posted on August 3, 2001 08:39:11 AM
I'd advise you to leave them alone. Most coin collectors would MUCH rather buy a dirty coin than a cleaned one. (I know that sounds weird, but it's true)
If someone can look at it and tell it's been cleaned, you've lost part (and maybe most) of the value.
posted on August 3, 2001 08:47:00 AMDON'T clean the coins!!!!!!! A friend of mine sold some old coins on ebay and cleaned them and the buyers were VERY upset....sell them as is....
posted on August 3, 2001 09:17:35 AM
Oh I probably won't sell them - they're well circulated and worn in places - they're for my own collection... And mostly pennies, although I think I have one old nickel and one old quarter, and some old Canadian coins too...
posted on August 3, 2001 09:46:32 AM
I've been keeping them in a small metal tin in a drawer.. but I have enough now that they don't fit in there anymore... Don't really want to buy a book to store them in - any other ideas for safe storage of these coins?
posted on August 3, 2001 09:54:55 AM
Although it's always better to store them such that they're not in contact with each other, if all you have are common date circulated wheat cents, it really won't hurt to keep them as you have been, as long as you don't make a practice of shaking the box.
It's probably not financially practical to store them individually, since most any holder you buy will cost as much as (or more than) the coin is worth, and the potential loss due to any additional wear from being stored together is minimal.
Note that this advice does not apply to coins which are uncirculated or more valuable than just a few cents over face value.
edited to add...
For common circulated wheat cents, probably the most sensible way to store them would be to get some paper wrappers from the bank and put them into rolls.
[ edited by mrpotatoheadd on Aug 3, 2001 09:57 AM ]
posted on August 5, 2001 11:45:41 AM
I spoke with a coin dealer last week and asked him the same question. I have a large number of old coins and I thought they would sell better if they were cleaned. This coin dealer almost had a heart attack when I said that. His very stern response was, "Never, never, never attempt to clean any old coin or you can completely ruin it and the value."
posted on August 5, 2001 12:24:43 PM
There are two ways to clean old, valuable coins:
1. hold them against a coarse wire wheel.
2. put about 30 - 50 in a rock tumbler with coarse grit, tumble for 4 - 7 days.
posted on August 5, 2001 12:54:05 PM
You are so old fashioned Capatasto! Up to date collectors prefer putting coins in a jar of Tarn-X and letting them sit overnight.
posted on August 5, 2001 03:02:03 PM
As with Microsoft Stock Certificates, Women in Bars at Closing Time, 1865 Brass Frame Henrys, Attorneys, Old Clock Cases, Healthy Hogs (H-D's not Included), 3-Digit Colts, Politicians, ANYTHING on PBS-TV, do not attempt to clean, remove "Patina" (Tarnish), enhance "Patina" (Fakum) or polish them. They will lose their value. Storage, Display, Etc., we can't claim expertise on.
posted on August 5, 2001 03:40:53 PM
Just to endorse the comments here. Do not clean. This is my eBay trading speciality selling World Wide, but not my trading name.
