How much do you love your shiny stuff?

[Jislizard]

I have 23 Kg of dirty 50% pre decimals, mostly shillings so every night I get 5 of them out and give them a good clean to get all the dirt off, then a quick going over with bi-carb to bring them up to a shine. To be honest I am getting sick of them!

Dude, just go to Woolworths and buy a dozen bottles of cloudy ammonia for like $15, and soak the lot in a bucket for a few hours. Rinse, dry and play.

Funny you should say that! I have several litres of the stuff at home and I am currently doing a few coins a day.

The problem is that the dirt is not tarnish so mere chemical action won't do it. Without mechanical action the coins remain dirty but leech out copper. In order to clean them I have to give them a 10 minute soak to attack the grease and then a quick going over with a toothbrush. This is the rate limiting factor.

If I chuck them all in the bucket then I take them out and start to clean them one by one by the time I have finished some will have been in the bucket of Cloudy ammonia for a couple of weeks.

Then you have to thoroughly dry them which also takes time.

I have asked my wife if I can use the dishwasher or the washing machine but for some reason she is being difficult. She doesn't even like the smell of cloudy ammonia in the house and makes me go outside to play.

I would love to batch process them but the only way I can think of doing it is to send them to a third world country and get small children to use the chemicals.

In fact the easiest way to do it cheaply is to sell the coins at spot or just below and then buy back cleaner coins at spot. Saves on time and cleaning products and I can give the wife her toothbrush back as well.

 

[Big A.D.]

Leave the dirty coins in a bucket of Coke overnight and then drop them in the cloudy ammonia. The Coke will loosen up most of the dirt that's stuck to them.

 

[fishball]

I wonder maybe some councilling.

Silver Stackers Anonymous.

 

[GenYTrader]

I used to be in love with my stash....Now I just find it boring. It just sits there and does nothing. Back in the honeymoon phase I used to look at them every day. Now it would be less than once per month.

 

[Jislizard]

Leave the dirty coins in a bucket of Coke overnight and then drop them in the cloudy ammonia. The Coke will loosen up most of the dirt that's stuck to them.

The numismatist inside is shuddering but I will give it a try on a handful and see how it goes, maybe the acid cleanse and then the alkali cleanse will do the trick without having to handle each coin, that's what takes the time.

Cheers for the tip

 

[Butch]

The numismatist inside is shuddering but I will give it a try on a handful and see how it goes, maybe the acid cleanse and then the alkali cleanse will do the trick without having to handle each coin, that's what takes the time.]

Cheers for the tip

I suppose a wire brush would be outta the question!

Never did get hang of coins.

 

[goldpelican]

Cloudy ammonia will shift a lot of the organic crap on them like dirt - doesn't get it all off but will help.

 

[Ag-ness]

I plan to make a lego style house out of 1oz art bars when I get enough of them.

I once made a collage that was a car, made out of a couple of car themed 1oz art bars, with George VI('37 crown) and Lady liberty (1885 morgan) going for a drive in it. There were a couple of 'Peace Dollar' eagles in a 'Maple Leaf' tree nearby, with a couple of 'Garfield Skating's underneath. The only things that didn't perfectly fit, were the car's wheels, as I didn't have any rounds with radiating designs. Two eagle-and-flag 'Silver Trade Unit's did the job ok.

At the time, that was my entire stack.

 

[Jislizard]

Cloudy ammonia will shift a lot of the organic crap on them like dirt - doesn't get it all off but will help.

It losens it up enough that a light brush shifts most of the dirt after a quick soak. I have tried it with and without the cloudy ammonia and although bi-carb will do a god job on both it does a much better job after a soak in the cloudy stuff!

A wire brush is good for putting a shine on the coins but it does wear off quite a bit of the features and leaves lots of parallel lines which catch the light like crazy. Not usually recommended unless there is a real crust on the coins like you would get on a metal detector find.

 

[jnkmbx]

Q. How much do you love your shiny stuff?
A. Not as much as my mistress :3

 

[Butch]

I always without fail keep an eagle and a philly in my pocket.I show as many people as possible that are interested.

Good heavens! They're coming out of the closet everywhere. Ah well I suppose we've got to move with the times!

 

[BBQ]

Just how much do you love your silver?

Zero attachment to be honest!
Incredibly boring; I find the tubes and cases that some come in more interesting!

1-2 minutes interest in a new design.

Would love to see where they are made, refined or mined far more. Or just get an interview from some of the guys making stamping machines for mints around the world.

Far more interesting than the actual coins.
Though I do have some moderate interest in the element itself, coins are an incredibly dull item to me. I consider them a means to an end.

 

[Jislizard]

well cause your not to fussed with your predec put them in a precious stone tumbler with amonia. then give the missus 5k and send her shopping then you can have some use of the tumble drier you paid for. mass production is where its at.

I was actually thinking that a stone tumbler full of sodium Bicarb would do the trick, I could soak them in the ammonia first, quick rinse and put them wet into the tumbler and just set it going. As soon as the weather picks up I can lay them out in the sun to dry, or use a solar dehydrator.

It keeps me busy though!