Cleaning Your Silver Coins

Finding clean and rare, high-grade silver coins is a matter of great luck. What if you find silver coins that need cleaning but are attractive enough for you to buy? While several easy cleaning methods are known for completing this cleaning job, always seek expert counsel on whether or not to clean the coins in the first place.

Silver coins usually develop a gray to black discoloration in response to the interaction with sulfur in the environment. This discoloration is desirable in rare coins and is only removed if it grows very thick and defaces the coin. Some coins might lose their value to half of the original if cleaned. Following are some guidelines on cleaning silver coins.

Cleaning with Baking Soda

Old silver coins found in the ground can be cleaned by wetting the coin, dipping it in baking soda, and scrubbing the tarnish off with a toothbrush. Take care not to rub too hard with the brush.

Cleaning in Distilled Water

To remove dust deposited on the coins, brush off the loose dust with a soft brush. Soak the coins in distilled water for a couple of days and brush again. Repeat this process several times. Coins with light layers of dirt will be easily and safely cleaned by this method. It is important to remember not to put silver and bronze coins together in the same distilled water or the silver coins can change their color.

Cleaning by Tumbling

To use this method, buy a rock tumbler (if you haven’t one already) and put your coins in it along with some small pebbles and two tablespoons of beach sand such that the tumbler is nearly three fourth filled. Add water to a little below the pebbles’ top. Add a little liquid detergent. Close the tumbler and shake to evenly space the coins and pebbles. After tumbling for an hour, open and drain the dirty water. Refill with fresh clean water and a liquid detergent and tumble for a few hours. Open and filter through a screen that lets the sand and gravel pass but retains the coins. Rinse the coins and spread them on a paper or cloth for drying. They will emerge clean and shining.

Cleaning with Oil

To remove hard packed dirt that is resistant to brushing, put the coins in olive or lanolin oil and let them there for a couple of weeks. Take them out, brush, and put back in the oil. Repeat the procedure till the maximum dirt is removed. Wash the coins in a non- detergent dish soap and distilled water. Dry on putting on paper towels.