To Clean or not to Clean...

[TD Henson]

A battle that has raged for many years.

 

I've always wondered about this and read many an article about the compelling benefits of swishing your coins. Well, in an accident, I may have finally resolved this issue, at least in my mind.

 

I've never really been an advocate of cleaning coins. A few years back I bought a jar at a coin show, just out of curiousity. I had some late 60's mint set coins that looked horrible due to cloudy and just plain ugly surfaces. So, I took it home dipped them, rinsed them, patted them dry and on a few re-dipped, rinsed and very carefully dried them. The results were astounding, but I still wasn't sold as to what overall damage this had done to the skin of the metal.

 

I put the jar in my coin drawer and honestly forgot about it until today, while cleaning out the drawer I found it. I removed the jar and found that a common VG 1934 lincoln cent had fallen in the drawer next to the cleaner. I guess it had leaked a little around the seal during the 1000's of times this supply drawer has been opened and closed, so it ended up in a little pool of cleaner for how long I'm not sure...

 

Check out the collateral damage. Poor Abe Lincoln. Glad it wasn't worth more than the copper!!

 

Todd

 

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[Six Mile Rick]

WOW that sure is some strong stuff. Old Abe had a melt down on that one. Lucky you still have a drawer left!!!

[TD Henson]

Rick,

 

I thought the same thing. Couldn't believe the destruction...

 

Todd

[Crohnos01]

Are you sure that was Abe? It looks a bit more like the alien on the last Indiana Jones movie....

 

Do you mind if I ask which brand of cleaner?

[TD Henson]

Agreed. It does sort of look alien. It was eZest Coin Cleaner. I just want to call them out on the carpet as being the dreaded cleaner! I'm sure they would all do the same.