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Brasso or Wrights? HELP ON SHINING!

Started by Gump-migration,

14 posts in this topic

Gump-migration

Gump-migration

Posted
Posted

Hi,

 

I'm so new to this it's not even funny.

However, I'm starting to like collecting coins, and I've got an OK start.

I'm just doing pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters (and state).

 

Does it really ruin the value if I clean the pennies with brasso or wrights, just to shine them up? I mean seriously - the coins go from being almost dark brown to shiny like a mirror....but I am rubbing. I'm not scratching though.....

 

So is it bad for me to do this?

And what about my other coins that aren't copper, what would you recommend?

 

THANKS!!

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truthteller

truthteller

Posted
Posted
Hi,

 

I'm so new to this it's not even funny.

However, I'm starting to like collecting coins, and I've got an OK start.

I'm just doing pennies, nickels, dimes, and quarters (and state).

 

Does it really ruin the value if I clean the pennies with brasso or wrights, just to shine them up? I mean seriously - the coins go from being almost dark brown to shiny like a mirror....but I am rubbing. I'm not scratching though.....

 

So is it bad for me to do this?

And what about my other coins that aren't copper, what would you recommend?

 

THANKS!!

 

 

Never clean coins. Every coin dealer/collector has a story about how someone who had a coin worth thousands of dollars, only for the owner to clean the coin, now worth a few dollars due to cleaning.

 

 

 

TRUTH

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supertooth

supertooth

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Well----Welcome to the world of what you should not do. And, in almost every instance, almost everyone will tell you----DO NOT CLEAN YOUR COINS WITH ANYTHING. Now, like in every thing in life, there "may" be some exceptions but you are not smart enough to know yet what they are. My advice---stop cleaning---go get a book or two on coins and sit down and read awhile. Throw the Brasso and the Wrights under the sink where they belong. Bob [supertooth]

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Gump-migration

Gump-migration

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But what if they're just 90's, 80's and 70's coins?

They already don't have any value.

So isn't cleaning them now good to do before they gain value?

I swear they look SO much better now than they did.....and I didn't scratch.

 

I want to put them on display, never sell them, or trade them.

That is why I'm cleaning them, so they look nice.

 

What can I do??

What about dipping, how can I do that?

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truthteller

truthteller

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Dipping silver coins in Jeweluster may have some advantages, only when the coin owner knows how to do it properly. Modern pocket change is OK to clean as an experiment. However, coins that are shiney doesn't necessarily mean they are "better". I'm sure the Mona Lisa painting would look better is someone took a good squirt of Windex to it, but the painting would be damaged as a result.

 

 

 

TRUTH

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Gump-migration

Gump-migration

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All these more modern coins, am I hurting their value (nothing) by cleaning them?

Won't cleaning them now when they don't have value only help them in the future when they might have more value, if I don't clean them again and set them in a nice case?

 

The Wrights is a creme, not a harsh abrasive.

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truthteller

truthteller

Posted
Posted
All these more modern coins, am I hurting their value (nothing) by cleaning them?

Won't cleaning them now when they don't have value only help them in the future when they might have more value, if I don't clean them again and set them in a nice case?

 

The Wrights is a creme, not a harsh abrasive.

 

 

This is a very involved and long subject to write about. Succinctly, any form of cleaning is detrimental to coins. Modern POCKETCHANGE can be used as an experiment. Coins with any value over face value will be reduced to pocketchange with cleaning. A common coin today may be rare tomorrow.(Read the thread on the Cherrios Sac Dollar Discovery Coin). Wrights creme is a mild abrasive and will scratch the surface of the coin. This will be viewed with a magnifying glass. The only recommended dip is Jeweluster, this removes a very minute surface layer of silver, with no abrasion. Good luck.

 

 

TRUTH

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RGT

RGT

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Posted
I want to put them on display, never sell them, or trade them.

That is why I'm cleaning them, so they look nice.

 

You may think those bright shinny coppers look good now, but check them again in six months to a year. They will be toning again and even faster now that they have been polished.

 

A collecor can usually tell if a coin has been cleaned if it was cleaned yesterday or 30 years ago. Cleaning the coins now will prevent them from becoming valuable in the future (assuming todays pocket change ever becomes valuable).

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