\u00a9 2023 wikiHow, Inc. All rights reserved. Last Updated: February 10, 2023 Visit our corporate site (opens in new tab). Keep in mind, the goal is never to make the coin look brand new and shiny. In addition, the mineral structure of each baking soda particle provides a gentle abrasive to clean without leaving scratches behind. Follow this with one cup of vinegar during the rinse cycle to kill bacteria and soften fabric. A standard eraser is an excellent tool for cleaning dirt off of pennies dated after 1982. Gently swirl the cup so the penny is completely covered with ketchup. Place the copper pennies in a container, making sure that none of them touch or overlap. Start mixing small amounts of water into the powder until you have a paste-like consistency. First, the water bath method, followed by the acetone bath method:How To Clean A Coin Without Damaging ItWatch this video on YouTube. Add the coins, and rub each one until the surface looks shiny. While valuable coins are best left alone, everyday pennies look shiny and new after proper cleaning and make your collection look stunning. The highly acidic nature of ketchup helps lift away dirt and debris when gently rubbed onto coins. If you're collecting just for fun and with no intention of one day selling or trading your coins, the steps below will clean a standard oxidized penny (that is only worth one cent) with ease. Spray the paste with vinegar before scrubbing the grime away. Thats because a coin is usually only considered cleaned if it shows hairlines or other signs of damage consistent with an abrasive cleaning as would be caused by the methods explained earlier in this post. Why does hydrogen peroxide fizz on cuts? That's what happens when the copper, oxygen, and chlorine (from the salt) combine (called malachite). Placing your coins in a lidded container will defend them from deterioration-causing germs and moisture. The trade-off is that the process may take a while for this low-level acid to work. It may take as much as fifteen minutes to achieve the color you desire. Using the old, soft toothbrush scrub the face of the coin softly. This image may not be used by other entities without the express written consent of wikiHow, Inc.
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\n<\/p><\/div>"}. After a few hours, remove the cloth and scrub the affected area with a paste made of baking soda and water. Is My Penny Solid Copper or a Copper-Plated Zinc Cent? If you would like to add a little bit more shine to your penny, do the "Bon Ami Cleanser or Baking Soda" method described below. All tip submissions are carefully reviewed before being published. Cookies collect information about your preferences and your devices and are used to make the site work as you expect it to, to understand how you interact with the site, and to show advertisements that are targeted to your interests. Rinse with warm water, then dry. Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Rinse the coins thoroughly under running water until they shine and then dry them with paper towels. Im a member of the American Numismatic Association (ANA) and the Numismatic Literary Guild (NLG) and have won multiple awards from the NLG for my work as a coin journalist. Using Vinegar and Salt 1 Put 1 tsp (5 g) of salt into 1/4 c (2 oz) of vinegar. Then try rubbing the foreign matter off the surface again. Each victimized coin looked unusually shiny, and 5X magnification revealed countless tiny striations in the surface, rendering the coins almost worthless. Toothpaste is a highly abrasive agent that will strip away more than just plaque it could literally remove metal right from your coin. There are only two methods I recommend to anyone who wishes to clean coins at home: What this method of coin cleaning does is wash away loose surface particles without damaging the coins delicate surfaces. What is the safest way to clean old coins? Reapply vinegar and soda as needed to continue scrubbing. Maybe youve even thought of buying some for yourself so you can shine your old coins right up! Careful, circular motions with the brush are ideal in order to coat the surface and work the ketchup in. The salt helps lift black spots off of old copper coins. Allow them to sit in the liquid for about two hours and then flip them over. Pat the coin dry with a soft cloth. While holding the penny on a flat, stable surface with one hand, use the pencil eraser to rub the dirt and brown oxidation off of the penny using a small circular motion. Pure water has a pH of 7. Rinse the penny and your fingers under clean running water and dry with a soft cloth. How To Clean Pennies 1 Easy Trick - Crazy Science Experiment TheBox 40.8K subscribers Subscribe 1.7K 423K views 9 years ago Guys you have got to try this, its crazy and it works like a charm,. If your pennies are scratched and newer than 1982, they may end hollowed out. Consider adding salt to your vinegar/citric acid/soda. Stay up to date with everything about U.S Coins, We dont spam! Include your email address to get a message when this question is answered. Explore 12 easy recipes using vinegar and baking soda to clean all sorts of messes around your house. As a scientist, Stacy Kish has focused her research on Earth science, specifically oceanography and climate change. My love for coins began when I was 11 years old. Allow the coins to soak for a while to loosen up years of gunk. Prepare enough solution to fully submerge the pennies. Next, mix baking soda and water into a thick paste and rub this paste over the penny using your fingers. You can also use these methods to clean your copper sink or as one of the ways to clean a copper pipe that is tarnished or has stains. wikiHow is a wiki, similar to Wikipedia, which means that many of our articles are co-written by multiple authors. By using our site, you agree to our. The goal of cleaning coins is simply to prevent future damage by removing whatever contamination is already on the coins surface that could further discolor or devalue the coin itself. I used to experiment with rubbing toothpaste on some of my coins years ago, but I ended up ruining every coin I cleaned with it. You might also use a small drawstring bag or jar, or carry it with you in a change purse. Scrub pocket change with baking soda and vinegar. In her free time, she works on perfecting new cake recipes to share with others.