How to Ruin Rare Coins - 1867 version. Recipe Added...Do Not Use 0

[RWB]

CLEANSING AND BRIGHTENING COINS.

As an evidence of the injury coins sustain by cleansing and polishing, we refer to the recent sale of coins by Messrs. Davis & Harvey, of this city, where a fine set of American Cents brought, at public sale, but $145 !

This set of coins, formerly the property of the late Mr. Brechemin, were originally uncirculated, and possessed a beautiful, natural bronze, which was brushed off for the purpose of giving the cents that bright appearance they possess when fresh from the dies.

Had this set of cents—numbering 70 pieces—remained in their original condition they would have sold for $1000; for many of them were the finest specimens in the country. What a warning this should be to collectors having a predilection for brushing and cleaning uncirculated coins. The set above alluded to was purchased by Mr. Long for his museum in this city.

[Extract from Mason’s Coin and Stamp Collectors’ Magazine. July 1867, page 32.]

Edited August 6, 2021 by RWB

[DWLange]

Nearly 70 years later such foolishness was still being practiced. Check out the last line of text on this First Edition Whitman coin board for Lincoln Cents.

 

[RWB]

Some things don't change ---

In another issue, Mason had a contest and one of the awards was for the best method of cleaning coins not using acid.

[RWB]

One Recipe for Ruining Coins.

Here is another excerpt from Mason's Magazine quoting a letter to the editor. This method will, of course, quickly ruin any coin.

“Providence, April 10, 1868

Mr. Mason,

Dear Sir — As a collector of coins I feel great interest in the preservation of my favorites and wishing to do my part in keeping them from injury, I forward the following receipts for cleaning and keeping them bright: For cleaning them I make a kind of soft soap, by mixing 1 part of Ammonia to 3 parts sweet oil; I cover the coin with this soap and let it remain on for one day or more according to its condition, then wash in hot water with more soap and polish with the finest tripoli or Spanish white.

For keeping Mint cents with all their original lustre, I make a varnish of proof alcohol and white shellac, heat the coin in hot water, wipe dry and while hot cover with a thin coat of varnish….

[N.W.P.]”

 

(NOTE: “Spanish white” is finely ground chalk; “Tripoli,” also called “rotten stone,” is usually made from a finely ground mixture of weathered limestone, diatomite, and amorphous silica in light oil.)

Edited August 6, 2021 by RWB
Fix Formatting - as usual

[EdG_Ohio]

On 8/6/2021 at 10:54 AM, RWB said:

One Recipe for Ruining Coins.

Here is another excerpt from Mason's Magazine quoting a letter to the editor. This method will, of course, quickly ruin any coin.

“Providence, April 10, 1868

 

Mr. Mason,

 

Dear Sir — As a collector of coins I feel great interest in the preservation of my favorites and wishing to do my part in keeping them from injury, I forward the following receipts for cleaning and keeping them bright: For cleaning them I make a kind of soft soap, by mixing 1 part of Ammonia to 3 parts sweet oil; I cover the coin with this soap and let it remain on for one day or more according to its condition, then wash in hot water with more soap and polish with the finest tripoli or Spanish white.

 

For keeping" Mint cents with all their original lustre, I make a varnish of proof alcohol and white shellac, heat the coin in hot water, wipe dry and while hot cover with a thin coat of varnish….

 

[N.W.P.]”

 

 

 

(NOTE: “Spanish white” is finely ground chalk; “Tripoli,” also called “rotten stone,” is usually made from a finely ground mixture of weathered limestone, diatomite, and amorphous silica in light oil.)

 

Am I allowed to say "Holy poo " here because well Holy poo ! That's insane.

Edited August 6, 2021 by EdG_Ohio
can't say a derivative of poo

[Just Bob]

I wonder how many coins were ruined by this and other cleaning methods.

[Numismatic, A.A.S.]

Damn

[Jason Abshier]

Their barbaric cleaning methods are why we learned today not to clean coins . Mistakes have to be made to learn from them. Someone with brains came along back then and pointed out the finer points of numismatic rule #1 DO NOT CLEAN COINS! now that gave me goose bumps reading how they damaged coins back then.

[RWB]

Cleaning with abrasives was commonplace. Many of the NNC coins have been harshly cleaned - made them look "bright."

[Conder101]

On 8/6/2021 at 8:10 PM, RWB said:

Many of the NNC coins have been harshly cleaned - made them look "bright."

Including their tarnished 19th century proofs.

[Moxie15]

this made me remember a story or article a saw in a book I read a long time ago. I think it was one of Q. David's work. A famous numismatist bought a number of coins at a famous auction and was in his hotel room cleaning them and drinking. Somewhere in the night he confused his cleaning solution for his drink, never did finishing ruining that batch of coins

 

[RWB]

This will take you to a Numismatic News story on the subject Moxie15 mentioned:

https://www.numismaticnews.net/archive/drinking-and-coin-cleaning-a-deadly-mix

Edited August 10, 2021 by RWB