Old coins - Filthy Dirty
 

I got a bunch of silver dollars, half dollars, and some old quarters and dimes from a guy I know.
They are dirty dirty dirty, and even smell gross.
I've read that you shouldn't clean them, because it may reveal scratches, etc, that a collector would be turned off by.
Well, these coins are so scruffy I don't think a collector would give a flying crap about that.... I just wanted them for their silver content/tradability.
You people think I'm OK to clean these up with soapy water or a certain type of polish?

Re: Old coins - Filthy Dirty
 

I am assuming that they are Canadian. If they are anything but a 1945 - 1948 silver dollar or 1948 half, clean away. Any coins pre '20's are worth leaving alone too. Those dates are more valuable.

Otherwise, soap and water works fine.

Re: Old coins - Filthy Dirty
 

Why is that? Are those coins from those years special?
Most of these are 1960 to 64, and most are Canadian.

Re: Old coins - Filthy Dirty
 

The silver dollars from 45 - 48 are premiums. The 1948 half is as well. They are harder dates to get and trade for more money, especially the 1948 dollar.

If they are 1960 - 64, they are worth melt, no more. Wash them.

Re: Old coins - Filthy Dirty
 

When I buy old peace dollars (The most beutiful coin in the world IMO) I split them up in to 2 groups I really dont know anything about dates and mints but If my dealer tells me thats a good date to have or a dollar with really nice toning I dont touch them but anything else I shine them up.

I love the way how the light dances off it.........I and I think back to when the last time this coin was that brilliant.... It was in the middile of the roaring twenties.

I love peace dollars with a passion for couple of reasons:


I like coins that have figures of mythic women on them (No pics of rulers or presidents because EVERYONE of them has a nasty history if you dig deep enough: YES JFK TOO!!)

I like that she has a "crown of light" on her head

I have never seen a coin that has had such amazing flowing hair It almost looks real. morgans cant hold a candlestick to them.

The eagle is stunning on the back as well, looking to a new morning

But The most Important reason:

THAT IS THE ONLY TIME IN THE HISTORY OF THE COUNTRY THAT THE WORD "PEACE" WAS USED ON MONEY THAT WAS IN REGULAR CIRCULATION.


Never thought about that did you?? same ephiphany hit me as well.


Maybe one day we can have them circulate again.



T

Re: Old coins - Filthy Dirty
 

Hmmm... That's interesting. (Peace)

I'm half surprised that they don't mint the new coins with the word "oil" or a phrase like "take it all" these days.

Re: Old coins - Filthy Dirty
 

well.... you have my permission (if that means anything) :tongue_ma:

Re: Old coins - Filthy Dirty
 

"...THAT IS THE ONLY TIME IN THE HISTORY OF THE COUNTRY THAT THE WORD "PEACE" WAS USED ON MONEY THAT WAS IN REGULAR CIRCULATION..."

Celebrating the well-earned and appreciated years of prosperity that followed WWI...the war that was believed would end all war.

Re: Old coins - Filthy Dirty
 

Soak them in warm water with lots of dish detergent for about an hour to dislodge the heavy grime and grease, then use a jewelers silver dip to get rid of the tarnish. Use a clean dry COTTON cloth to dry and lightly touch them up. They should clear up well and not scratch.

Good Luck!

Re: Old coins - Filthy Dirty
 

When I was a KID back in 1955 I was given 1,000 old $1 Morgans to clean up.

They were buried in grandpa's backyard for 20 years!

I used a grinder high speed wire wheel. What a DUMMY!

Re: Old coins - Filthy Dirty
 

Hey take it easy .......who knew??

still smarter that 98% of the sheep out there



T

Re: Old coins - Filthy Dirty
 

Little did we know what the moneychangers and the banksters had in store... part 2 would be just in the distance.



T

Re: Old coins - Filthy Dirty
 

She is an idol.

Re: Old coins - Filthy Dirty
 

"She is an idol." .... a dream for which tens and tens and tens of thousands of good people sacrificed their comfort and lives. A dream come true that is going, going, gone.

I hope I don't live to see the day she disappears from Liberty Island in our ongoing rush to the sociopolitical left that by definition denies personal freedom.

Re: Old coins - Filthy Dirty
 

If they way day take away the "IDOL" it will be a said day if you have big enough guns you can do that .......

But they can NEVER take away the " IDEAL" that she represents cause every person carries that in their heart........


Keep a stiff upper lip my friend......change for the better is coming ....it just has to get way worse first.......



T

Re: Old coins - Filthy Dirty
 

I always clean my 90% US coins (junk). Just run your hand through a bag of 90% and feel the oily grime...it will coat your hands.
Put them in a bowl in batches and cover them with tarnex for a few minutes.......(the sulphur stink means it's workin'!!!) ...work them around gently for a minute or so then rinse well in cold tap water and air dry on towels....
This gets rid of the years of accumulated oils and grime...
Yeah...check for key dates first..
It's just bullion....why not have clean bullion??

Re: Old coins - Filthy Dirty
 

That's how I was seeing it too.

Re: Old coins - Filthy Dirty
 

My advice is DO NOT use a tarnish remover to clean circulated 90% coins. If they're grimy and you don't like the "feel" wash them with hot water and a good grease-cutting liquid dish detergent.

If I had any of these coins my fear would be that using a tarnish remover will make them look VERY unusual...and this may be a problem down the road when you go to trade them out, especially in a shtf environment.

People know what circulated 90% coins look like and will be suspect of coins that don't look "right". This will be particularly true when the value of Ag goes to $100-plus an oz.

View the "gray" patina (appearance) as future "insurance" @ trade out.

Re: Old coins - Filthy Dirty
 

That is truly a plausible theroy and I would most likely agree....but I can tell you in a TSHTF case only two thing are going to matter

The story you tell them about your stash and your word as a person.cause I can tell you from now.....people that try to scam others are going to find out they will be dealt with REAL QUICK and it wont be pretty, they will be made a example of.

In the future:YOUR WORD WILL BE YOUR BOND.


Wait and see

T

Re: Old coins - Filthy Dirty
 

I don't think you understand....
We're not talking about some "greying", I'm saying these things are caked with black, tar-like dirt in the crevices.

Re: Old coins - Filthy Dirty
 

I'm going to tell a secret.

In a past life, I worked at a Casino. Ever sit at a slot machine and your hands turn very dirty?

Well this one dude had one job. He washed all the circulating coins from the machines (these included 90%).

He used shampoo (after all it's made to cut the grease in your hair, right?)

He added stainless steel bearings about .35 caliber.

He work the coins and bearings gently back and forth then pulled out the colander type insert from the solution, dip them a few time in fresh water and dumped them on a surface that allowed the bearings to fall underneath.

These coins felt and looked brand new.

Not one bit of greasy, oily or yucky feel to them.

It didn't harm any of the coins at all.

Give it a try! Not on your numismatics of course (but then, they wouldn't need it would they?)

As an additional use for shampoo (this is for all you guys that like to do your own wrenching), after working on your car, forget about Goop or any other costly so called hand cleaners.

Use shampoo! It removes 100% of the grease and oil from your hands.

It works for printing press operators too. I've done it for years. It really, really works!

Maranatha,

:smile:

Re: Old coins - Filthy Dirty
 

I've always used dish soap when I've done an oil change. Same idea ... but no conditioner.

Re: Old coins - Filthy Dirty
 

I used shampoo for a wash, then tried Dish soap.
Some spots didn't want to come out, so I left them. (Didn't want to scrub too hard)
Generally, they came out nice and clean.
Mucho better than before.