The first step to cleaning a copper penny is soaking it in vinegar. Where I live, we have acidic and hard water. This article was co-authored by Elias Weston. Clean at your . Dish soap is also a good and very gentle way to clean coins. But if you simply want to clean the coins for non-commercial reasons (for example, you just want a bunch of cleaned pennies youve found to become part of your coin collection), the vinegar/lemon juice method will be good enough. Lightly rub the ketchup into the coin with a soft toothbrush, then rinse off the ketchup. I like to use distilled water to clean coins if I decide to clean them. Using a soft cloth, apply your chosen cleaner to the coin and allow it to soak in for five minutes. I hope you enjoyed this article and have learned more about how to clean wheat pennies! Let them air dry the rest of the way. There are chemicals within the tap water that can erode the coins over time. The safest way to clean a coin is to send it a professional. Alicia holds a CPA designation and a Bachelors degree in Commerce and Finance from the University of Toronto. Press ESC to cancel. This website uses cookies to improve your experience, but you may opt out if you wish. Baking Soda And Vinegar Great For Science Fair Volcanoes But Not For Enhancing Your Coins Value. To prevent grime buildup, it is imperative that collectible coins be stored in a safe, secure, airtight place. Remove the coins and dump out the lemon solution, and then pour the olive oil and one teaspoon of lemon juice into the container. Copper coins often turn a muddled brown color, and these marks can be cleaned off with salt and a mild acid like white vinegar. From there, use your brush to gently get the grime off of the coins before putting them back into the water again. Thanks. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Clean pennies with Vinegar and Salt NurdRage 664K views 10 years ago How to CLEAN coins HardCoreCopper 43K views 1 year ago Coin Collecting : How Do I Clean Dirty Coins?. Clearing away the dirt now makes the coin look clearer once you add the oil to it. Never rub or scrub coins which have numismatic value. Ketchup can restore the copper glow of a penny. The acetic acid in white vinegar can help remove contaminants from your coins. Level up your tech skills and stay ahead of the curve. Do not leave the coin in the ketchup for more than an hour or two as it will leave a green oxidation on the coin. Copper, silver, nickel, and gold coins should strictly never be cleaned. Step-2: Mix dish soap with water in a bowl. % of people told us that this article helped them. (So before you start using baking soda, vinegar, toothpaste, or ketchup to clean your coins at. They include: As you can see, these materials are very cheap and easy to find anywhere. There are many methods you can use at home to clean your wheat pennies, and other coins you have found, safely and carefully. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. It is easy to just use any cleaning agent for this, but you need to understand that there are many cleaning materials that will potentially damage the penniesand even hurt your skin in the process. Last Updated: October 27, 2022 Repeat, as necessary. LARISA NIEDLE You'll Need: Salt White vinegar (or fresh lemon juice) Shallow plastic container Cloth or paper towel Baking soda (optional) Toothbrush (optional) Dishwashing liquid (optional) 02 of 07 Step 1: LARISA NIEDLE In a jar, combine 1 cup vinegar (or lemon juice) and 1 tablespoon salt. This natural acid can be used to clean coins, pots and pans, and more. And if you're unsure of how to properly clean a coin and you want a second opinion, get in contact with a coin expert before trying any of the following methods. Wet the penny with warm water until its thoroughly dampened (but not dripping). Place your pennies at the bottom of the cup or glass so that they are not stacked on top of each other. It might seem like theres no hope for your tarnished coins, but fear not! In this video I clean three old worn large cents. Wheat pennies were made of different metals during different years depending on the need for metals. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. Let them sit for a month though you may need to let them go for as long as six months. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. How to Clean Corroded Pennies Safely and Effectively - Discover Detecting Use a soft cloth to rub the paste on the surface of the copper. I go from light cleaning, to using soap and water, to using olive oil. Use a small plastic container full of hydrogen peroxide. Step 6: Rinse Silver Coin With Cold Water. 1 1/2 cups olive oil. If your pennies still dont get clean after the fifth step, you can mix baking soda with a tablespoon of water, then use an old soft toothbrush to gently scrub the surface. From there, use your brush to gently get the grime off of the coins before putting them back into the water again. Ketchup. If you are keeping them for sentimental value or for your own personal collection, you may certainly clean them. Step 3 Now put those pennies into the bowl containing the mixture of vinegar and salt. It has 3 search coil options, all are waterproof. Metal Detector Reviews (for anyone), Garrett AT Pro Review How to clean green corroded copper coins Mix cup vinegar with 1 teaspoon of salt in a bowl that is non-metallic. Cleaning them can be a daunting task. Can I use isopropyl alcohol to clean the coins? Salt and vinegar combinations have been used to clean coins for many yearsthis method is actually on display in one of the earlier videos I shared above. