How To Clean Tarnish Off Silver Coins

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When yous ask a money collector for cleaning advice, the gut reaction is usually "don't do it!" Almost all collectors will pay significantly more than for a rare coin if its surface is unscratched and the tarnish is left as-is. That said, there are a few ways to remove the worst of the dirt without damaging the silver. Non-collectible coins usually have value only because of the cost of the silvery, and you can polish them as much as you similar without affecting their toll.

1. 1

   Handle rare coins advisedly. Handle rare or unidentified silverish coins as little as possible. Hold them by the border only, non the face, and ideally wear lint-free cotton gloves. Even if the money looks dirty or damaged to you, a collector may pay more if you go out it in its natural state and avoid farther damage.

   • Store rare coins in Mylar plastic coin flips, or ask a coin dealer for alternatives. PVC coin flips can damage your coins.

2. 

   ii

   Soak the coins in warm distilled h2o and soap. Add a few drops of balmy lather (not detergent) to a glass of warm distilled water. Put the coins in gently and leave them to soak, turning them over every few hours. This is the only guaranteed safe style to make clean silver-plated coins (though pure silver is a little hardier).^[one]

   • Tap water contains chlorine that tin can lead to discoloration.
   • Tarnish (a thin layer of grayness, blackness, or iridescence also called "toning") is not the aforementioned as dirt.^[two] If the money is rare, toning may even be a desirable characteristic that raises the coin'southward value.

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3. three

   Replace the water daily. The next day, if the coins are still grimy, supersede the water with fresh distilled water and soap. Repeat daily until the coins are clean (but still have their toning).^[3]

4. 

   iv

   Dry carefully. Pat the coins dry with a paper towel, or exit them on an absorbent fabric to air dry. Rubbing the coins is very risky, since information technology can scratch through the toning.^[4] Conscientious brushing with a soft-bristled toothbrush is usually safe, just piece of work slowly and gently with valuable coins.^[5] The goal is to dislodge loose dirt, not to castor the coin's surface directly.

5. five

   Wet and freeze the coins. If the coins are still muddied, soak them in distilled water once again. Transfer the wet coins to a plastic container in the freezer. The water will aggrandize as it freezes, hopefully breaking off some of the clay from underneath. Gently pat or brush off clay once frozen. In most cases, you will need to repeat the soaking and freezing several times.^[half-dozen]

6. 6

   Remove heavy dirt buildup with long-term oil soaks. If the coins are covered in mud or clay and practice not respond to the methods above, soak them in mineral oil or olive oil. Mineral oil should never harm your coin, but must be washed off with acetone later. Olive oil will also piece of work, only there is a slight take chances of impairment.^[7] Either one can accept months to clean extra-dirty coins. For best results, prop the coins up on a slice of plastic and so both sides are exposed to the oil.

   • Cheap, not-virgin olive oil works better than virgin or actress-virgin, since it is more acidic.^[viii]
   • If the coins are non valuable as collector's items, y'all can skip to the harsh cleaning methods instead to salvage time. If the coins are rare or unidentified and you don't want to wait months, take them to a coin collector for advice.

7. 

   vii

   Cheque on the oil every couple weeks. Rinse the coins in warm, soapy h2o to remove the oil. If the dirt doesn't come off with it, leave the coins to soak longer. If using olive oil, replace it whenever it turns night green.^[9] Once the coins are clean, rinse them in warm, soapy h2o. If yous used mineral oil, wipe them with a swab dipped in pure acetone.

8. eight

   Utilize an ultrasonic cleaning automobile. These machines vibrate the coin apace to dislodge dirt. Pocket-sized machines for home use are safety for coin cleaning, just volition only remove soft, pocket-sized clay buildup. Big, professional machines are more than constructive, but must be used carefully. For best results, suspend a loving cup from a string so it sits halfway submerged in the machine'south bath, without touching the base. Make full the cup with slightly soapy distilled water and hang the money suspended in this solution. Make full the principal bath with pure distilled water, run the motorcar for simply a few minutes, brush the coin, and echo.^[x]

   • You can run the car without the cup, only dirt or objects on the base of the pan will interfere with the pan'due south vibration and shorten the machine's lifespan.

