Killing my coppers

[oldcellar]

Does anybody have some suggestions besides " do not touch them at all". I sucessfully ruined, once again, an old copper.Yesterday I found my first Fugio cent and I was just rinsing it off in the sink with water only and it started to flake off really easy and was ruined real fast. Has any body had any success with cleaning old coppers...perhaps Olive Oil?

 

[Cfmct]

I did the same thing with my oldest coin a 1649 Liard de France...

 

[sal66]

The experts say to not clean them. I use the mild method. Soak in soapy water a few hours, lightly brush off any loose dirt with a soft toothbrush and apply " Blue Ribbon " professional coin conditioner and presevative. Works very well with Indian Heads. As far as coppers : It won't take off the patina, but thats not what you want to do. The patina is what keeps the detail intact. Here's a sample of my 2 cent pieces.

 

[brooklynct2003]

some of the old-timers I have come across tell me to soak the coin in olive oil, or any vegetable oil.

It accomplishes 3 things. The oil is a very mild solvent/cleaner that dissolves organic matter attached to the coin, it is a good lubricant that helps prevent scratching it afterwards, and creates a moisture and air barrier that helps prevent further corrosion or deterioration.

I don't clean my older finds anymore after ruining a 1787 Connecticut Copper just using water, soap, and a toothbrush, but if I did I would use the "Soak in Oil" method.

 

[simonthesearcher]

I know you dont want to hear it but here goes,,,DONT CLEAN,,,and if you have to, take it to an expert,jeweler or someone like that.

 

[Scavenger]

I don't want to start a war here, but I've soaked coins in olive oil for as much as 6 months and never seen the slightest change in appearance. If you look at the chemical composition of olive oil it is very complex with many compounds but no mention of oxalic acid, only free fatty acids (whatever they are) and has no measurable P.H. I personally think its an old wives tale. Anybody with some before and after pics?

 

[brooklynct2003]

I don't want to start a war here, but I've soaked coins in olive oil for as much as 6 months and never seen the slightest change in appearance. If you look at the chemical composition of olive oil it is very complex with many compounds but no mention of oxalic acid, only free fatty acids (whatever they are) and has no measurable P.H. I personally think its an old wives tale. Anybody with some before and after pics?

Scavenger, I agree with you. I have ruined a couple coins with water, but zero with oil. From an Olive Oil Industry Website below:

The Olive Oil Source responds: pH refers to the hydrogen ion concentration in an aqueous solution. Olive oil and other oils are not water soluble so their acidity cannot be measured in pH. Vegetable oils are very weak acids, when mixed with a strong base such as lye they will form a salt commonly called soap. Their acid content is usually measured in percent free acidity. Extra virgin olive oil must have less than 1% free fatty acid but some have less than .1%

But the better question would be how is the acidity relevant to your particular situation? If you are making soap, a more acid oil may be preferable. As a skin moisturizer, a more acid oil may mimic more closely natural skin oils. For eating, both oils are going into your stomach where the acidity is thousands of times greater so it is largely irrelevant. A glass of orange juice or a cup of tomato sauce has thousands of times more aqueous acid than a similar amount of oil.

 

[ded]

Thanks to everyone, I thought I knew a little about copper, but I know I will be more careful now. I am going to try the olive oil treatment starting with some new stuff and going back a little. I think once it may be worth to much to risk (for me thats about 10 bucks) I will leave any cleaning to a pro.

 

[del]

wow, i have never ruined a coin with just warm soapy water . i've ruined them with other things ( chemicals, compunds , ect. ) but not with just water and soap