How To Clean Silver Coins

how to clean junk silver coins

Step 5: Rub Away the Tarnish & Grime. Re: cleaning junk silver. Feel free to clean junk silver however you wish. Unless it is a rare coin with low mintages (if it is don't clean it), nobody. Cleaning Junk Silver. We all know that polishing junk silver to a shine or doing any harsh scrubbing or using chemicals is a.

How to clean junk silver coins - for

03-28-2015, 11:22 PM#1
When is it acceptable to clean Junk silver?
Non numismatic coins, that contain a percentage of silver, that is. Not any walking liberties or Franklin halves or Morgans or Peace dollars.

Like a couple War Time Silver Nickels and Roosevelt dimes. If they are really tarnished (to where they might even be developing yellow rust type stuff). I wouldn't plan on cleaning a regular one with minimal to average tarnish. But if I picked up one where the date and inscriptions were barely legible, would I receive capital punishment for doing so? ().

I don't plan to clean any I have now, but if I come across some really nasty ones I might, depending in you folk's opinion.

Regards,

-Mo.
03-28-2015, 11:34 PM#2
Here is a way to take off tarnish that won't scratch or otherwise hurt the silver:

Get a glass bowl. Place a new piece of aluminum foil inside the bowl. Set the coins gently on the aluminum foil.

Place a pinch of baking soda in the bowl with coins and foil, as well as a few grains of salt.

Heat water to just below boiling. Pour onto coins and foil until they are covered. Enjoy the show.
03-28-2015, 11:35 PM#3
Join Date
Dec 2014
Posts
217
The way BAD see's it most shiney old coins have been cleaned to some extent. BAD has seen coins where the surface dirt is romeved and the dirt in the knicks is left to make it look like they were not cleaned. BAD said to a guy at a coinshop this coin looks like it was cleaned. His response I know you never clean a coin I have never cleaned a coin I do not know anything about these coins being cleaned. If the coin is really bad take it to a coin shop and see what they say you can do to it.
03-28-2015, 11:36 PM#4
I clean it all... Silver dollars too. but (and not that it matters to numis guys I'm sure, my coins are dead to them anyway)... I don't rub it in any way. I do aluminum foil + hot water + baking soda (It works without salt)... Pat it down on both sides with a soft cloth. Cleans them up nice... I don't even like toning aka tarnish... (I know... What a noob). I have to admit sometimes on a worn almost slick coin, the dirt, tarnish or whatever on it, provides contrast and allows you to see the details. Oh, the one thing I won't do anymore... Is to clean Indian head pennies with lemon juice... They look better brown.
Last edited by NoobStacker; 03-28-2015 at 11:39 PM.
03-28-2015, 11:45 PM#5
03-28-2015, 11:47 PM#6
And the best thing about the aluminum foil and baking soda method? If you change your mind, and wish the coins still had some tarnish? Just wait a year-- It'll be back.
03-29-2015, 12:23 AM#7
When in doubt ... don't clean it out :P But ultimately it is your party ... so clean away.
"Compulsory altruism is none too altruistic." - me

"All of us necessarily hold many casual opinions that are ludicrously wrong simply because life is far too short for us to think through even a small fraction of the topics that we come across." -- Julian Simon
03-29-2015, 01:01 AM#8
03-29-2015, 05:41 AM#9
Originally Posted by BuyLowSellHigh
That works for these coins since they look uncirculated, but the same finish on worn silver coins just screams CLEANED
yes exactly as BLSH posts....but lets be honest..most every coin has been cleaned at some point over its life in many situations out there... that is fact.. improperly done it can hurt numismatic values... if it is bullion content, well whatever.. if ya like clean,,,clean em.'not my style...

again sterling silver tarnish>? since sterling is used for presentation, okay done lightly and polished lightly.... not so with coinage.

inct
03-29-2015, 06:10 AM#10
Join Date
Nov 2014
Posts
2,344
Originally Posted by MosinMarauder
Non numismatic coins,
If they are really tarnished (to where they might even be developing yellow rust type stuff).
-post was edited.
Yes clean those if it bothers you to look at, rdcanecutter showed the best way to clean a coin imo . Try to stay away from calling the coins "junk silver", they are 90% silver (coins).
junk is junk like in scrap silver....ok maybe slicks too

Happy Stacking
Last edited by Mytal; 03-29-2015 at 07:48 AM.