How to clean coins

Whenever you have time for your hobby you may clean your collection. The coins you possess may be dirty, dusty, tarnished black or even corroded. Such coins are often unpleasant to look at. Most of you would dislike possessing such untidy coins and would naturally like to get rid of their dirt and dust at the earliest. But cleaning and conditioning of coins is an occupation by itself which requires knowledge, patience, and practice. If you do it without knowing the proper technique, there is every likelihood of damaging your collection. A burden instead of a happy hobby. So how to clean the coins?

Depending on the condition of coins they are to be cleaned and treated. Some of them may be brightened simply by rinsing in soapy water and then by gently polishing them. There may be some coins which have to be treated with a milk acid before polishing. After polishing you may give a coating of diluted clear lacquer. This would protect your coins from tarnishing and would also keep them shining for long. Some collectors may not approve of this method of conditioning of coins but I personally feel that one’s collection should be aesthetically owned and decoratively displayed. A hobby must give pleasure not only to the person who indulges in it but also to others who comes in touch with it. Moreover, clean and tidy objects are always pleasant to look at.

Cleaning silver and gold coins

Pure silver coins can be cleaned by washing them with some ammonia applied with a pad of cotton wool. Gold coins can be further cleaned by wiping them over with fresh lemon juice. Gold coins once cleaned retain their luster for long whereas silver ones will soon have a certain amount of tone, the slight darkening of the surface. To keep them shining for long you may lacquer them.

How to clean coins – dos and don’ts

While cleaning your collection you must observe certain dos and don’ts. First, treat your coins like new-born babies and handle them with care. Never use harmful acids to clean any type of coins like copper, bronze, brass, silver and gold coins, they may destroy the coins forever. Don’t rub the coins with brute-force, the coins may get scratches. Don’t use a rough cloth or hard brush to polish the coins and never treat a coin urgently.

Never drop a coin on the floor or uneven surfaces because rough treatment will only wear out the coin and reduce its condition and its value. Use clean cotton wool, soft towels for cleaning and drying.
After cleaning your coins, dry them thoroughly and store them in the coin holder. The best place to keep your coins is in a coin album.

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