How do you clean ancient coins without damaging them? Soaking in water or olive oil doesn't seem to help much.

Question

I am trying to clean ancient roman coins and need to know the most efficient way to do this.

Answer 1

a light wash with water and a soft cloth should be all that you do to these coins. any further cleaning will devalue the coins, as the "patina" that develops over time will be removed, and possible the coin itself damaged by any more intensive cleaning.

Answer 2

How To Clean Ancient Coins

Answer 3

If you really want to see what's under all of that patina, try vinegar and salt. Soak them in vinegar, take a wet fine bristled toothbrush, dip it in dry non-iodized salt and scrub the coin after it has soaked about an hour in the vinegar.

Make sure that if you clean them with this method that you soak and rinse them THOROUGHLY or you'll get pock marks in them later on.

I used this method and a good bit of them clened up nicely to the point that we could tell we had Constantinian era coins...

That was over a year ago and this method didn't damage my coins at all (some will say it does) but I think it's because I rinsed them in a stong stream of clear water after using the vinegar and salt.

Answer 4

Get in touch with a hobby shop or coin dealer. My hubby uses vinegar and mostly warm water. Lets them soak for about a couple of hours then dries them off with soft rag. Does it several days.

Answer 5

From what I study, it could seem to be not greater effective than only leaving the income a bath of soapy water for 6 months. or maybe I misinterpret something yet, it is the way it regarded to me. Brightest advantages, Raji the fairway Witch

Answer 6

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

According to this site, you shouldn't try to clean coins that are old and might have value. But if you still intend to, there's good suggestions there too.

Answer 7

Do not clean them!

Answer 8

If you expect them to retain any value, DON'T clean them.