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. If you dont see any results after trying a method for a few minutes, move on to something else. If I must choose a cleaning method, I will choose distilled water. Wash each coin gently with a soft toothbrush before rinsing and drying it. Monitor coins carefully and rinse them with clean water as soon as possible. Looking to achieve that bright, orange-copper color? Rinse off the ketchup and inspect the condition of your coins. Leave the coin to soak for about 5 minutes or so and then check on its condition. Take them out, setting them on the cloth. Use household cleaners: Basic household cleaners like baking soda, vinegar and salt will work wonders for your copper pennies! However, with old coins you have found while metal detecting, you may want to refrain from cleaning. If it can clean oil off baby ducks, it should be able to clean your wheat pennies with very little damage! How To Clean Old Copper Coins Without Damaging Them We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. If you have a collection of copper pennies, chances are that theyre not looking their best. Vinegar solutions are effective for removing dark spots on coins, but they also tend to make coins look a little dull. For coins that are not terribly valuable, you can clean them yourself with little to no worry. Start with a mixture of warm, soapy water when cleaning silver coins. Copper is a soft metal, so copper coins are prone to degrading over time. This way, you should not have to worry about cleaning them on a regular basis. If it works for you, stick with it. You can use your finger or an exceptionally fine brush to remove any stuck-on dirt. Cleaning them can go wrong very quicklyand who wants to devalue their newly found treasure? Collectors actively look for the tiniest flaws in pennies and they have all the necessary tools to find those flaws. Pennies get dull and dirty because the copper in the pennies reacts with oxygen in the air to form copper oxide. But, when you combine vinegar with other ingredients, it will become a cleaning agent, not a tarnishing agent. Lemon juice is acidic and can cause damage to the skin if inhaled or spilled. If you have any other ideas, please share them in the comments below. If you are in a humid location, you can use desiccants to absorb atmospheric moisture. They may damage the surface of the wheat penny and devalue them. So my suggestion would be to take a random corroded penny that you dont care about, and try this cleaning method. Should the oil start to look discolored, change it out. Split your coins into three categories: showing good detail, showing some detail, and showing no detail. Many professional coin collectors and coin valuers recommend leaving the coins as they are. Hello internet and today i will be showing you how to clean your old coins without damaging them and I'll be cleaning my rare 1886 type 2 Indian head cent ju. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. Removing the copper oxide by cleaning will give your penny a brand-new look. This detector uses 5 frequencies simultaneously or it can use them individually. Use Water Sometimes the simplest methods are best. This cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. If you plan on cleaning off a lot of coins at once, use a bigger bowl and add more vinegar as needed. The right materials will effectively clean your pennies and will also be safe for your hands. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Gently scrub them with either a soft toothbrush or your fingers. You want something a bit more gentle for silver coins but you will need a heavier abrasive for your copper pennies. With wheat pennies, you will want to fill a small dish with fresh water and some dish soap. How to Clean Pennies with Vinegar: 11 Steps (with Pictures) - wikiHow An alternative is to use vinyl erasers, but they do not contain abrasive, which is typically found in pencil erasers. They can eliminate or reduce the effects of outside contaminates that have caused issues with your coins. Vinegar and salt. So, thinking about cleaning them is not wrong, and they can be cleaned in several ways. After a good shake, take the coins out and rinse them off. The application of taco sauce is another simple method of cleaning these pennies. Cleaning Copper With Ketchup: Ketchup can be used to clean a variety of copper products. Aluminum Foil Any aluminum foil will do, what you have laying around in your kitchen will work great. There are various other methods to clean your pennies. Your email address will not be published. