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How can I clean up some old silver bullion?
Hey ya'll,
I just took receipt of some old silver bullion given to me as a gift. They are old Mexican silver Libertades dating back to the 1950's and 1970's and are in pretty good shape overall but are a bit scratched up and somewhat grimy. Can you guys suggest anything to clean these up and make them look good again, but safe enough that the silver won't be damaged? I'd like to get them as nice-looking as reasonably possible and then put them in some flips for protection. Thanking you in advance for any info... |
Re: How can I clean up some old silver bullion?
You can get the good stuff from most coin shops, its called e z est
http://www.the2buds.com/images/CCEZ.jpg |
Re: How can I clean up some old silver bullion?
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Re: How can I clean up some old silver bullion?
Be careful using commercial cleaners - some remove silver, and don't mess with any that you have to "rub". It's too much work and trouble.
The cheapest way to go is: (1) Put a skillet with enough water in it to well cover the bars. (2) Bring the water to a slow boil on the stove. (3) Add a good teaspoon of salt and a good teaspoon of baking soda. (4) Stir a bit until the salt and baking soda are disolved. (5) Fold a sheet of aluminum foil so the foil is doubled shiney side out, and large enough to cover the bottom of the skilllet. (6) Smooth it out good, use a knife blade to stick several slices through it, put it in the water; use a wooden spatchula or something to sink the foil to the bottom as best you can and then add the bullion items..first in the center and then outward toward the sides of the pan to force out any air that's between the foil and the bottom of the skillet. Be careful...the water is hot! (7) The bullion items must touch the foil. Lay them evenly on top of the foil but not on top of each other. (8) Let the bars sit in the solution for 5-10 minutes...watch 'em...and remove them when the tarnish is gone. The combination of boiling water, salt, and baking soda will move the tarnish onto the aluminum foil. (9) Rinse the bars thoroughly in fresh water before they air-dry, and dry them with a soft towel. Except for any dents and scratches, they'll look like they just came out of the mint....and no loss of silver. A lot of folks don't bother with removing tarnish...others love the process to restore natural beauty and as a bonus find it's marvelous therapy! Hope this helps. |
Re: How can I clean up some old silver bullion?
Lot's of dip and solutions available as mentioned at coin shops.
I use MS-70 but it's a little on the 'weak' side.....and won't remove 20+ year old tarnish......only the recent light stuff. |
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