When you handle your coins, wear cotton, Nitrile, or latex gloves, and handle the coin only by the edges. Use a small plastic container full of hydrogen peroxide. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary". They are too harsh and abrasive to clean wheat pennies with. Rinse your pennies well with water; otherwise, if any of these cleaning agents remain on the coin, the coin will turn blue-green. Just remember to rinse the pennies thoroughly after all cleaning methods. One good option is the traditional 2 by 2 cardboard and mylar protective sheaths. You can also seek the services of the Numismatic Conservation Services. Do not rub them or the dirt and debris on them can scratch them and ruin the value. The amount of vinegar used to clean the pennies depends on the number of coins you wish to clean. This may be true in certain aspects, such as uncirculated monies. [1] Start working on the coins that need the least amount of work. Start with a mixture of warm, soapy water when cleaning silver coins. Your email address will not be published. Soak the coins in more salt and vinegar if they still look dirty. The first step to cleaning a copper penny is soaking it in vinegar. Keep reading below for the best methods for safely cleaning your wheat pennies at home. Vinegar will remove any oxides formed on the coin surface. Soak your pennies for five minutes in vinegar to dissolve any copper oxide . Before you begin cleaning, sort through the coins to determine which coins need the most work. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Rinse the baking soda off with fresh water. Mix it together and add the coins into the bowl. If you dont have ketchup or another acid, try using a metal polish from a general store. If you want to use tartaric acid on your pennies, all you have to do is dissolve some crystals of it in warm water. Place your pennies at the bottom of the cup or glass so that they are not stacked on top of each other. When they are sufficiently clean, lay them out on a soft cloth, dabbing them dry with gentle pressure. Enjoy! Wet the penny with warm water until its thoroughly dampened (but not dripping). When in doubt, leave the coin as you found it. In fact, I use dish soap to clean my wedding ring, necklaces, and other jewelry. Hold the coins under a little bit of running water to ensure all of the cleaning solution rinses off. Ketchup. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 438,144 times. What is the best solution to clean copper? This way, you can take any preventative measures necessary to clean the coins and retain their value. Mix in extra salt if you wish, but keep a close eye on the coins to avoid damaging them. Aside from white vinegar, there may not be a more versatile household cleaning agent than baking soda. The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Leave the coin to soak for about 5 minutes or so and then check on its condition. Can hydrogen peroxide be used to clean coins? They include: Fresh lemon juice Salt White vinegar A toothbrush Baking soda A small container A paper towel. Dissolve 1 tsp (7 g) of table salt in a bowl with of white distilled vinegar. This technique is an easy way to clean silver coins and zinc pennies without causing damage, too. There is one important thing to note, though. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. This detector works very well in areas with high soil mineralization. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. So my suggestion would be to take a random corroded penny that you dont care about, and try this cleaning method. Pennies are made from highly reactive metals like copper or copper alloys, so it is only normal for them to get corroded with time. Microwaving 2 cups of water for 2-3 minutes should suffice and avoid boiling water. In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. Again, cleaning corrosion off wheat pennies can harm the value significantly. But if you do really want to get stuck in and have a go at cleaning some coins, we recommend that you experiment on some modern loose change instead. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. EBay, one of the most popular online auction sites, charges a 10 percent fee plus listing fees. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Coins made of nickel and silver will be easily cleaned; however, coins made out of copper will be harder to clean as copper reacts to more materials than other metals. These cookies do not store any personal information. If this does not bother, you and you simply want to restore the coin for yourself you can use a baking soda paste. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Your fingers contain oils, acids, and minuscule pieces of grit that will adhere to the surface of the coins and cause them to discolor or suffer microscopic scratching. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. How to clean green corroded copper coins Mix cup vinegar with 1 teaspoon of salt in a bowl that is non-metallic. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Copper, silver, nickel, and gold coins should strictly never be cleaned. According to renowned numismatists, Ivory soap, and water is the safest way used in cleaning steel pennies. Let them air dry or wipe them with a soft, microfiber cloth. Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Never rub or scrub coins which have numismatic value. Drop your coins into the mixture and let them sit for about 5 minutes. This way, you should not have to worry about cleaning them on a regular basis. From there, wipe your finger on your face for some natural oil, made up of sebum, and transfer it to the face of the coin. Soak for 24 hours. Garret ACE 250 Review The right materials will effectively clean your pennies and will also be safe for your hands. One of the most recommended cleaning solutions for wheat pennies is white vinegar. Submerge the coins in a shallow bath of vinegar and let them soak for at least an hour. tb1234 Basic Penny Cleaning Warm water Dishwashing soap Plastic bin Toothbrush Paper towel tb1234 Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Were committed to providing the world with free how-to resources, and even $1 helps us in our mission. Stir until the salt dissolves. Once youve removed the coin from the coke, gently rinse it under cold running water. 6 Can hydrogen peroxide be used to clean coins? Well, the general rule is if you intend on selling your wheat pennies, you should not clean them. 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. Brighten old, dark pennies in seconds! References. If needed, use a soft towel or soft-bristled brush to scrub the coin. I like to use distilled water to clean coins if I decide to clean them. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Scrub low-value coins with baking soda and vinegar, lemon juice and salt, or ketchup to break apart tarnish. Silver dollars, or any collectible silver coin, should only be cleaned under certain conditions. If you are keeping them for sentimental value or for your own personal collection, you may certainly clean them. Rinse off any excess liquid with water and set aside to dry. There are various other methods to clean your pennies. 2 Pour a few ounces of vinegar into a shallow dish. If it doesnt work for you, or somehow has hurt or damaged the penny in your eyes, stop using this method and find one you feel is a bit better. When a coin has evidence of cleaning, it is valued as Genuine-Cleaned. This means that despite the condition of the coin, it will be valued less than Fine range coins that have not been cleaned. This method is the best way to clean your pennies, and it will produce a very bright orangey-copper color on your pennies. Garret ACE 300 Review This is usually only a concern for industrial levels of exposure. Keep in mind that adding more salt to the solution makes it stronger. Wheat pennies are a relatively common find when metal detecting. Rinse with warm water and dry thoroughly. Experts can always tell if a coin has been cleaned improperly. This article has been viewed 60,522 times. The coins should be dipped in that bowl for at least five minutes. 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. Can I use isopropyl alcohol to clean the coins? Coins Metal Detectors If pennies are collectibles, then cleaning them may reduce their value. 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. So, in this article, Im going to explain to you exactly how to clean wheat pennies safely and effectively! They were initially made of bronze, a 95 percent copper alloy. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. Anyone can use this simple technique. It might seem like theres no hope for your tarnished coins, but fear not! Soak your quarters in lemon juice. Of course, there are other ways to clean corroded pennies. Step 4: Add More Baking Soda & Hot Water. The key is to ensure that you dont use anything super abrasive, especially on older coins. wikiHow, Inc. is the copyright holder of this image under U.S. and international copyright laws. The coins need to be submerged in the vinegar, so make sure the vinegar doesn't have too much space to spread out. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. The effect is achieved only where the mixture has been in contact with the coin, so ensure you cover the entire coin! Keep your coins in a stable, cool, dry location. In many cases, cleaning a coin can lower the value of the coin as a collectors item. If you happen to find one of these while metal detecting, do not attempt to clean them yourself! Clean copper coins in a vinegar and salt solution. This detector uses 5 frequencies simultaneously or it can use them individually. You must be gentle. Pat the coin dry. In this article, we will go into details about the steps you should take if you want to turn corroded pennies into their original fine, bright form. So here's how to clean a penny with vinegar: Get a small glass (or another kind of non-corrosive container) and fill it with some white vinegar - just enough to submerge a coin below the surface. Baking soda and vinegar have proven to be one of the most effective ways to clean tarnished coins. Pennies get dull and dirty because the copper in the pennies reacts with oxygen in the air to form copper oxide. While it is very possible to clean your pennies without damaging them, it is hard to say the same for the market value of the pennies. Gentle dish soap, like Dawn, is a good option for getting those wheat pennies shining again. The wheat penny was produced until 1958, with a few changes along the way. The best thing about using rubbing alcohol is that it will remove the tarnish from your copper coin without damaging its surface. {"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":"