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1. 1

   Use extreme circumspection with valuable coins. Cleaning a rare, collectible coin tin can reduce its value past over l% due to tiny scratches or the removal of the tarnish. If the gentle cleaning methods above practice not work, information technology'south safer to take it cleaned professionally or have an imperfect advent. Feel free to use the methods below on common, non-collectible coins if you prefer a brighter appearance for your ain drove.

   • An even gold, grey, or iridescent tarnish (toning) is desirable and increases the money's value.^[eleven]
   • A black or blotchy tarnish is not platonic, but harsh cleaning can still lower the value. Continue very advisedly or take it to a professional.

2. 

   two

   Pick dirt out of small crevices. After washing the coin in soapy water, you may withal run into nighttime areas outlining letters or detailed images. Wash over again and pick away this dirt slowly and carefully using a toothpick or bamboo skewer. Take care not to scratch the coin, since the option can scratch abroad the tarnish.^[12]

   • Pointy plastic utensils are slower, only less probable to scratch the coin.

3. 

   three

   Rub with silverish polish. Silver polishes clean metal using acid and abrasives, both of which eat away a pocket-sized layer of metallic. This is an easy way to burnish non-collectible coins, but volition almost certainly damage the value of collectibles:

   • Put a coin-sized dollop of polish on a soft fabric.
   • Fold the cloth in one-half to transfer the smooth to two sides.
   • Place the coin between the fold of cloth.
   • Rub together briefly.
   • Wipe off the coin on a clean office of the fabric.

4. 

   4

   Wipe with a paste of baking soda and h2o. This cheaper alternative to silver polish also abrades the argent coin, causing scratches that will be visible under a magnifying glass. Minimize damage by using distilled water and mixing in merely a little baking soda to brand a watery paste. Dip the entire coin the paste, rub between your fingers for a infinitesimal, then rinse with h2o. Echo two or 3 times if necessary. Pat dry.

5. 

   5

   Soak in a vinegar and common salt bathroom. Fill a large glass jar halfway with distilled white vinegar and put the coins in. Add 1 tablespoon (17.06 grams) of table common salt while stirring the mixture continuously. Stop stirring when the coins are clean⁠ and take them out⁠. Then, rinse the coins in distilled h2o to stop the chemical action of the vinegar.^[13]

   • Don't leave the coins in the vinegar solution for longer than 2-three minutes! Otherwise, the mixture may erode their surface features.^[xiv]
   • Make a fresh mixture for each batch of coins.
   • You tin too immerse the coins in an alkaline solution to neutralize the acerbity of the vinegar^[15] . Make a unproblematic alkaline solution by dissolving 1.5 teaspoons (7.2 grams) of baking soda in a glass of h2o.
   • Mixing coins of unlike compositions may crusade them to stain each other.

6. 6

   Remove difficult deposits with ammonium. A thick buildup on ancient coins is probable "horn silver" (silver chloride). This may be worth removing, especially if it prevents identification. Submerge the coin in a x% ammonia solution in a tightly sealed container. Remove it afterwards a few minutes, rinse immediately in water, and so brush with a soft toothbrush. Repeat equally needed.^[16]

   • Warning: ammonia liquid and fumes are corrosive. Wear neoprene gloves and work in a ventilated surface area.^[17]
   • Some hard buildups are the result of a different chemical reaction, which may crave other treatments. Consult a coin dealer outset if the money might be valuable.

7. 

   7

   Use actress-harsh treatments as a last resort. The following treatments are particularly risky. Without proficient supervision, they may remove the tarnish or pit the coin'southward surface. These are more oft used on ancient coins, where heavy buildup may prevent identification or severely lower the value. Relatively modernistic, machine-made coins should only be treated this way if they accept little collector's value and an unattractive tarnish:

   • Soak the coin in a 50/50 mix of distilled water and lemon juice for 1 hour.^[xviii]
   • Soak the coin in 1 tsp (five mL) lemon juice mixed into 1.5 cups (360 mL) olive oil. Warm this in a estrus safe container inside a h2o bath, simply keep it beneath boiling.^[19]
   • "Dipping" treatments tin return a coin to a frosty white argent appearance, which some collectors value. However, this is an extremely risky process that can cause blemishes to appear. Hiring a professional is strongly recommended, but y'all can buy a dipping solution to utilise at home.^[20]

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Add New Question

• Question

  How would I just clean regular silver that isn't valuable?

