To Clean or Not To Clean?

MineRunGhosts

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Apr 11, 2019
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To clean or not to clean? that is the question. I am switching to sites that might increase finding coins. Many You Tubes and websites say don't clean your valuable coins. If a coin is crusted to the point of not being identifiable, it goes without saying that I have to clean it - but to what point? For any answers please consider I would want the coin to be something a numismatist would buy.
 
I’m as far from an expert as you can get so take this with a grain of salt. Ive heard dug coins are seldom worth much. Clean them until you’re happy
 
I found 'em.... I can smack them with a hammer to knock the crud off, soak them in lemon juice, rub them right out of the the hole, shine them up with baking soda paste, hell, even tumble them with aquarium gravel. You're in the wrong hobby if you're looking to consistantly find coins that a real numismatist would be interested in. I for one, dig coins for the fun of it! I'll happily let the collectors turn their noses up at my cool, scratched up, dug coins.

Like MuddyMo, take my advice with a grain of salt. (Or mix the salt with vinegar and let your coins soak in it!)
 
I'm both a detectorist AND a coin collector. I wouldn't EVER buy any of the copper or nickel coins I've dug. This large cent is a perfect example....it's one of the better ones I've dug but if it was offered to me I wouldn't buy it. Silver or gold coins are a different story because most of them come out of the ground in good condition. That said, if you want to clean your finds go ahead but don't expect to be selling them to collectors. As for collectors thumbing our noses at dug coins....there's a reason for it. We don't want to spend our money on junk. Sentimental value only applies to the one who dug the coin but not to others.
 

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