+WildGooseChase Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 I found a geocoin in a cache that's not in a protective sleeve so it's getting pretty tarnished. Does anyone know what they are made of, or what to use to clean it safely? I'd like to restore the coin and put it in a small baggy to keep fingerprints off. Quote Link to comment
+Eric K Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 I found a geocoin in a cache that's not in a protective sleeve so it's getting pretty tarnished. Does anyone know what they are made of, or what to use to clean it safely? I'd like to restore the coin and put it in a small baggy to keep fingerprints off. Do you have any pictures? I've actually been curious as to how the coins will look after aging in the elements. Quote Link to comment
+WildGooseChase Posted April 27, 2004 Author Share Posted April 27, 2004 I'll take a few tonight when I get home. Quote Link to comment
+SnowLeopard Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 I suppose you could use the same methods to clean commercial coins - look online or in coin shops to find out how they do it. Quote Link to comment
+Polgara Posted April 27, 2004 Share Posted April 27, 2004 I shined Geocoin3 by the Peconic Bay Sailors. I used a product called "twinkle". They have it for brass/ copper and they also have it for silver. I used the brass/ copper. When i shined it, i wasn't sure what it was made of, so i used very little of the solution to make sure it wouldn't damage the coin. It worked very nicely. After pics can be seen here: Shiney new front Shiney new back Quote Link to comment
+Nero Posted October 13, 2004 Share Posted October 13, 2004 i used nevr-dull on my personal antique finish geocoin and in a day or so with toiuching it and all it got super dark/tarnished brass looking even more than before. so i decided to just leave it alone. Quote Link to comment
+Planet Posted October 13, 2004 Share Posted October 13, 2004 HOW TO CLEAN COINS Please note: Their best advice is DON'T. Quote Link to comment
Pschtyckque Posted October 14, 2004 Share Posted October 14, 2004 As Planet noted, cleaning a coin is bad. It wears off the natural patina created during the minting process. The coin will actually tarnish faster if you clean it. Quote Link to comment
+Weavey Posted October 16, 2004 Share Posted October 16, 2004 I stuck the one I found on a buffing wheel, came up a treat ..... Gave it a coating of laquer, it will stay gleaming longer. Weavey Quote Link to comment
Curious George Posted October 16, 2004 Share Posted October 16, 2004 Cleaning isn't recommended for valuable coins because it can affect their appearance and value. Having said that, geocoins while fun to collect are not all that valuable so a cleaning will simply make it look better. Here's one trick you could try - soak the coin in WD-40 for about 10 mins and then pat it dry with a soft cloth. No need to rub it at all. Of course it's always best to test on a coin of the same material before you try the real one. Quote Link to comment
+wvcoalcat Posted October 16, 2004 Share Posted October 16, 2004 My brother retreived a geocoin that was so corroded that it was almost unrecognizable. I cleaned it using Brasso and one of those green pot scrubbers. It certainly doesn't look brand new, but you can tell what it is now. We then put in a plastic coin sleeve and sealed that. It really made a difference. We have before and after pics which I'll post within one or two days. (he has to get back home and download them.) Quote Link to comment
+wvcoalcat Posted October 18, 2004 Share Posted October 18, 2004 (edited) My brother retreived a geocoin that was so corroded that it was almost unrecognizable. I cleaned it using Brasso and one of those green pot scrubbers. It certainly doesn't look brand new, but you can tell what it is now. We then put in a plastic coin sleeve and sealed that. It really made a difference. We have before and after pics which I'll post within one or two days. (he has to get back home and download them.) okay. Here's before Here's after. Edited October 18, 2004 by wvcoalcat Quote Link to comment
+Planet Posted October 18, 2004 Share Posted October 18, 2004 When I was a little kid we used to clean pennies with a pencil eraser, but you could see the tiny scratches it woul leave. Anything abrasive will make scratches, and the coin will tarnish faster. Tiny scratches = more surface area to tarnish. Quote Link to comment
+Nero Posted October 21, 2004 Share Posted October 21, 2004 yuck!! that looked awful before the cleaning. Quote Link to comment
Kermode Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 (edited) I will now tell you all, the best way to clean your Geo coin or any other coin that you have that needs to be cleaned. I have used this method since I was a kid and it works. It will not leave scratches or abrasions and will not remove the protective invisible layer which may be on the coin. It is harmless and chemical free. It will clean the most tarnished coin and make it look brand new.It will however not remove any scratches, nicks or cuts that are under the tarnished surface. I have used this method on many different coin alloys including copper,brass and silver. I have not used the method on painted or colored areas of coins so can not say what it will do to those areas of coins. If you are unsure of my method then I urge you to find the most tarnished copper penny that you can and test it on that. You WILL be amazed. Use this method at your own risk, it is only a suggestion Individual results may vary