  

  Alicia Sokolowski is a Dark-green Cleaning Specialist and the President and co-CEO of AspenClean, a light-green cleaning company in Vancouver, British Columbia. With over 17 years of experience, Alicia specializes in creating a healthier, greenish culling to chemic-based cleaning products and services. AspenClean develops and manufactures its own line of 100% Natural, EcoCert® certified, and EWG verified™ cleaning products. AspenClean's glass cleaner was voted Parent'south Green Pick 2022 by readers of the Parents' magazine. Alicia holds a CPA designation and a Bachelor'southward degree in Commerce and Finance from the University of Toronto.

  

  Light-green Cleaning Specialist

  Practiced Respond

  The easiest way to practise this would exist to mix baking soda with hot water. Use a ratio of 3-parts baking soda and 1-role water. Rub the paste onto the silver using a microfiber cloth. Y'all tin can utilise a toothbrush instead if at that place are whatsoever grooves. Rinse it with cold h2o and wipe information technology dry with a microfiber cloth.

• Question

  How exercise I restore a silver dollar that was cleaned with argent cleaner?

  

  A polished coin cannot exist restored. Any professional would be able to tell the departure.

• Question

  What tin be washed to clean bi-metal contamination?

  

  If your silver coin (peculiarly an aboriginal one) has a green or brown patina, it is probably an alloy with a relatively low percentage of silver. This is more delicate than a higher-percentage alloy, so stick to the gentle cleaning methods only. If the coin is heavily corroded, y'all may demand to take information technology to an expert coin conservationist.

• Question

  How can I tarnish erstwhile copper coins after they have been cleaned and have an orangish glowing color?

  

  DANNY CREAMER

  Community Answer

  Use Wright'south Copper Creme. Put a small dab on both sides and employ an one-time rag. Place between pollex and forefinger and rub. It merely takes a few seconds. For actually dirty coins, use an old tooth brush.

• Question

  Why distilled water?

  

  Tap water may contain chemicals (such equally chlorine) that can damage silver.

• Question

  What'south the best style to clean to make the date visible?

  

  Roger van piggelen

  Community Reply

  Container, dish detergent and water, soft towel, and you are all set.

• Question

  How practise I stop a coin from tarnishing?

  

  Shop it in a absurd, dry, night identify, and handle it but after washing your hands (or utilise gloves). Run into Store Silver Coins.

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VideoRead Video Transcript

• If your coin is coated in lacquer or covered in a slimy greenish substance (a reaction to PVC in certain plastics), remove them with pure acetone. Wipe off slime with a cotton swab dipped in the acetone. Remove lacquer by soaking the coin in acetone in a non-plastic container. Work in a ventilated expanse to protect against fumes, and continue the acetone away from burn and heat. If the coin is valuable, take it to a professional instead.^[21]

• Uncirculated and well-preserved "proof" coins should have a bright, argent surface with no tarnish. Practice not clean or handle these, since the lack of scratches and damage makes them valuable. Grit them with a squeeze bulb of air, non by rubbing them.^[22]

• Heavily corroded coins are unremarkably too damaged to exist worth saving, even after your remove the corrosion.

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• Exist very careful with any coins which appear to be plated with missing plated areas, as soaking can brand the bronze underneath the plating discolour the silver finish. Be patient.

• Practice not be tempted to utilize metal tools on coins, as this can scratch the finish.

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Article Summary Ten

To clean silverish coins, commencement by soaking the coins in a solution of warm distilled water and a few drops of dish soap, making sure to plough them over every few hours. Then, supervene upon the soapy water each twenty-four hours until the coins are make clean. When most of the grime is gone, pat the coins dry with a paper towel or let them air in order to avoid scratching the coin's surface. If the coins are still muddy, try wetting the coins with distilled water and placing them in the freezer. Once the h2o has frozen and broken off the dirt as it expands, remove it from the freezer and brush off the dirt. For tips on how to remove heavy dirt buildup with mineral oil, read on!

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