Old Coins

[sue currin]

How do you clean old coins that does not include rubbing. And after you clean them, do you neturalize them in some soultion? My friend has just got a whole bunch from his grandmother who died on Christmas eve this year.

[punkrockpilot]

My advise is to do more research before you clean any old coin you might wish to sell in the future. Cleaning some old coins might adversly affect the value.

http://www.wikihow.com/Clean-Coins

[texican]

Unless you've found a wad of coins rusted up in a pile, while you were digging postholes, I'd recommend not cleaning them.

If you can read the dates, go online, or to the library and find out their value. Cleaning will most of the time reduce the value of a coin.

If it's a large copper 1c, or anything pre-1900, PM me if you want to know a general value.

[Shadow]

I have bought and sold old coins for the past 45 years. If you clean the coins you will ruin any value they have. Probably cut the value by at least half. If rare even more. PM me and if there are not too many will give you a value. Me and the wife do appraisals for the trust depts of several banks, A good apraisial will give you the cost it would be to replace the coins in todays market at coin shows or coin dealers and the value you should expect if you sold to a reputable dealer. Clean them and I personally would not waste time appraising them. coins can be cleaned to some degree by experts but then have to be valued as cleaned and unless they are very rare its not worth the cost.

[papaw]

Their value drops if you clean them.

[Shadow]

As an after thought I no longer buy coins, I am in the process of down sizing all my stuff and that includes coins, tools and other collectibles so the offer to give you an estimate of their worth is not an offer to buy.

[KCM]

I know many serious collectors and a few of the major national dealers.
All of them would say Do NOT clean your coins.

[Grandmotherbear]

Not if recommended for resale BUT- Grandfatherbear once had "something" from a shipwreck site he got from the bargain bin at a coin dealers- he put it on the electric burner on high till it was sizzling then dumped it in a paper cup of water- the "detritus accumulation" split apart and he had found he had a common date low value copper coin.
Don't try this at home, kids.
Discolored old coins are referred to as having "toning". It really doesn't drtract from their value.
On the other, other hand, if they are leaving straks and smears on your hands when you handle them you might wipe them with olive oil and a soft cloth BUT- it will negatively impact their retail value.

IF you have a 1909 Lincoln penny check the mint mark to see if it says SVDB or if you have a 1909 Indian head penny, stop talking to us and call a reputable coin dealer- check with American Nuismitist Association.

[Grandmotherbear]

Grandfatherbear read this thread and he says he prefers the "drinker cleaner" method.
Stetch out in your recliner and pour yourself a libation. Examine the coin. Looks like a Good, maybe? Drink some libation.
After awhile check the coin. Maybe you might say it was Fine, if you thought about.
Have some more libation.
Check that coin out. Yoiu never noticed such details before? Why it might be Very Fine- or even about Uncirculated...
And so it goes.

[Ed0517]

Originally Posted by Grandmotherbear

Not if recommended for resale BUT- IF you have a 1909 Lincoln penny check the mint mark to see if it says SVDB or if you have a 1909 Indian head penny, stop talking to us and call a reputable coin dealer- check with American Nuismitist Association.

IIRC the "S" mint mark is under the date, and the VDB (the designer's initials) are separate, on the back.

and I think the rarity in Lincolns are the 1943 copper pennies

[KCM]

Originally Posted by Ed0517

IIRC the "S" mint mark is under the date, and the VDB (the designer's initials) are separate, on the back.

and I think the rarity in Lincolns are the 1943 copper pennies

The 1943 copper is an error coin and not considered regular issue.
The 1909 S VDB is the lowest mintage of all regular issue Lincoln cents and one of the most well-known and sought after of all lincoln cents.

[sue currin]

Thanks, Will get back with you on what we have.

[Wolf mom]

Sue:

www.pcgs.com/prices

Very good pricing guide for coins.......

[Ed0517]

Originally Posted by KCM

The 1943 copper is an error coin and not considered regular issue.
The 1909 S VDB is the lowest mintage of all regular issue Lincoln cents and one of the most well-known and sought after of all lincoln cents.

It is an error, but some WERE released. They are the most valuable of the Lincoln run

[Red Devil TN]

I'll add this, for 'recent' coins don't clean 'em.... on the other hand, ancient coins, particularly from dig sites, do require cleaning, and very careful cleaning, so as to not ruin the patina.

That all said, if you want to enjoy the coin, hang it, use it for jewlery, etc. treat it like any other slab of similar metal that you want to shine... but it will likely be only worth something to you then (which ain't so bad when you think about it).