Cleaned copper?

[Hoot]

I decided to perform a little "copper cleaning" by carrying around a cruddy 1827 cent in my pocket for a few months. Wish I had a "before" photo, but I don't, so that's that about that... Anyhow, the coin had a lot of hard, soily, greasy looking crud around the stars and other devices, especially stuck in the lettering.

 

The cleaning worked perfectly (I'd done the same before with reasonable results), but the funny thing was that this coin simply got brighter and brighter. The high points of the devices turned a natural coppery red and the fields turned a darker burnt red shade. The longer I carried it, the more pronounced this effect became.

 

I think that the coin, being basically pure copper, is so soft that rattling around in my change pocket kept it rather polished up. Here's the hitch:

 

If I submitted this coin for grading it would come back body bagged for cleaning. However, I did not clean the coin, per se, rather I circulated the piece. The coin is not hairlined or gouged or polished. This gave me a wholly new impression of what copper must have looked like while circulating pre-1857. Will it take 150 years to tone properly?

 

What do you think? Would it get the old BB? (Not that I'd be submitting it anyway )

 

BTW, have you ever read of how stinky copper was? It's true!

 

Hoot

 

[HaydenTubbs]

A very interesting experiment,Mark. I must admit that this will give me a new outlook on cleaned copper,or rather "worn" copper.I assume the coin dropped a grade or two from being in your pocket?

 

And yes I think it would BB at NGC...

[Hoot]

I assume the coin dropped a grade or two from being in your pocket?

 

Not in terms of net grade, and only slightly in detail. In terms of net grade, I think that it stayed the same and over time may have the possibility of gaining a grade, if it re-tones okay. You should have seen how gunky this coin was - fugly.

 

Hoot

[errorist]

I decided to perform a little "copper cleaning" by carrying around a cruddy 1827 cent in my pocket for a few months. Wish I had a "before" photo, but I don't, so that's that about that... Anyhow, the coin had a lot of hard, soily, greasy looking crud around the stars and other devices, especially stuck in the lettering.

 

The cleaning worked perfectly (I'd done the same before with reasonable results), but the funny thing was that this coin simply got brighter and brighter. The high points of the devices turned a natural coppery red and the fields turned a darker burnt red shade. The longer I carried it, the more pronounced this effect became.

 

I think that the coin, being basically pure copper, is so soft that rattling around in my change pocket kept it rather polished up. Here's the hitch:

 

If I submitted this coin for grading it would come back body bagged for cleaning. However, I did not clean the coin, per se, rather I circulated the piece. The coin is not hairlined or gouged or polished. This gave me a wholly new impression of what copper must have looked like while circulating pre-1857. Will it take 150 years to tone properly?

 

What do you think? Would it get the old BB? (Not that I'd be submitting it anyway )

 

BTW, have you ever read of how stinky copper was? It's true!

 

Hoot

 

 

 

Hoot my 8 year old son experimented with this a couple of years ago.

 

If you want that coin looking like new try this:

Mix water and lemon juice 50/50 1 tablespoon each

Then add about 1 teaspoon of salt.

It is amazing as to what happens Iwas astonished what my son found out.

He mixes stuff in the kitchen all the time. Do that then repost that coin for us to all see again.

[Hoot]

Thanks Pat, but my intention was not to make the coin look like new, rather to get rid of the crud and simply have it look as it is - circulated. I was only surprised that it "brought the red out."

 

Hoot

[Oldtrader3]

Mark: I think that they would probably BB it (as cleaned) just because it has surfaces with no patina left. As for smell, even Lincoln cents smell if they are old and grungy.