Best way of cleaning coins

[CRS90]

Hi, what is the prefered way of cleaning coins? i have a few coins which i would like to sell, could do with cleaning them before uploading any photos,

thanks for any help.

 

 

[Nick]

55 minutes ago, CRS90 said:

Hi, what is the prefered way of cleaning coins? i have a few coins which i would like to sell, could do with cleaning them before uploading any photos,

There is no preferred way of cleaning coins.  They are almost always better left alone.  If you do find it necessary, a rinse in acetone followed by patting dry with a non-abrasive cloth will do no harm.

[1949threepence]

The best way of cleaning coins is not to clean them.

You can do untold damage quite unintentionally.

 

[CRS90]

Ok, thanks for the responses, i will leave the coins as they are.

[declan03]

Just check out this sellers attempts at cleaning coins. He has taken a brillo pad to most of them. Not a pretty sight. ?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1916-Lovely-British-Silver-Coin-One-Florin-GeorgeV/282663757622?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

[copper123]

Yep worth scrap silver price now

[newheart]

On 30/09/2017 at 7:40 PM, declan03 said:

Just check out this sellers attempts at cleaning coins. He has taken a brillo pad to most of them. Not a pretty sight. ?

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/1916-Lovely-British-Silver-Coin-One-Florin-GeorgeV/282663757622?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2055119.m1438.l2649

For the benefit of a newbie, how can you tell? I mean, you can see surface abrasions, but how can you tell this is due to cleaning and not due to circulation?

[Rob]

Take two coins of similar age and worn appearance - say a 2p from 1971. Use one as the control and rub the other with a pan cleaner or similar. Recheck surfaces. It will be obvious. The lines are many and parallel. Circulation will give plenty of surface marks, but they tend to be only one or two for any one abrasive event and the orientation of the coin will be different on each occasion.

[newheart]

Thanks Rob. That makes sense, I have noticed some coins seem to have a lot of parallel marks. 

[newheart]

3 hours ago, Rob said:

Take two coins of similar age and worn appearance - say a 2p from 1971. Use one as the control and rub the other with a pan cleaner or similar. Recheck surfaces. It will be obvious. The lines are many and parallel. Circulation will give plenty of surface marks, but they tend to be only one or two for any one abrasive event and the orientation of the coin will be different on each occasion.

Something like this (from a current eBay listing)?

 

[Leo]

Yes, but beware that in high grade coins parallel lines can indicate die polishing lines or planchet adjustment, and do not detract. This Conversation on the subject is very illustrative.

[Rob]

To elaborate on the previous post, the lines on the coin in the image two posts previously will be seen to be incuse under a glass. This is because the abrasive will always remove metal. In the case of polished dies, the lines on the coin will be raised because the metal has been removed from the die leaving a depression which gives a raised feature on the coin. Effectively it is just additional detail. See image below where there are clearly raised lines in front of the face. The light source is from above.

[newheart]

Thanks for the replies, I am learning a lot. I am guessing you would not expect to see much remaining of any raised features (relief marks/ Planchet striations) if the coin had been well circulated?

[Rob]

3 minutes ago, newheart said:

Thanks for the replies, I am learning a lot. I am guessing you would not expect to see much remaining of any raised features (relief marks/ Planchet striations) if the coin had been well circulated?

They would suffer wear just like any other raised feature.

[newheart]

Having read all this, I am scrutinising coins more now. I had been watching this rather nice shilling on ebay, but one quarter of the reverse looks like it has been cleaned.

 

[Rob]

Looks like it. Many things on eBay have been similarly treated. It is one good reason to avoid the place if you don't know what you are doing. Many sellers purvey 'unc', 'high grade', 'superb' coins. Many buyers receive less than those loftily described pieces of metal. Both seller and buyer are initially happy, but the latter frequently suffers a bit of a downer once they become a bit more worldly-wise. You need to visit coin fairs and see things in hand to get an appreciation for condition and impairments.

[newheart]

 

10 minutes ago, Rob said:

Looks like it. Many things on eBay have been similarly treated. It is one good reason to avoid the place if you don't know what you are doing. Many sellers purvey 'unc', 'high grade', 'superb' coins. Many buyers receive less than those loftily described pieces of metal. Both seller and buyer are initially happy, but the latter frequently suffers a bit of a downer once they become a bit more worldly-wise. You need to visit coin fairs and see things in hand to get an appreciation for condition and impairments.

Ah but Rob, researching a coin, trying to estimate the coins value and then bidding on it is half the fun! To me, buying coins that have been professionally assessed and priced is not so much of a hobby (though perhaps one I would pursue if I had deeper pockets!). Plus the dealers have added their ~50% commission plus VAT. But point taken - eBay is a big risk and disappointments abound. Yes I want to visit some coin fairs when I can :-)