Coin Cleaning Guide

Ancient coins can be not only a fun and exciting hobby, but a very profitable one too!  Uncleaned coins, can be purchased almost anywhere for between $1 to $3 each (be careful - you will get what you pay for).  Many interesting finds await you under all that ancient dirt!!!  Please feel free to print this page out - it may come in handy when cleaning your coins.

Nota Bene:  As with all uncleaned coins, you may not strike pay dirt in your first lot or so.  Over the years, we've sent out lots that were full of goodies and lots that had practically nothing in them - we send them to you as we get them as do all other coin dealers.  The market is never the same from order to order.  Don't give up just yet and if you get a lot that doesn't meet your satisfaction - contact whoever sold it to you and give them a chance to explain or make it up to you.  We rarely make any money off of these coins, but they create great interest in  ancient coins and the occasional finds are worth it just for the excitement.  Don't buy these coins thinking that you can make money off of them - although fortune smiles on some, reality rules the day.

Cleaning ancient coins:

Items you will need:

Soft cleaning:

  • Brass brush
  • Tooth brush
  • Olive oil (or other penetrating oil such as WD-40)
  • Vinegar or lemon juice
  • Water softener
  • Dental pick or other similar instrument (precision screwdriver works)

Some coins will require an electrolysis:

  • Trickle charger (12 volt)
  • Plastic or glass bowl/jar
  • Small gauge wire
  • Stainless steel spoon (Caution:  If married - consult your wife first!!!)

Items you will never need:

  • A dremel tool - at 3,000+ RPM, your poor, innocent coins don't stand a chance.  Just using a dremel for a few seconds would be equivalent to brushing your coin with a brass brush constantly for several hours.
  • A stainless steel brush - stainless steel is harder than bronze - unless you want a shiny, scratched up coin this is not a good idea.
  • Muratic acid or battery acid - way too potent.  Absolutely nothing stronger than lemon juice or vinegar should be used.

The above list is only a short, abbreviated list of don'ts.  The idea is to use common sense and realize that some coins will be ruined in the process - even by following the directions on this page.  Every coin is different - its hardness, its composition, its corrosion, etc.  Many experts still ruin coins even after years of experience.  Patience and diligence are the most important tools in the coin cleaning process.  Good luck - don't be discouraged if they don't come out well the first time.

The First Step:

  1. Place coins into a small cup or jar - preferably with a wide mouth.  
  2. Fill the jar with olive oil (or penetrating oil) until the top of the coins are covered.
  3. Let soak until the dirt softens.  This may be hours, days, weeks, and even longer if necessary.  There are faster ways to clean, but there is no safer way to clean your coins.
  4. As the dirt softens, brush it off with the brass brush.
  5. Mix solution of water softener (soap will work, but take precaution - soap and some water softeners are caustic as it is a base [opposite of an acid] and will damage coin if left in the solution too long).  A good solution is mixed at 4 ounces of water to 1 ounce of softener/soap.
  6. Place coins into solution - checking every few minutes.   Repeat until satisfactorily clean.

The Acid Bath:

A word of caution - acid, such as lemon juice or vinegar, will be very effective - many good coins have been ruined in this process.  Take your time, do not over soak, and keep a good eye on the progress of your coins.  If you see any signs of copper or bronze coming through the patina - stop the acid bath immediately.

  1. Begin by picking our coins that are not too heavily encrusted - save the heavily encrusted coins for later.
  2. In a small container (8 oz. or less), mix vinegar or lemon juice with water - about 50% of each.
  3. Place coins in the solution for about 15 minutes (don't put the really clear coins in the solution - just begin those by brushing them with the tooth brush.)
  4. Then, remove the coins and brush them with the tooth brush.
  5. Repeat this process on the coins that improve with each soak.
  6. The coins that stop improving after the first bath, brush them with the brass brush to remove the stubborn dirt.  If this does not work, set them aside for electrolysis.  DO NOT over scrub with the brash brush or over-soak in the acid bath!!!  This will make the coins loose that greenish-brown color called the "patina". 
  7. Identifying the coins is tedious at first, but will become easier as you gain experience.  The recommended book to help you with this process of identification is the Whitman's Guide to Ancient Greek and Roman Coin by Zander H. Klawans.  This book is by no means an exhaustive work for ancient coins, but is the most informative and simple for the beginner - and also the book I found most helpful.  More advanced guides include books by Sayles and Sear.  Whitman's guide is on our site for $11.95 - Sayles and Sear are very expensive and come in several volumes.

Electrolysis Coin Cleaning

Finding A reliable trustworthy seller of Uncleaned coins is a difficult task. One thing to avoid when searching on ebay are sellers who state you will find gold or silver coins in their Lots. This is a common scam on ebay and you will never, ever find a gold coin. Silver coins are very rare in an uncleaned coin lots.

The sellers below have been recommended by Members Of this site and Uncleaned Ancient Roman Coins yahooo group.

Nemesis Ancients & Antiquities
On Ebay
Website

Cerberuscoins
On Ebay
Website

Glenn Simonelli
On Ebay
Website

Commonbronze
Website

AAcoins
On Ebay
Website