how to clean copper pennies without damaging them

\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. If you want to go with something that is both inexpensive and likely already in your home, olive oil is the right choice. In many cases, cleaning a coin can lower the value of the coin as a collectors item. For others, coins can be collected throughout the years, some of which become quite valuable. Monitor coins carefully and rinse them with clean water as soon as possible. Ammonia works well for removing rust from copper pennies, but it can also damage the surface of the penny if not used properly. Keep in mind that adding more salt to the solution makes it stronger. 1/4 cup white vinegar 1 teaspoon salt A clear, shallow bowl (not metal) 2 clean steel nails A clean steel screw or bolt Paper towels Put the salt and vinegar in the bowl. 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. My dad has collected coins my entire life. Rubbing alcohol can be used to clean pennies and other copper coins, as well as other metals. An easy way to clean copper pennies and coins to remove the build-up of grime is with soapy water and a little elbow grease. This article was co-authored by Elias Weston. 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. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. You just have to put a thin but uniform layer of sauce on the penny and then rinse it off with water after some time. If you are planning to sell your cleaned pennies, using chemicals or scrubbing methods for cleaning could leave marks on the coins and an appraiser could easily discover this, which will greatly reduce the market value of your pennies. So at the very least you need distilled water as a working medium. Mix equal parts distilled water and lemon juice into a container. 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. Even if they appear corroded and lacking shine or have a tarnish on them. Hydrogen peroxide can be an effective way to clean your coins. Submerge the coins in a shallow bath of vinegar and let them soak for at least an hour. You must remember to use these at your discretion. Any cookies that may not be particularly necessary for the website to function and is used specifically to collect user personal data via analytics, ads, other embedded contents are termed as non-necessary cookies. The acetic acid in white vinegar can help remove contaminants from your coins. 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. So how do you safely store your wheat pennies? One of the main reasons for pennies becoming dirty is their continual circulation among people. What do you see? Cleaning them can be a daunting task. Mix cup vinegar with 1 teaspoon of salt in a bowl that is non-metallic. CoinsForSale.com charges a 5 percent selling fee and no listing fee. Cleaning in small batches is a better option. How to clean a copper penny? Follow these steps to make your pennies completely clean: Step 1 Pour a small quantity of vinegar into a bowl. It only requires rubbing the penny with a pencil eraser. This image is not<\/b> licensed under the Creative Commons license applied to text content and some other images posted to the wikiHow website. There is endless information available on the Internet about cleaning pennies, and these ideas can also be used to clean nickels, quarters, dimes, or even specifically cleaning silver coins, etc. Coins Metal Detectors One of the most recommended cleaning solutions for wheat pennies is white vinegar. Plain tap water is a good options, if you know your water is not corrosive or hard. Under Water Metal Detectors Maintain your coins in great condition through proper care, handling and storage. This is the important part: rinse with distilled, not tap water. Enjoy! Your email address will not be published. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. If you do not rinse all the vinegar off your wheat pennies, they may turn green or bluish green. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. Like vinegar, citrus juice is acidic and wears off copper oxide on coins. Cleaning and polishing rare and old coins can devalue them. Rinse with warm water and dry thoroughly. This way, you should not have to worry about cleaning them on a regular basis. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. Modern Coin Mart is another site for selling coins. Stir together until the soap is sudsy, then add your coins to the bowl. This article was co-authored by Alicia Sokolowski. Just remember to rinse the pennies thoroughly after all cleaning methods. Elias specializes in helping clients find cleaning services with instant booking and flexible pricing. (So before you start using baking soda, vinegar, toothpaste, or ketchup to clean your coins at. 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! Instead, dip a soft-bristled toothbrush into the vinegar solution and scrub the coins with it. They will not pay you until you have shipped the coins. You will end up with irreversible damage to the coins. The acid from the ketchup can help to deal with oxidation as it forms on your coins. 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. They can clean your coin if it has PVC residue, dirt, debris, adhesive, tape reside, copper spots on gold, or toning issues. 