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Soaking in Oil
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Started by KarenHolcomb,

59 posts in this topic

KarenHolcomb

KarenHolcomb

Posted
Posted

So I been soaking these in Olive Oil, Extra Virgin of course, for a year now. I just finished going through the last bit of my Memorial Coppers that I been saving and have nothing else besides World Coins to sort so I guess it's time to get the oil off these. They sure don't look any better than the 11th of last year.  

Next stop...the World is mine.

PXL_20201012_031950739~2.jpg

PXL_20201012_031956908~2.jpg

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Greenstang

Greenstang

Posted
Posted

Still looks like there still is some corrosion on the coins. Guess soaking in oil is not the answer.

I still find for me that soaking in acetone the best for removing oil and light dirt. For mild corrosion, I use Verdi-care on copper.

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RWB

RWB

Posted
Posted

Light oil only helps separate foreign material from the coin surface. Some sort of gentle prodding - maybe with a toothpick - is usually required.

(You might improve the flavor by adding crushed garlic, ground pepper, and some lemon zest.)

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VKurtB

VKurtB

Posted
Posted
56 minutes ago, RWB said:

Maybe a dash of WD-40 would help...?

In a salad dressing?

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VKurtB

VKurtB

Posted
Posted (edited)
5 minutes ago, rocket23 said:

And you are cleaning pennies why?..asking for a friend.

I collect real pennies, the British kind. I think they’re mostly clean enough, but should I have the surfaces tested for COVID? xD

Edited by VKurtB
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VKurtB

VKurtB

Posted
Posted
On 10/11/2020 at 11:29 PM, KarenHolcomb said:

So I been soaking these in Olive Oil, Extra Virgin of course, for a year now. I just finished going through the last bit of my Memorial Coppers that I been saving and have nothing else besides World Coins to sort so I guess it's time to get the oil off these. They sure don't look any better than the 11th of last year.  

Next stop...the World is mine.

PXL_20201012_031950739~2.jpg

PXL_20201012_031956908~2.jpg

Karen, 

‘Tis a finer world upon which you enter when you become a World Coin aficionado. U.S. cents will instantly come across as mundane and banal. 

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VKurtB

VKurtB

Posted
Posted (edited)
4 minutes ago, rocket23 said:

shoot!!! American pennies aren't real?! I'm screwed.

Mine say “One Penny” or some say “New Penny”. Do yours? By the way, some don’t say a darned thing about a denomination, you’re just supposed to know.

 I get really giddy when people call pre-decimal pennies “British large cents”, which is just wrong on every level. 

Edited by VKurtB
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VKurtB

VKurtB

Posted
Posted
1 minute ago, rocket23 said:

one cent last I looked.......last penny I saw was on the show ''lost in space'' I believe....

Come on, man! Big Bang Theory. Hotter than the Lost in Space kind.

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Modwriter

Modwriter

Posted
Posted
7 hours ago, rocket23 said:

one cent last I looked.......last penny I saw was on the show ''lost in space'' I believe....

I remember the Lost In Space episode where the planet they landed on had giant diamonds and Dr. Smith was trying to take them.

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Just Bob

Just Bob

Posted
Posted
On 10/11/2020 at 10:29 PM, KarenHolcomb said:

So I been soaking these in Olive Oil, Extra Virgin of course, for a year now. I just finished going through the last bit of my Memorial Coppers that I been saving and have nothing else besides World Coins to sort so I guess it's time to get the oil off these. They sure don't look any better than the 11th of last year.  

Next stop...the World is mine.

 

I am curious to know if the exposed areas of any of the coins look different than the areas that were touching other coins.

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Just Bob

Just Bob

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Posted
8 hours ago, ronnie stein said:

Comet/Ajax and an electric toothbrush make my gunky one cent pieces legible. So so invaluable Wheaties, acetone. Everything else, no touchee.

For the benefit of any newbies who may read this post in the future: Using an abrasive method or an abrasive cleaner is not something you want to do, if you intend to sell or pass your coins down to your heirs. It will remove most, if not all, numismatic value from a coin. If you're cleaning a bunch of junk coins before returning them to circulation, or shining moderns up to encase them in epoxy to make a tabletop, or something like that, I suppose this works as well as anything. But, as a general rule, you should NEVER clean your coins.

On the other hand, a soak and rinse in acetone can be a safe method for removing gunk and PVC contamination, if done correctly.

Now, back to your regularly scheduled program.. 

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VKurtB

VKurtB

Posted
Posted (edited)
2 hours ago, rocket23 said:

I'm curious, mainly because I have no clue, but if a wheat penny has the tarnish removed and is virtually cleaned (even the nooks and crannies) how do you tell it's been cleaned??

When you have even a tiny bit of experience, it’s so obvious it fairly shouts to you.

The entire look is completely different. There is no way to clean with an abrasive that is not immediately obvious. Some soaks without rubbing do have some value, but the color of cents is often wrong even then.

Edited by VKurtB
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rocket23

rocket23

Posted
Posted
5 minutes ago, VKurtB said:

When you have even a tiny bit of experience, it’s so obvious it fairly shouts to you.

so pretty much anything that looks between a proof and regular  dirty old coin ....would be a candidate.

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VKurtB

VKurtB

Posted
Posted

Virtually NO coin, especially among cents, is a candidate for abrasive cleaning. Those with experience know immediately and reject them instantly.

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