Be sure to plug your sink before cleaning old coins in your sink so none of them slip down the drain. Running water helps break apart any loose dirt that’s on the surface of your coins.
If you don’t see any dirt or grime coming off of your coin, let it soak for about 5 minutes before trying to scrub it again. Soapy water is a great solution for removing surface dirt without damaging or scratching your coins.
To scrape away buildup in tight areas, gently break it apart with the end of a toothpick. Avoid using a toothbrush on collectible or antique coins since it could leave behind small scratches. Just stick to rubbing soapy water onto each coin with your fingers.
Patting the coins will allow you to avoid creating micro-scratches with the material you are wiping it with.
Vinegar and baking soda create a bubbling reaction that helps loosen dirt and grime. Baking soda is an abrasive, so it may leave scratches on your coin. Only use vinegar and baking soda on coins that aren’t valuable or collectible.
Salt and vinegar create an acidic solution that helps quickly dissolve the copper oxide spots on your coins faster than if you soaked them in water.
Lemon juice has citric acid that reacts with the tarnish to remove it. The added salt abrasive helps scrub the tarnish away even better. Since salt is really abrasive, it could leave scratches on antique or collectible coins.
Hydrogen peroxide also helps sterilize and disinfect your coins.
Cola contains phosphoric acid that helps tarnish break down quickly.
The acids in ketchup can help dissolve tarnish to help clean silver and copper coins.
The acidic cleaner strips the grime and tarnish off the surface to make your coin look shiny.
Even the smallest scratch from wiping the coin can reduce its value, so always get an expert opinion before you clean. Get your coin graded so you can properly determine its condition and value.
Avoid pressing hard on the coin’s surface so you don’t cause any damage.
Keep your coins in an album so you can easily look through them. If you have really valuable coins, keep them in a safe to protect them.
Keep your coins in an album so you can easily look through them. If you have really valuable coins, keep them in a safe to protect them.
