If coins are better uncleaned but unreadable...

[Bev]

Can you tell I'm still learning?
If you find a coin and it's practically unrecognizable, does it really matter if you try to clean it?
Is the peroxide and Q-tip method the mildest way to go for any coin you find?
Do you suggest "when" I find a coin that is unrecognizable should I post it first before any attempt to clean it up?
I'd hate to find one that the response ends up being, "Hey great coin- was worth a million dollars before you destroyed it!"
Thank you guys!
-Bev

 

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[Rooter]

Hi Bev, If you are unfamiliar with the value of coins I think the best thing to do would be post a picture of your finds as found and ask for advice. Conservation techniques vary depending on the composition of the coin. That is the safest way to prevent accidentally damaging a valuable keydate or rare coin. (notice I said conservation not cleaning)

 

[Bev]

So maybe rinse it off, pat dry and take a photo for you all to advise- would that be ok? I can do that! It kills me when I can't see the date and stuff!!

 

[Iron Patch]

People are often confused on detecting forums because they've always heard coin dealers, collectors etc. say don't clean coins. But the thing is those dealers are talking in general terms and not about dug coins. My best coin find I don't think was even identifiable until I started to clean it, and by the time it was done it went from $0 to a lot.

For most coins rinsing with water won't hurt, but if the coin is old, especially with a green patina you'd be better off posting with just the loose dirt removed if you don't know what you have. Of course I'm talking about copper as silver usually comes out pretty good and a water rinse would never be a problem. Dug coppers are always going to have condition issues so for a rare one eye appeal is going to help a lot with the value. I see it over and over and over again... people find a target that is a nice green color in the dug shots, but when everything gets cleaned it's an ugly brown or black, the entire surface has been stripped, and on some that can be done just using water, and in most cases that's what happened. If you've ever dug something with a green patina, then after cleaning seen brown spots, well that was from the liquid. Some things are better cleaned dry with a toothpick & toothbrush. The most important thing about cleaning is having experience, and if you don't have it, definitely don't gamble on something good. There tends to be some risk most times you clean something but if done with the best method it's a very small one.