Don't panic !! LOL .........I have dealt enough with antiques to know that abrasive cleaning can devalue something. However, is there an acceptable way to clean (not polish) a coin.......soft toothbrush and soapy water ? suggestions for removing things paint, old tape/adhesives...etc
To your question rubbing alcohol on non zinc coins should be no problem and if they are not valuable a bit of physical treatment: soft brush or similar may also be not to damaging. But at the end its your decision.
Pretty easy really... they are a brand new user who knows the history of Numista (how would a brand new member know that there have been previous threads on the same topic). They are abrasive and rude straight away (who would sign up to a site and immediately start abusing other members) It's definitely someone who has been here before and the style smacks of Hamster boy.
Sooooo, since I really am new...not just to the site but to coin collecting (on a serious level) does anyone else have proven things they have done to conserve coins (thank you for the correct terminology ) ??
I use isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) and a cotton makeup remover pad to clean any grime off the coin. This seems to work well as it takes off the surface grime but doesn't affect the toning of the coin.
Quote: "neilithic"I use isopropyl alcohol (rubbing alcohol) and a cotton makeup remover pad to clean any grime off the coin. This seems to work well as it takes off the surface grime but doesn't affect the toning of the coin.
Does this work regardless of the metal composite of the coin ?
The only time I had an issue was when I had two coins of different compositions soaking in alcohol at the same time, then I got a reaction and the coins discoloured
I'm firmly in the don't clean (or conserve if you prefer) camp, I like dirty coins which have been clearly used for their intended purpose. I would have to be a seriously impaired coin for me to even consider the matter. I'm talking about a coin equivalent of the Elephant Man. For two reasons; one, it generally doesn't work and two, I'm quite lazy.
Acetone is AKA paint thinner so it's great for removing glue, tape or paint residue. It's also pretty safe although I don't entirely trust it on high grade zincs. Long ago, coin collectors used to paint their entire collection with lacquer. It was regarded as the best available method of preserving them. You will still occasionally find old specimens which still have the lacquer coat after all these years, although most have been cleaned up courtesy of acetone. I think we owe our great great grandfathers a big thank you.
Anything beyond soap and water is gong to change the coin's surface. The least destructive and most common method is dipping, at least for silver coins. This is briefly dipping the coin into a weak acid solution. When done skillfully it can remove all the accumulated oils and dirt leaving you with a blank canvas so to speak, there are methods which can speed up the re-toning process but these are worthy of a separate discussion. If you try to repeat the process or submerge the coin for too long you will end up with a nasty looking flat white coin. Most collectors will not turn down a skillfully dipped coin. Actually they are so common that it's hard to make any decent collection without them.
Bronze and copper are way beyond my level of expertise and the best advice I can give you is to search the forum where those more skilled have shared their experience, especially with that curse of the copper collector verdigris. That's the nasty green looking "rust" which if left untreated will spread and eat your coin. The general "leave it alone" advice doesn't apply in this case.
Zinc and brass..... nightmare problem. Zinc does well with gun oil, but brass, it seems there is nothing to be done with those ugly carbon spots that doesn't cause more problems than it solves. Good luck!
I'm not the Hamster BTW, I'm the other troll. The charismatic one.
Welcome to Numista!
Non illegitimis carborundum est. Excellent advice for all coins.
Make Numismatics Great Again!
LOL .........I have dealt enough with antiques to know that abrasive cleaning can devalue something. However, is there an acceptable way to clean (not polish) a coin.......soft toothbrush and soapy water ? suggestions for removing things paint, old tape/adhesives...etc
) ?? 