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Over time, coins of all sorts can and will collect grime and gunk. How do you clean old pennies without damaging them? He has a hefty collection of wheat pennies that hes found with various techniques. Using a toothbrush or other soft-bristled brush, gently scrub the baking soda into each coin, especially on the corroded areas. With -cup of ketchup, just dip your old toothbrush in and scrub the surface of the coin. Coins / February 17, 2021 by Walt / Leave a Comment. How to clean old coins without any damage - YouTube A common ingredient in DIY eco-friendly cleaners, the acetic acid in white vinegar can help wear away the contamination on your coins. Hydrogen peroxide can prove effective in removing various materials, including organic material. This article was co-authored by Alicia Sokolowski. The method of cleaning depends on the type of coin. Some of these have relatively sound science behind them, but they should be used at your own risk. If youre more of a do-it-yourselfer, try using a basic household cleaner to start. Allow the coins to air-dry on a microfiber or cotton towel. If you want to use tartaric acid on your pennies, all you have to do is dissolve some crystals of it in warm water. Do not rub them or the dirt and debris on them can scratch them and ruin the value. Finally, dry your coins with a microfiber cloth to get rid of excess moisture. {"smallUrl":"https:\/\/www.wikihow.com\/images\/thumb\/e\/e9\/Clean-Copper-Coins-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/v4-460px-Clean-Copper-Coins-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","bigUrl":"\/images\/thumb\/e\/e9\/Clean-Copper-Coins-Step-1-Version-2.jpg\/aid5915095-v4-728px-Clean-Copper-Coins-Step-1-Version-2.jpg","smallWidth":460,"smallHeight":259,"bigWidth":728,"bigHeight":410,"licensing":"

\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Step 4 Now take out the pennies from that mixture, and wash them in water. How to Clean Corroded Pennies Safely and Effectively, How to Clean Gold Jewelry With Vinegar Without Any Damage, How to Clean Wheat Pennies Safely and Without Damage. There are a variety of suggested ways when it comes to cleaning coins, and cleaning . The coins need to be submerged in the vinegar, so make sure the vinegar doesn't have too much space to spread out. This website uses cookies to improve your experience, but you may opt out if you wish. When they are sufficiently clean, lay them out on a soft cloth, dabbing them dry with gentle pressure. Before you do anything, do your research to know the value of the coin. The citrus juices are acidic, and mixed with salt, can remove corrosion and debris from wheat pennies. Dip one penny halfway into the liquid. Your best bet is to keep them separate so they are not rubbing against eachother. So there is no need for you to buy harsh bleaching agents, because you want to clean corroded pennies, these simple ones can help you achieve your goals if you use them properly. You can also seek the services of the Numismatic Conservation Services. The soap should help keep the coin safe while you gently scrub it. In a small container, place a small amount of table-salt (1 gram is plenty). How to Clean Coins - Teachpedia Elias Weston is a Cleaning Specialist and the Founder of Seatown Cleaners in Seattle, Washington. Leave the pennies for around five minutes in the glass of vinegar or lemon juice. Numismatists and some coin collector organizations may offer these services. Step 4: Add More Baking Soda & Hot Water. Fisher F22 Review In 1943, the composition changed to zinc plated steel due to the need for copper during World War II. Let the coins sit in the mixture for about 10 or 15 minutes so that the soap can break down the grime. Whether its a regular penny or a wheat penny, hopefully youve found this article to showcase a helpful method on how to clean a corded penny. Step 5: Rub Away the Tarnish & Grime. Pennies have been around since the late 1700s in the United States. 3. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. Ketchup contains acid that can help remove copper stains. Create a mixture using -cup vinegar of lemon juice and a teaspoon of table salt together into a bowl. Stir together until the soap is sudsy, then add your coins to the bowl. Let them soak for about two hours or so, though if they are extremely dirty, you may want to let them sit for up to a week. How to clean coins without damaging them - YouTube Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. 5 Ways to Clean Pennies - wikiHow What is the fastest way to clean copper coins? only use vinegar to clean a corroded penny, Metal Detecting in Massachusetts: Laws, Tips and Beaches, Metal Detecting in Pennsylvania: Tips, Tricks, and Laws to Know. How to Do Something Your Don Know: How to Clean Coins Have them professionally cleaned or sell them as is. You can use lemon juice to clean copper pennies, but youll want to work in a well-ventilated area when you do. This detector features multiple search frequencies and has 2 different coin modes: one for foreign coins and one for U.S. coins. Clean copper coins in a vinegar and salt solution. The presence of salt and vinegar as its ingredients explains why this method works. In many cases, cleaning a coin can lower the value of the coin as a collectors item. Rinse the coins with fresh water after 24 hours and let them air dry. You will not need to clean your coins repeatedly if you know the best way to clean pennies and how to preserve them properly. As a result, the shiny bright metal develops an external layer having a dull green color. Or in layman's terms, by generating microscopic bubbles between a hard surface and a softer material, and allowing them to catastrophically collapse. Beach Metal Detectors For older, condition-sensitive coins, a gentle bath of water and mild hand soap will suffice. Rinse your pennies well with water; otherwise, if any of these cleaning agents remain on the coin, the coin will turn blue-green. Dry them off with paper towels. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies.