What would you recommend to polish a pure silver coin?

Question

Silver cloth wont work because it scratches the silver. Creams wont work either because the can get into the letters.

Answer 1

Coin silver is most commonly 90% silver and 10% copper as dictated by United States FTC guidelines. "Coin Silver" is said to have acquired its name because much of it was made from melting down silver coins, which are generally of the 90% standard. This does allow for some variation in the silver content, depending on which coinage was used to create the silver stock.

Coin silver is usually lower in silver content than sterling. The Coin standard came into common use for table silver in the US during the 1820s, and lasted until 1868. This grade of silver was used in the silver coinage of the US, (until 1964) and also by other countries that minted silver currency , such as Panama and the Philippines.

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Removing tarnish

Polishing silver
A number of products have been developed for the purpose of polishing silver, such as Twinkle Silver Cream and Wright's Silver Cream, which serve to remove sulphur from the metal without damaging or warping the metal. As harsh polishing and buffing can permanently damage and devalue an antique piece of silver, valuable silver is typically hand-polished to preserve the unique patina of an older piece. Techniques such as wheel polishing, which are typically performed by professional jeweler or silver repair company, are reserved for extreme tarnish or corrosion.
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CLEANING SILVER

Silver should be washed after each use. The best and safest way to cleanse silver is by hand. It is the rubbing and friction during hand washing that shines silver. "Patina," the outer surface on fine silver is brightened and enhanced through friction.


HANDWASHING SILVER

1. Fill sink with warm water and mild dish detergent.

2. Hand wash each individual piece of silver.

3. Using a soft cotton dish towel, dry silver completely.

4. Dull silver can be buffed a little with a dry cotton cloth.

POLISH SILVER

Too much polishing can wear down the finish on some silvers. Items which are coated or plated should be washed by hand often and polished only once or twice per year. As long as silver is cleansed regularly and stored properly, there's no need to polish silver more than once a year.


1. Apply silver polish. You won't need much, so don't overdo it.

2. With a soft towel, rub the polish on the metal using straight strokes, as opposed to circular movements.

3. Using a clean, soft cloth, buff silver.



MAKE YOUR OWN SILVER DIP

When silver oxidizes, it tarnishes. Tarnish dips work to repair and remove tarnish from quality silver. Most commercial dips are used when heavy, dark colored tarnish cannot be removed with traditional pastes or polishes. Chemical dips are wiped on silver with cotton balls and specialized applicators, and then submerged in a chemical make up of acid and a complexing agent. You can make your own chemical dip by following these instructions:


1. Fill sink full of steaming hot water.

2. Mix 2-tablespoons salt and 2-tablespoons baking soda in bowl.

3. Add mixture to sink of hot water.

4. Cut a small sheet of aluminum foil and push it to the bottom of sink.

5. Dip silver items. Most tarnish will slide off. For stubborn stains, allow them to sit for up to 5-minutes at a time.

6. Rinse well.

7. Dry.

8. Store properly.

Answer 2

Do not clean the coin unless you have had a lot of practice and know what you are doing. If it is a valuable coin there are professional conserving companies that can clean it without risking damage to the coin. Otherwise it is probably best to leave the coin as is.

Seventy years ago it was accepted practice to clean coins but today a cleaned coin is devalued by collectors.

Answer 3

You don't clean it. Cleaned coins loose there value real fast.It takes only a few seconds to ruin a coin. Most cleaning solutions leave hairline scratches and dealers look for them. I once saw a $1000 coin sell for $50, because it had been harshly cleaned.

Answer 4

ok look get a litlle tea palates or dose small plates and put vinegar and salt on the oklate about 1 spoon of vinegar and a little bit of salt and put in the coin it will turn shiny but leave it there for a while!

Answer 5

taco sause cleans pennies, maybe it will work for your coin