Silver coin changed colour after cleaning with vinegar, how do I get it back?

[huntsman53]

Thanks huntsman53. Your 2nd link doesn't work, but, the first is interesting. Their process looks a lot more aggressive and damaging than my simple vinegar dunk and cleanup with baking soda. Their acids are much stronger than vinegar. I do use electrolysis occasionally, but, I find the vinegar treatment works just as good on silver. I've used muriatic and nitric for other items and some testing purposes, but, they're very powerful in concentrated form.

Sorry! They apparently made some changes to their' website and I can't find a link now to their info on conservation of shipwreck coins.


Frank

 

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[Rocsteddie]

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Basically what everyone is trying to say is shining coins to make them "pretty" doesn't increase their value, it lowers it!

Everyone I want to know WHY? Is it because that's what collectors want. WHY? Is it the condition of coin? YES, And I understand but. By cleaning the coin it does not change the fact that the coin is still dated and authentic. Provenance? I am no expert but I would like to see and hear from all the coin collectors that have a coin with provenance and can prove it. I personally clean all my coins because I want them to shine and show the detail that was intended when minted. JMO. Here's some that I have cleaned. Not for value but for my visual pleasure.

 

[enamel7]

If you send a coin off to be graded that's been cleaned, it will either come back authentic cleaned or in a body bag. Cleaning with an acid removes the surface of the coin, thus creating damage. And yes I'm a collector. A rare coin has more value in it's original condition. Cleaning with a harsh substance lowers the value, period!

 

[enamel7]

If it's for your personal pleasure, fine! If you want to sell them later you've lowered their value. You are not restoring them to their original luster.

 

[Honest Samuel]

Many collectors buy and sell tone coins. Only clean coins worth more then face value with warm water and dish soap. If need be, soak for a while. Most dealers and collectors do not buy coins clean as stated above. Good hunting and good luck.

 

[Detector Wars]

Lets see, ALL of the real coin people have said over and over NOT to try to clean coins. You decided to forgo that advice and dropped your Silver coins in a pretty hard acid (ph 4.25 to 5). So, you've stripped off the natural luster, you've damaged the natural finish, and now, surprise, the coins are toning down again (Oxigen and silver mix with other environmental elements to create a tone).

... if it's of any value or you're not sure. Even I say this to others. But lets be honest, most of what we find are not that valuable and/or cleaning them won't matter. The coins in question are experimental, one may be for my personal collection but it won't matter if I damage them as they are not really valuable. I can't understand why you're talking about natural luster/finish regarding coins that have been sitting in the dirt for decades?! Big difference between numismatic and coins that were detected decades later.

 

[dejapooh]

Everyone I want to know WHY? Is it because that's what collectors want. WHY? Is it the condition of coin? YES, And I understand but. By cleaning the coin it does not change the fact that the coin is still dated and authentic. Provenance? I am no expert but I would like to see and hear from all the coin collectors that have a coin with provenance and can prove it. I personally clean all my coins because I want them to shine and show the detail that was intended when minted. JMO. Here's some that I have cleaned. Not for value but for my visual pleasure.

Most coin collectors want their coins to be in as authentic a state as possible. That means all detail visible, all flaws shown, as close to mint as reasonable. Cleaning strips away the top layer of the coin. The metallic stresses that are caused on the coin when the blank is stamped are stripped off by cleaning. The eye appeal is false, and most true collectors know that false look and dislike it. They would rather have true if unattractive tarnish than false flash.That is the primary reason for a loss in value. Most collectors will not buy a cleaned coin if they can avoid it. Worse than that, the tarnish on a coin is just the top surface of the coin being oxidized. When that is stripped off, the new surface starts to oxidize. Generally, the second surface that develops is far less attractive than the original color. This starts a perpetual cycle of cleaning and refinishing. A cleaned coin is like a beautiful woman who is wearing so much makeup that she is unattractive. The problem is that a woman can wash her face, a coin can never be repaired.

 

[seekerGH]

http://www.treasurenet.com/forums/shipwrecks/505969-cleaning-silver.html

 

[TommyB]

Vinegar is great ONLY for cleaning crud off of beach clad. It doesn't make them pretty, just lets them go through a coinstar machine better