Advice on cleaning silver coins

Discussion in 'Questions & Comments' started by mongrelmaple, Sep 4, 2019.

  1. mongrelmaple

    mongrelmaple Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

    Joined:
    May 19, 2018
    Messages:
    538
    Likes Received:
    724
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Brisbane
    Hi stackers!

    I’ve got some silver coins that are heavily toned (both naturally and artificially) that I want to clean up as much as I can before I offload them.

    Does anyone have any ideas or advice on how to get them as clean as possible? I understand that they won’t have that mint luster shine to them ever again, that’s no concern. I’ve done the baking sofa in a bowl with aluminium foil trick, and that works to a degree. Could anyone recommend a particular brand of coin dip or even a silver polish?

    Thanks for any feedback :)
     
    JOHNLGALT likes this.
  2. Ipv6Ready

    Ipv6Ready Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

    Joined:
    Jan 8, 2016
    Messages:
    4,171
    Likes Received:
    1,143
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    North Sydney
    Unless it is caked in dirt, grimy and you are selling old predecimal at standard prices but I wouldn’t clean it.

    Also modern collectable coins ie Perth mint coins that are cleaned loses all premium.

    Note I have 1000s silver predecimal coins that I’ve put in tumblers for days to make it shine, but I know when I sell them, I’ll be selling by numbers (weight) of x coins at spot (just like when I bought them)
     
    Last edited: Sep 4, 2019
    66rounds likes this.
  3. mongrelmaple

    mongrelmaple Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

    Joined:
    May 19, 2018
    Messages:
    538
    Likes Received:
    724
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Brisbane
    They’re Queens Beast coins, that are both naturally and artificially toned. The artificial toning came from when I was learning the technique and had to ‘sacrifice’ a couple coins to get my methods right :D

    I thought I’d clean them up a bit and then offer them to the forum for spot price only, since all premium on them is obviously lost due to the toning and subsequent cleaning, and loss of mint shine as I pointed out. I bought them on the cheap initially, so even if i sell them for spot price only, I’ve still made money on the trade since they were picked up towards the bottom last year

    I thought that it might be a chance for a cheap silver pickup for those on the forum who are more interested in stacking weight, rather than chasing the premium that a mint condition QB coin can command
     
  4. Ipv6Ready

    Ipv6Ready Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

    Joined:
    Jan 8, 2016
    Messages:
    4,171
    Likes Received:
    1,143
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    North Sydney
    I wouldn’t clean them, I’d let the buyer decide.
    Also some nice toned coins can get a premium (rare)

    As I added on my earlier post I have cleaned a lot of predecimal coins myself as I like it shiny. And some of the coins was so dirty (but not badly worn) I bought them below spot lol
     
  5. mongrelmaple

    mongrelmaple Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

    Joined:
    May 19, 2018
    Messages:
    538
    Likes Received:
    724
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Brisbane
    As I explained above, it’s not to increase their value. It’s just to make them somewhat appealing to a buyer before I offload them at SPOT PRICE as a special. Which I still make money on, since I bought them right at the bottom last year :cool:
     
  6. mongrelmaple

    mongrelmaple Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

    Joined:
    May 19, 2018
    Messages:
    538
    Likes Received:
    724
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Brisbane
    Honestly, because I thought I’d attract a larger audience if they were cleaned and a cheap pickup for weight stackers, rather than toned coin fans. That was the main reason, simple as that! But hey, if people were interested in artificially toned coins then that works better!
     
  7. herkyderky

    herkyderky Active Member

    Joined:
    Jan 16, 2019
    Messages:
    235
    Likes Received:
    245
    Trophy Points:
    43
    Location:
    Gold Coast
    don't bother cleaning them i'll buy them at spot how they are ;) will pm shortly
     
    66rounds likes this.
  8. mongrelmaple

    mongrelmaple Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

    Joined:
    May 19, 2018
    Messages:
    538
    Likes Received:
    724
    Trophy Points:
    93
    Location:
    Brisbane
    PM’d you back :)
     
  9. leo25

    leo25 Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

    Joined:
    Jun 8, 2010
    Messages:
    3,585
    Likes Received:
    1,939
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Hey mate to start with some people like toning some people hate it, so do what you like.

    How to clean; just use bicard and warm water, make a paste and rub then rinse with water. I'm always amazed how good it works.

    I've also found a magic sponge to work well too.
     
