You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. You want something a bit more gentle for silver coins but you will need a heavier abrasive for your copper pennies. Gentle dish soap, like Dawn, is a good option for getting those wheat pennies shining again. You can also find protective books which have individual sleeves for each coin. After WWII, the original metal composition was reinstituted and reigned until the wheat penny retired. Cleaning them can be a daunting task. Nearly all metal detectors will be able to find coins in the right conditions. Leave the coin to soak for about 5 minutes or so and then check on its condition. Experts can always tell if a coin has been cleaned improperly. This natural acid can be used to clean coins, pots and pans, and more. This website uses cookies to improve your experience, but you may opt out if you wish. Alicia Sokolowski is a Green Cleaning Specialist and the President and co-CEO of AspenClean, a green cleaning company in Vancouver, British Columbia. But before you start your timer, make sure none of the pennies are touching themselves. % of people told us that this article helped them. Paper Towels This process can get a bit messy. In a small container, place a small amount of table-salt (1 gram is plenty). What is the best solution to clean copper? Instead, use a soft cloth and a gentle detergent (like dish soap) to clean it. Its best to wear rubber gloves when handling the ketchup and penny because they can both leave your hands stained red if you arent careful! Since we are also concerned about safety, it is important for you to know that the acidic substances that these rust removers contain could be harmful to your skin, so you should protect yourself with gloves and a mask when using them. Let them air dry the rest of the way. Level up your tech skills and stay ahead of the curve. However, with old coins you have found while metal detecting, you may want to refrain from cleaning. Keep in mind that adding more salt to the solution makes it stronger. Step-2: Mix dish soap with water in a bowl. First, do not every use any type of jewelry cleaner or metal polish on coins. After 5 minutes, wash the solution off the coins with warm water, since if its left on too long it can damage them. Dab some yellow mustard onto a cotton ball or soft cloth and rub firmly over the entire surface of the coin until it starts turning darker than usualthis means that its working! As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). But we recommend the vinegar or lemon juice approach because the materials are safe for your skin, overall quite very effective, creates little to no mess, and the risk of damaging the pennies is fairly low. If necessary, a little bit of gentle soap can be used, with Ivory soap being the preferred brand. If your penny is really important to you. You will want to use a soft-bristled brush, one that has been well worn in as well as a soft cloth. Acids wear away copper, so exposing a coin to vinegar and other products can cause permanent damage. Which is correct poinsettia or poinsettia? The right materials will effectively clean your pennies and will also be safe for your hands. If youre more of a do-it-yourselfer, try using a basic household cleaner to start. [2] 3 Now simply apply the paste to the penny wherever you want it to brighten up. Do not rub them or the dirt and debris on them can scratch them and ruin the value. 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. Its found naturally in wine, and it works by breaking down the copper oxide coating on your pennies. Get an appraisal before you clean themif you plan to sell them. Stir until the salt dissolves. Ketchup is composed of vinegar, salt, and tomatoes. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Thanks to all authors for creating a page that has been read 60,522 times. Can hydrogen peroxide be used to clean coins? In that event, you would want to avoid anything highly abrasive that could damage the surface of the coin. Anyone can use this simple technique. Dry them off with paper towels. Be extremely gentle! In fact, there are a lot of people who may suggest that using vinegar will hurt the integrity of your penny by making it tarnish. Copper coins often turn a muddled brown color, and these marks can be cleaned off with salt and a mild acid like white vinegar. Dish soap is also a good and very gentle way to clean coins. We use cookies to make wikiHow great. In fact, it would probably be extremely wise to do so, at least from a sanitary perspective. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance". You must be gentle. Enjoy! Gold Nuggets Metal Detectors Distilled water is highly recommended as tap water since it contains chlorine that works perfectly in removing the unwanted substances. Shine the coins to make them look better. Youll be surprised at what works and what doesnt! It may take a couple of applications, so dont be afraid to try this method a few times to get out those tough stains. Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full pricewine, food delivery, clothing and more. The right materials will effectively clean your pennies and will also be safe for your hands. Thanks. Instead, dip a soft-bristled toothbrush into the vinegar solution and scrub the coins with it. The effect is achieved only where the mixture has been in contact with the coin, so ensure you cover the entire coin! You can also use baking soda and salt to clean your pennies. Like vinegar, ammonia has a strong chemical odor, so you may want to wear gloves when cleaning with this method. Sell them the way they are (or as is) and you will surely gain more money from your pennieswell, assuming they are actually worth something, of course. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. One of the most important aspects of cleaning old coins is to know the value first. They can clean your coin if it has PVC residue, dirt, debris, adhesive, tape reside, copper spots on gold, or toning issues. Believe it or not, you can clean copper coins using yet another household item: ketchup. 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. If the quarter is clean, rinse it off with distilled water. You do not want to leave behind any residue that may further degrade the pennys condition! Well, the general rule is if you intend on selling your wheat pennies, you should not clean them. The key is to first know what kind of coin you have. 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. What is the fastest way to clean copper coins? Pat the coin dry. Cleaning and polishing rare and old coins can devalue them. For preservation purposes, most collectors recommend against treating collectible coins. In fact, it works so well that, like the other coin cleaning brews mentioned here, it can completely strip away the original patina and obliterate the value of the coin. Make sure to use small, circular motions. If you do have hard water or highly acidic water, try using distilled water. Looking to achieve that bright, orange-copper color? In this case, 100% of readers who voted found the article helpful, earning it our reader-approved status. In 1943, the composition changed to zinc plated steel due to the need for copper during World War II. If you plan on cleaning off a lot of coins at once, use a bigger bowl and add more vinegar as needed. Stir together until the soap is sudsy, then add your coins to the bowl. 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. But do notenothing is 100% safe or 100% fool proof. How to clean copper pennies using vinegar and baking soda. If you are not worried about damaging the coins as much, you can continue down the list and use some of the more abrasive cleaning methods. Repeat this process as many times as necessary before allowing the coins to air dry. They also will not pay you until you ship the coins. If you use the right materials and carry out the process in a gentle manner, you can get the best of both worlds a set of cleaned shiny pennies that are also not damaged. Steel pennies were abandoned the following year, and brass pennies were introduced. Mix a teaspoon of salt into the liquid by stirring until it is dissolved. For a stronger treatment, let the coins soak in oil for about a day, then scrub them with a soft toothbrush. PCGS offers a restoration service that can aid in cleaning your coins professionally. In fact, I use dish soap to clean my wedding ring, necklaces, and other jewelry. Mix 1/4 cup salt, 1/4 cup flour and enough vinegar to make a thick paste. Copper, silver, nickel, and gold coins should strictly never be cleaned. It is okay to stop at the fourth step, but if some of the pennies dont get clean after you use the paper towel to clean them, you can put them back into the solution and soak for an extra five minutes. Step 3: Add Tarnished Silver Coins. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. After youve cleaned off any grime or other contaminants from your coins surface, its time for step two: cleaning out any crevices that could have collected dust or dirt over time. Vinegar will remove any oxides formed on the coin surface. You can also try using a damp cloth with baking soda, which will help loosen any stuck-on dirt without damaging the coins surface. What are ultrasonic cleaners when it comes to cleaning copper coins? Let us move on to how to clean wheat pennies you intend to keep or sell yourself without any type of professional grading service. This is a simple, inexpensive method that works well on pennies that arent too tarnished. Simply hold your copper penny by its edges between your thumb and forefinger, then dip its entire surface into a small bowl of freshly squeezed lemon juice. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. Step 3 Now put those pennies into the bowl containing the mixture of vinegar and salt. If you dont have a brush available, leave the coins submerged in the ketchup for at least 5 minutes. The soap should help keep the coin safe while you gently scrub it. Hydrogen peroxide can be an effective way to clean your coins. As you can see, these materials are very cheap and easy to find anywhere. Baking soda and vinegar have proven to be one of the most effective ways to clean tarnished coins. To clean your copper coins, start by adding some vinegar or orange juice to a small bowl, and stirring in 1 teaspoon of salt.