I used some silver cleaning cloth to get rid of a little tarnish on the coin and it turned a little bit blackish.never ever will clean silver coin again...would like them the way they are) anyway,is that any way I can get rid of that blackish thing ?
Well there is cleaning, and there is CLEANING! No one really minds washing off a bit of dirt or a quick soak in acetone to remove grease, after all, coin collectors collect coins, not dirt. The advice to 'never clean' really means 'never clean unless you know how to do it properly and you aren't likely to ruin a good coin'. Other people chose to clean a coin by soaking it in acid or brushing with wire wool, after all, a clean coin should look shiney. This damages the coin and makes it less valuable. So coin collectors and dealers always say never clean your coins because too many people bring collections to us, usualy granddad's old penny collection, and they think 'look at those dirty old coins, I bet the dealer will rip me off if I sell them in this condition, I'll get the brasso out.' And then they get upset when we won't buy them at all. Collectors like coins in top condition, stackers.. not so much. Bad 'cleaning' will remove surface detail from a coin making the coin less interesting to look at, it will also remove lustre and can leave scratches which catch the light. Also 100 year old coins look a bit odd if they are bright and shiny, they look artificial as you expect them to look a certain way. Good cleaning will not even be noticed.
Well i did say advice on proofs so do feel you took me out of context, but your sentence: I don't see how a hundred years of grime, tarnish or 'toning' (another term for tarnish imho) influence one's enjoyment of coins - unless the knowledge that the accumulated grime is somehow adding to the memory experience. Yes, i love toning and aging on numismatics, it is the authentication of age and visual enhancment that makes a gives a coin character and autonomy... i love a nicely toned coin and the coin industry seems to agree. Coin shops dont hate on cleaned coins for nothing, the whole feedback loop means they are positioned to know demand and supply and preference.. the preference is for coins in there natural state, by altering the state of the coin you are compromising the intergrity of the piece which is something a puritan numismaticist fronds upon.. Cleaning, why Bother... it wont add value to your coins.. unless your really bored there is no benefit or value adding, but hey things like 66's and 37 crowns.. why not.. that rare 33 florin. ill leave the coin cleaning to stackers who like em shiny (at all costs). 1for1
Use TarnOff available @ Bunnings - It's the easiest & takes 10 seconds - Just don't put it down your sink or let it come into contact with stainless steel, DO wear rubber gloves, DON'T breathe the fumes, rinse off in very HOT water, once over with an Ashley Silver Cloth (from Coles) and finish with a dry microfibre cloth. No scratch, no abrasion, totally minty-new.
I tried cleaning one with a silver cleaning cloth and the effect was dramatic, there's still a few little spots the cloth can't get to so I may try one of the dips suggested.
A series of articles from Mike Thorne at Coins Magazine I've collected on the subject that may help. To Clean or Not By Mike Thorne, Coins Magazine April 10, 2008 http://www.numismaster.com/ta/numis/Article.jsp?ad=article&ArticleId=4094 More Advice on Coin Cleaning By Mike Thorne, Coins Magazine June 02, 2008 http://www.numismaster.com/ta/numis/Article.jsp?ad=article&ArticleId=4580 More Advice on Coin Cleaning By Mike Thorne, Coins Magazine July 16, 2008 http://www.numismaster.com/ta/numis/Article.jsp?ad=article&ArticleId=4941 More on Cleaning By Mike Thorne, Coins Magazine August 27, 2008 http://www.numismaster.com/ta/numis/Article.jsp?ad=article&ArticleId=5194
I recently just brought some pre1947 British half crowns (1938,1939) that were covered in dirt and not very bright at all. Since i only brought them for bullion value i decided to clean them up. I found soaking them in a warm soapy water and baking powder solution overnight loosens most of the grime. After a quick finger wash in the solution i patted them dry and used a soft rubber eraser on the more stubborn dirt & marks. Finally when I was pleased with the result I lightly polished them with a silver polishing cloth. The result was beautifully shiny coins that looked almost as good as new. Give it a try its a very non abrasive method.