and I take no responsibility if you are in any way unsatisfied with the end result whatever that may be. ok here it is: Get yourself a ashtray with ashes from a cigarette in it. The more ashes the better. Get the coin wet and also get your thumb and forefinger wet. (I use spit because it works for me) Dip your wet fingers into the ashes so that you have a good coating and start rubbing the coin with the ashes. Do this until the coin is clean. Occasionally rinse the coin in clean water and repeat the ash treatment until you get the result you want. When done rinse and dry the coin. Then put on some sunglasses so that you can look at your coin without the worry of going blind from the glare it emits. Remember no dry ashes...they must be wet. Try it on the "cleaned" coin in the above photo then re-submit the photo for all to see.Using this method will remove the tarnish that remained after you cleaned it your way. After you try this method post a note and tell me what you think. Edited October 28, 2004 by Kermode Quote Link to comment
+wvcoalcat Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 I will now tell you all, the best way to clean your Geo coin or any other coin that you have that needs to be cleaned.I have used this method since I was a kid and it works. It will not leave scratches or abrasions and will not remove the protective invisible layer which may be on the coin. It is harmless and chemical free. It will clean the most tarnished coin and make it look brand new.It will however not remove any scratches, nicks or cuts that are under the tarnished surface. I have used this method on many different coin alloys including copper,brass and silver. I have not used the method on painted or colored areas of coins so can not say what it will do to those areas of coins. If you are unsure of my method then I urge you to find the most tarnished copper penny that you can and test it on that. You WILL be amazed. Use this method at your own risk, it is only a suggestion Individual results may vary and I take no responsibility if you are in any way unsatisfied with the end result whatever that may be. ok here it is: Get yourself a ashtray with ashes from a cigarette in it. The more ashes the better. Get the coin wet and also get your thumb and forefinger wet. (I use spit because it works for me) Dip your wet fingers into the ashes so that you have a good coating and start rubbing the coin with the ashes. Do this until the coin is clean. Occasionally rinse the coin in clean water and repeat the ash treatment until you get the result you want. When done rinse and dry the coin. Then put on some sunglasses so that you can look at your coin without the worry of going blind from the glare it emits. Remember no dry ashes...they must be wet. Try it on the "cleaned" coin in the above photo then re-submit the photo for all to see.Using this method will remove the tarnish that remained after you cleaned it your way. After you try this method post a note and tell me what you think. Thanks for the suggestion and I'll try it when the next oppurtunity presents itself. I would've liked to have tried it on the coin, but it was placed in a cache the day I posted the pic. Quote Link to comment
+Postkid Posted October 28, 2004 Share Posted October 28, 2004 Here's a cleaning method you can use on the trail (If the trail is in the right area). There is a plant called a horsetail fern, also called scouring rush. Horsetails are conspicuously jointed rushes with spokes of short, pine-needlelike leaves radiating from each joint. The biggest I have seen are only about 6 in. tall. The plant grows in areas of swampy soil on all continents except australia. They were used by early settlers to clean copper pots. I know for a fact they work great on pennies. Just crush the leaves and stem between your thumb and the coin and rub that coin clean. Use this method at your own risk, it is only a suggestion Individual results may vary and I take no responsibility if you are in any way unsatisfied with the end result whatever that may be. Quote Link to comment
Kermode Posted October 29, 2004 Share Posted October 29, 2004 If you'd like you can come to my house and harvest some horsetail from my yard. That stuff is a pain. Once it starts growing its there for life. Roundup doesnt even work on it, at least not permanently. Quote Link to comment
+Alibags Posted October 29, 2004 Share Posted October 29, 2004 Horsetails work because they have silica embedded in their cells. In other words they work as an abrasive. All the cleaning techniques are either abrasive (horsetails, ashes, toothpaste, pan scrubber! etc) or chemical (brasso, coke, ketchup). I have found a geocoin that was going green, but I just left it alone. The pennies in my pocket my go dull, but they don't seem to go moudly looking quite so fast as geocoins. If I was releasing one into the world, I would be very inclined to give it a swift coat of laquer to keep it bright and shiney. Quote Link to comment
uk_wanderer Posted October 30, 2004 Share Posted October 30, 2004 As anyone tried dropping a coin in a dish of Coke or Pepsi? It works on UK pennies. Quote Link to comment
Kermode Posted October 30, 2004 Share Posted October 30, 2004 I do remember when I was in about 3rd grade , my teacher got kids to bring in their teeth that had fallen out and showed us an experiment where she would put the tooth in a glass of Coke then check the tooth in about a week to discover that there wasnt much left of it. Quote Link to comment
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