not supposed to clean old coins as that will decrease their value, but I’m trying to clean one up to look nice, not sell. So what’s the best way to do it?
 
Before and after rubbing with baking soda paste.
 

Attachments

  • 20180211_210213.jpg
    20180211_210213.jpg
    37.5 KB · Views: 814
  • 20170922_230708_resized.jpg
    20170922_230708_resized.jpg
    31.7 KB · Views: 852
Hello all, I’m sure this has probably been asked and answered at some point, but what’s everyone’s method on cleaning old silver coins. I know you’re not supposed to clean old coins as that will decrease their value, but I’m trying to clean one up to look nice, not sell. So what’s the best way to do it?
Who told you that? There are very few silver coins dug that have value over melt, so clean away!
 
Who told you that? There are very few silver coins dug that have value over melt, so clean away!

Ive seen it mentioned in quite a few articles, but like I said, some coins I want to keep and look nice, so I wasn’t worried about the value anyway. But yes, I’m going to clean some coins up and make them look nice!
 
I cleaned my first silver the other day. I apprehensively followed some YouTube advice: line a bowl with aluminum foil, put in some baking soda and the coin and added boiling water. Brushed it with a toothbrush lightly, both sides. Added some more b.s. and boiling water. Even dumped it out and started over.

Sounds like a past of just baking soda would work, too...

I've googled it to determine what chemical reactions are occurring here. Amazing variety of reasoning - by chemistry buffs and otherwise.

553c8405b8fbc0fc150921f7350cc42b.jpg
3d92985537d132b27fa9ec7bc650aee8.jpg


Sent from my Pixel 2 XL using Tapatalk
 
Who told you that? There are very few silver coins dug that have value over melt, so clean away!

I gingerly clean enough in the field, to get the year's date from it, check the web, and find it a non important, key date, and then clean as I feel like, it if it is not a key date. I will still be proud and clean gently, if it was a "key find for me."
 
Tell that to my 1921 d merc that got graded vf....
I don’t think that mr. merc could hear what I had to say either way :lol:. However, I did say that very few silver coins dug have value over melt. Yes yours is one of the very few, it’s a key date.
 
I gingerly clean enough in the field, to get the year's date from it, check the web, and find it a non important, key date, and then clean as I feel like, it if it is not a key date. I will still be proud and clean gently, if it was a "key find for me."
Nothing wrong with that Martin!
 
Ive seen it mentioned in quite a few articles, but like I said, some coins I want to keep and look nice, so I wasn’t worried about the value anyway. But yes, I’m going to clean some coins up and make them look nice!
They’re your coins, clean ‘em up! You can’t hurt common dates!
 
The baking soda paste works fantastic. A little elbow grease and some rubbing and it works wonders on silver! Thanks again guys.
Baking soda is abrasive, and works well cleaning up silver. So do some toothpastes...they also work well cleaning auto headlamp lenses...:cool3:
 
KT uses a liquid sterling silver polish sold by Target. Find it in their jewelry department. Drop in coin, agitate for 15 seconds, rub with clean fingers for a few seconds under warm tap water, pat dry. Beautiful results and not chance of abrasion!
 
Back
Top Bottom