    Jislizard likes this.
  10. JOHNLGALT

    JOHNLGALT Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2017
    Messages:
    2,327
    Likes Received:
    842
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Country Victoria Australia
    Yep, $20 bottle @ all good Jewellers Silver Dip & use a soft tooth brush for intricate jewellery.
    Put it in a glass container & after using it return to the original plastic bottle.
    Coins in batches take about 20 secs, then rinse with warm water & dry thoroughly.
    There was another thread started on here about a year ago on this subject.
    Connoisseurs.JPG
     
  11. Number 47

    Number 47 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    May 31, 2018
    Messages:
    308
    Likes Received:
    429
    Trophy Points:
    63
    Some properly diluted CLR and a soft toothbrush followed by a good rinse also works well on silver coins.
    It doesn't leave them too shiny, just clean looking.
     
    Last edited: Sep 4, 2019
  12. Jislizard

    Jislizard Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2011
    Messages:
    7,518
    Likes Received:
    639
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Australia
    Grease, finger oils and general gunk can get a couple of minutes soak in cloudy ammonia if you have any lying around, it makes the next step marginally easier but if you haven't got any you can skip it. After that i generally sprinkle some bi carb of soda onto a damp microfibre cloth and then rub the coin into the resulting smooth paste. I do this because I usually do quite a few at a time and I find it is less wasteful of the sodium Bicarbonate, but it is cheap anyway.
     
  13. JOHNLGALT

    JOHNLGALT Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2017
    Messages:
    2,327
    Likes Received:
    842
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Country Victoria Australia
    I used cloudy ammonia trying to get milk spots off crocodile coins and ended up with a worse condition, which was only fixed(?) by using a white Pencil eraser.
    If you are going to try that........... Just do one first, not the TUBE full that I did.
     
  14. Jason1

    Jason1 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2019
    Messages:
    1,191
    Likes Received:
    1,346
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Qld
    yer Cleaning ruins value, Dipping coins seems somewhat exceptable to allot people these days, but using abrasives to clean is simply a No No, With Dipping you need to know what your doing when dipping coins as if you do that wrong they will be classed as cleaned.
    And if the coin is ever sent away for grading clean coins wont receive a good grade.
    Toning doesnt effect the coins value. cleaned coins does hurt value

    But for a stacker it means Nothing as silver is silver, clean silver is still the same value as dirty silver.
     
    Last edited: Sep 5, 2019
    JOHNLGALT likes this.
  15. GoldenEye

    GoldenEye Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

    Joined:
    Dec 31, 2014
    Messages:
    2,083
    Likes Received:
    3,121
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Melbourne, Australia
    For minor marks I’ve sprayed on a little lens cleaner and wiped it off with a soft cloth.
     
  16. sammysilver

    sammysilver Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

    Joined:
    Apr 7, 2011
    Messages:
    7,928
    Likes Received:
    6,517
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Sydney
    The best results come from swallowing the coin and just let it pass through. It is a gentler method for the coin but the results beat any other method. I do three a day with breakfast, lunch and dinner, so it is advisable to continually do it so you do not get a build up of coins. I don't go above 1oz coins unless the 2oz coin is the same diameter but thicker.

    Check my YouTube clips.
     
    dozerz, SilverNGold, 66rounds and 2 others like this.
  17. Jason1

    Jason1 Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Aug 9, 2019
    Messages:
    1,191
    Likes Received:
    1,346
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Qld
    ^^^^^ I would hate to know what pushing out a 1ounce coin would be like lol. they arent exactly small
     
  18. 66rounds

    66rounds Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

    Joined:
    Jun 22, 2019
    Messages:
    2,987
    Likes Received:
    3,390
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Melbourne
    Underrated thread, please sticky!
     
    openeyes likes this.
  19. JOHNLGALT

    JOHNLGALT Well-Known Member

    Joined:
    Apr 3, 2017
    Messages:
    2,327
    Likes Received:
    842
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Country Victoria Australia
    "Check my YouTube clips."

    I'd get a Doctor to check your other TUBES, if I were you.
    SMILEY 2 TEARS.jpg
     
    66rounds likes this.
  20. openeyes

    openeyes Well-Known Member Silver Stacker

    Joined:
    Aug 26, 2014
    Messages:
    1,275
    Likes Received:
    1,032
    Trophy Points:
    113
    Location:
    Canberra
    Very sticky I would say
     

Share This Page