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. Last Updated: November 9, 2022 Again, if you have hard or corrosive water, go with distilled water. Use a stronger acid like ketchup or cola to strip away the green patina that forms when copper is exposed to salt and water. Aside from white vinegar, there may not be a more versatile household cleaning agent than baking soda. If they look clean enough, use a soft cloth to dry them. Please do not clean collector coins, I don not take responsibly of any damage done. Just make sure that you gently apply the olive oil and you can help prevent tarnish over time. [3] 4 According to renowned numismatists, Ivory soap, and water is the safest way used in cleaning steel pennies. So my suggestion would be to take a random corroded penny that you dont care about, and try this cleaning method. We hope you enjoy these tips and find the one that works best for you! Ketchup can restore the copper glow of a penny. You can clean as many pennies you want with a single pencil eraser. But, when you combine vinegar with other ingredients, it will become a cleaning agent, not a tarnishing agent. You may not see these changes with your naked eyes if you clean carefully, but they are there. It removes various materials including organic material. Cool the copper: Leave the copper item in the solution until it is cool to the touch. Vinegar is a great cleaning agent because it will remove the copper oxide thats on your pennies. [1] Start working on the coins that need the least amount of work. After WWII, the original metal composition was reinstituted and reigned until the wheat penny retired. This is a simple, inexpensive method that works well on pennies that arent too tarnished. Fill the bowl with enough lemon juice to cover the quarter. Gold Nuggets Metal Detectors After 5 minutes, wash the solution off the coins with warm water, since if its left on too long it can damage them. % of people told us that this article helped them. Garret ACE 400 Review You can clean a dug copper coin by removing layers of dirt, gently, with a toothpick, piece of wood, or your fingernail until getting down to the patina. Safely storing your wheat pennies is critical for preserving and protecting them. Signs of cleaning can be evident in many ways and often affect the value of the coin. Mouthwash not only helps with dental health but can help you clean up dirty coins. It works similarly to ketchup. Place the coins in a plastic container and cover with mouthwash. Do I need to add liquid to it? The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Dry the coins with a microfiber cloth to give them that extra shine! For tips on how to shine your coins with baking soda, read on! The soap should help keep the coin safe while you gently scrub it. It does not store any personal data. From there, use your brush to gently get the grime off of the coins before putting them back into the water again. Clean at your . If you are keeping them for sentimental value or for your own personal collection, you may certainly clean them. Its a very interesting question and a great DIY project. Next, soak the coins in the solution for 5 minutes, making sure theyre spread out so theyre all submerged. You can always put them on other websites like Facebook market, but you may not reach the intended audience with that forum. As a small thank you, wed like to offer you a $30 gift card (valid at GoNift.com). Rinse the baking soda off with fresh water. Start by adding a quarter cup of white vinegar, or lemon juice, into a cup or glass. From there, use your brush to gently get the grime off of the coins before putting them back into the water again. Make sure that you continue to stir in the salt until it dissolves, then place the pennies in so that they are not stacked in any way. It may take a couple of applications, so dont be afraid to try this method a few times to get out those tough stains. If you have a collection of copper pennies, chances are that theyre not looking their best. There are also various commercial cleaners available in the market to clean your pennies, but they may prove a bit expensive if you have lots of pennies to clean. In terms of valuable wheat pennies, while it can range vastly depending on the pennys condition, here are some best case scenarios in terms of value for a select few: If you happen to have one of these in your wheat penny collection, consider yourself incredibly lucky! What are ultrasonic cleaners when it comes to cleaning copper coins? Use it to try out great new products and services nationwide without paying full pricewine, food delivery, clothing and more. So if you leave your hand in the ultrasonic cleaner long enough, it will "clean" the flesh from your bones. Step 2 Add a teaspoon of salt to the bowl full of vinegar, and stir the mixture until the salt is completely dissolved. "What stood out was that very common household ingredients were used.". If it's a very thin coin, don't clean it as the vinegar can scorch through it. Repeat the treatment with more oil as needed. Let them air dry the rest of the way. The wheat penny was produced until 1958, with a few changes along the way. Subscribe To Me: http://www.youtube.com/subscription_center?add_user=TheBoxUnboxed https://twitter.com/TheBoxUnboxed Use Promo Code TBU for 10% off GFUEL http://www.gammalabs.net Use Promo Code TBU For 5% off Custom Pc's at http://lostlegionpcs.webs.com/ Use Promo Code tbu for NoScope Gaming Glasses or use the link below https://www.noscopeglasses.com/demon-glasses?tracking=tbu We use cookies to make wikiHow great. Overall, cleaning a copper penny is not that difficult most of the time, and any of the methods listed above will be sure to get the job done right. Rinse off excess mustard under running water until all traces are removed from both sides before allowing them dry completely upside down so they wont lose any color fading away while drying out naturally overnight.. Make sure to use small, circular motions. If the quarter is clean, rinse it off with distilled water. By using this service, some information may be shared with YouTube. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. Create a mixture using -cup vinegar of lemon juice and a teaspoon of table salt together into a bowl. This happens because the vinegar and salt dissolves the copper oxide layer of the penny. Some other options to use in place of vinegar include orange or lemon juice. 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. It is mandatory to procure user consent prior to running these cookies on your website. Continue to slowly add water to the baking soda until it takes on the consistency of paste. You can use lemon juice to clean copper pennies, but youll want to work in a well-ventilated area when you do. Scrub low-value coins with baking soda and vinegar, lemon juice and salt, or ketchup to break apart tarnish. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other. Okay, so you have found some corroded pennies you want to clean and you have also gathered all the materials we listed above now its time for action. This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Let us move on to how to clean wheat pennies you intend to keep or sell yourself without any type of professional grading service. 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. Rinse with freshwater and let air dry. WATER. They also will not pay you until you ship the coins. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. These became known as Lincon wheat pennies. How to clean green corroded copper coins Mix cup vinegar with 1 teaspoon of salt in a bowl that is non-metallic. Soak your penny in the vinegar for a minimum of 30 minutes. If you dont see any results after trying a method for a few minutes, move on to something else. Looking to achieve that bright, orange-copper color? How to Clean Wheat Pennies Safely and Without Damage, How to Clean Corroded Pennies Safely and Effectively, How to Clean Gold Jewelry With Vinegar Without Any Damage. There is even a high chance that you have all of them in your kitchen right now. What is the best solution to clean copper? Wait a few minutes, then check on the quarter. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. If this does not bother, you and you simply want to restore the coin for yourself you can use a baking soda paste. Mix 3 parts baking soda with 1 part vinegar. One of the most important aspects of cleaning old coins is to know the value first. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. You might have to use multiple methods or go back and forth between methods until you find the one that works best for you. If you dont have a brush available, leave the coins submerged in the ketchup for at least 5 minutes. Place the quarter you want to clean into a small plastic bowl. 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. If wikiHow has helped you, please consider a small contribution to support us in helping more readers like you. On average, a quarter-cup should be adequate. Begin typing your search term above and press enter to search. Let them soak for a while. Pennis that were made prior to 1982 had more copper in them, which can lead to a more intense reaction chemically while cleaning. Ketchup is also effective at cleaning copper jewelry, so keep this tip in mind next time you need an emergency polish job for your favorite necklace or bracelet! One not so common cleaning method I found is using ketchup. Use a stronger acid like ketchup or cola to strip away the green patina that forms when copper is exposed to salt and water. Copper coins often turn a muddled brown color, and these marks can be cleaned off with salt and a mild acid like white vinegar. If youve ever discovered gold jewelry in the woods or beach before, then you likely stumbled upon jewelry that was quite dirty and in need, Read More How to Clean Gold Jewelry With Vinegar Without Any DamageContinue, Wheat pennies are a relatively common find when metal detecting. Hold the coins under a little bit of running water to ensure all of the cleaning solution rinses off. Dont use steel wool or abrasive chemicals to clean your penny, as this could damage the metal. Do not clean these valuable pennies on your own, and if you do, only use distilled water. When in doubt, refrain from cleaning anything older than those. Water is less abrasive than other cleaning methods and should clean most of the dirt and debris off your wheat pennies. Apmex is a well-known auction site for coins. One good option is the traditional 2 by 2 cardboard and mylar protective sheaths. 