Question about finds after cleaning and any tips for using a tumbler.

[Clad grabber]

I am going to finally start to clean up all of the clad I have laying around in my workshop. I went and got a double tumbler. I did have a question in regards to has anyone found anything good (ie silver) after cleaning/tumbling their coins? I try to be very careful when I come in from a hunt to check all my finds. Also any tips from you pro cleaners...lol. I have done some research and sounds fairly straight forward but never hurts to ask. Thanks CG

 

[stetam]

I check my clad thoroughly before it goes in my tumbler so no, never missed a silver. They stick out like a sore thumb anyway. As far as tumbling, use aquarium gravel, cover gravel and clad with water snd a drop of dish soap. I put in a little CLR and it really cleans well. One drum for copper and the rest of the clad in the other.

 

[Clad grabber]

Sounds good - thanks!

I check my clad thoroughly before it goes in my tumbler so no, never missed a silver. They stick out like a sore thumb anyway. As far as tumbling, use aquarium gravel, cover gravel and clad with water snd a drop of dish soap. I put in a little CLR and it really cleans well. One drum for copper and the rest of the clad in the other

 

[hoser]

I check my clad thoroughly before it goes in my tumbler so no, never missed a silver. They stick out like a sore thumb anyway. As far as tumbling, use aquarium gravel, cover gravel and clad with water and a drop of dish soap. I put in a little CLR and it really cleans well. One drum for copper and the rest of the clad in the other.

Steve has nailed it. I'm speaking from experience here, don't tumble pennies with the clad in the same drum. When done, everything looks like a penny.

 

[Iggyks]

An interesting glob turned out to be a silver Washington quarter, you could see a bit of milled edge and a few letters, enough to ID it.

 

[marcomo]

As hoser said, Steve nailed it. Adding CLR works great for tumbling purposes. One thing I would add is make sure you wear appropriate gloves. Even the water exposure by itself is hard on the hands but throw in CLR and it will really tear up your paws.I use throwaway nitrile gloves, they are cheap to buy in quantity at Costco or
Sam's.

Silver is usually east to spot. Over 1100 silver coins later, that first glimpse of silver in the hole (or in the frisbee I use to put dirt in) is still a big dopamine rush for me just like when I first started. But what I have noticed is that while the majority of silver still comes out of the ground pretty and white, I'm seeing a higher percentage. of environmentally damaged silver coins than I used to. Several times I've had to look closely to realize a coin was silver and not clad, the only giveaway being a glimpse on a small part of the coin like around the rim.