A coin cleaning no - no?

[Russ]

Hi Folks,
     I really don't know much about cleaning coins but I was wondering...

     Years ago, I worked in a jewelry store, and to clean fine jewelry (not pearls) we would put the item to be cleaned in a small tank of water about 5 x 8 x 6 inches, turn on the switch and sound would vibrate the water and clean the item. That was considered high tech in its day. Are these machines still available? Are they okay for cleaning coins or would the sound/vibrations shake the coin to pieces?

Russ

[Lee S]

Hi Russ...

 There is a sticky thread all about this topic a little further up the page..

  https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=2082.0

  Another trick I discovered completely by accident the other day... and one which I would not recommend unless on the crustiest hopeless cases... I came to work with a few crusties in DW in the jam-jar and carried in my shoulder bag... these coins had not shed any dirt for half a year even with brushing , but by the time I got to work the water was black, and clumps of the encrustations were lying in the bottom of the jar... I have since managed to make progress with a few of them... I imagine the gentle swinging and knocking together of the coins did the trick!!
   Def. not one to use on half decent coins though!!! 

[SC]

Lee,

No great surprise.  I remember another thread somewhere that spoke about knocking some types of encrustations off by banging the coin on a hard surface.  Again an extreme measure only for the super-crusties.  But I am glad you had some unexpected luck.

Shawn