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. Vinegar and salt are the best methods of cleaning your pennies. Can hydrogen peroxide be used to clean coins? The right materials will effectively clean your pennies and will also be safe for your hands. wikiHow marks an article as reader-approved once it receives enough positive feedback. Collectors actively look for the tiniest flaws in pennies and they have all the necessary tools to find those flaws. However, with old coins you have found while metal detecting, you may want to refrain from cleaning. But before you start your timer, make sure none of the pennies are touching themselves. Start with a mixture of warm, soapy water when cleaning silver coins. You can also use baking soda and salt to clean your pennies. Believe it or not, you can clean copper coins using yet another household item: ketchup. Step-2: Mix dish soap with water in a bowl. In 1943, the composition changed to zinc plated steel due to the need for copper during World War II. Its also an effective way to remove oxidation from copper and make sure that there are no stains left behind. Soak your coins in a glass or other non-corrosive container for at least 30 minutes, up to overnight, and then wipe with a clean cloth or scrub gently with an old toothbrush. wikiHow is where trusted research and expert knowledge come together. They were initially made of bronze, a 95 percent copper alloy. They will, in fact, devalue. SALT AND VINEGAR EXPERIMENTPulire le monete di rame in 1 minuto con sale e acetoMusic:"Fluffing a Duck" Kevin MacLeod (incompetech.com) Licensed under Creati. Newer coins, such as relatively shiny pennies, tend to dull a little when washed in acid. Pull the coins out of the liquid and gently wipe them with a paper towel to break apart the tarnish and dark spots. Paper Towels This process can get a bit messy. ", "It is so amazing, the power of baking soda and vinegar.". Step 6: Rinse Silver Coin With Cold Water. Drop your coins in a bowl and cover them completely with olive oil. Soak them in vinegar or ketchup: If youve ever used ketchup on your penny, then you know that it can clean it up pretty quicklyand with very little effort on your part at all! Clearing away the dirt now makes the coin look clearer once you add the oil to it. [5] The salt and vinegar in the ketchup will remove tarnish from the penny. After brushing each penny, rinse with clean water and dry, it should be looking good as new by now. The key is to ensure that you dont use anything super abrasive, especially on older coins. It only requires rubbing the penny with a pencil eraser. Mix in extra salt if you wish, but keep a close eye on the coins to avoid damaging them. Soak the Pennies in Vinegar. White Vinegar One of the most recommended cleaning solutions for wheat pennies is white vinegar. 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. In your small container, measure in a cup of fresh lemon juice (or white vinegar) and add one tablespoon of salt to it. You can also seek the services of the Numismatic Conservation Services. AspenClean develops and manufactures its own line of 100% Natural, EcoCert certified, and EWG verified cleaning products. If you want to use tartaric acid on your pennies, all you have to do is dissolve some crystals of it in warm water. There is no way to clean a coin without damaging its collectible value, even wiping with a cloth causes scratches that reduce the value in the eyes of professional collectors. For preservation purposes, most collectors recommend against treating collectible coins. Apply the paste with a microfiber cloth and rinse it off with water. Let the coins sit in the mixture for about 10 or 15 minutes so that the soap can break down the grime. If you decide to clean your wheat pennies, make sure you start with the least invasive cleaning method first. You should also rub the coin gently to remove debris, and rinse it under the tap to wash off the oil. Simply run the water over the coin, or let it soak in the water. Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. This category only includes cookies that ensures basic functionalities and security features of the website. To prevent grime buildup, it is imperative that collectible coins be stored in a safe, secure, airtight place. Keep your coins in a stable, cool, dry location. If youre more of a do-it-yourselfer, try using a basic household cleaner to start. EBay, one of the most popular online auction sites, charges a 10 percent fee plus listing fees. How to clean copper pennies using vinegar and baking soda. Then mix gently until the salt totally dissolves in the lemon juice. As a general rule, make the paste at a ratio of 3 parts baking soda to 1 part water. Both can damage coins easily. If you do use an abrasive like vinegar or salt, make sure that you dont rub the abrasive in as it could scratch up the surface of the coin. Rubbing or scrubbing a coin (even with non-abrasive liquids) will leave microabrasions on your coin and cause a severe reduction of value or elimination of any collectible value. Ketchup contains acid that can help remove copper stains. Abrasive cleaners, like using a brush along with an acid or alcohol-based cleaning solution, can leave minuscule hair line discrepancies on the metal that can only be seen under magnification and in the right lighting.