CLEANING COINS?!? I thought you weren't supposed to do that? Well… you probably still shouldn't, but tons of dealers use a variety of coin cleaners and it's a large enough topic within coins that I figured it would be important to discuss. There are ways that are non-invasive that don't leave any marks of traditional cleaning that can be used to improve the looks of coins – in my opinion, only coins with very little value over their silver content – by removing the top layer of metal to show what is underneath. I use the product on some uncirculated coins, some very worn ones, and a variety of in between type coins and want you to see the results!
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I’ve been looking at this product. I stack 90% junk and I like them shiny. You just sold me. Two $100 face value quarters bags, watch out, it’s bath time! 🛁 😆
Cool! Just don’t do any real valuable coins – or at least practice before you do
I agree with Treasure town … if its reg junk silver I’ve dipped thousands… if it’s a coin with a higher numismatic value be very very cautious … it can make the coin look off … a worn and older coin should NOT look shiny … but bullion coins , eagles and such I’ve even dipped proof coins to get finger prints off … works great on slightly colored kooks … but the older or more circulated a coin gets , the more difficult dipping becomes … therefore it’s best to just not dip higher value coins
Finally……the video I’ve been looking for. I have some coins I think should be cleaned up a bit. Glad to see a product for this purpose. Thanks…..ordering some now. 👍👍👍👍👍
Thanks for watching!
Haven’t tried this yet but will be now. BIG difference before and after.
I cleaned $10 of junk silver – Franklin halves (gently – not scrubbing), I weighed the coins before and after I cleaned them and they lost a combined total of 1 grams. That’s not a loss in actual silver content but is rather a reflection of how much all of the gunk on your coins weigh.
Interesting!
@Treasure Town Correction – I just rechecked my info and the total weight loss was .1 gram, not 1 gram. Faulty memory on my part – sorry.
Couple things.. First off, you have to dip a coin or two in order to figure out what works and what doesnt. But VERY IMPORTANT. DON’T DIP SILVER COINS in EZEST AFTER you dip brass/copper/other alloys in that ezest.
Great point!
Why is that? Thanks for the tip!
@Antek It has to do with the chemical reaction, and Im no chemist. I just know that when you dip a coin in EZEST you are literally stripping a microscopic layer of metal off the coin. so it is something to do with once there is traces of brass/copper in your ezest it will or can eventually start to interact with the ezest and your silver coins. Just something to be aware of. I have two seperate bottles, one for silver, one for whatever else.. Although I use ezest as little as possible. I look at it as a last resort. I do not like what it has done to coins in the past (my coins and also coins I have purchaased that were obviously dipped and not rinsed properly.
Wow. I am usually against cleaning, but that stuff is amazing.
Thanks! Important not to do it on super valuable stuff.. was good for it’s purpose.
I love this stuff. Just like Christian said I use it on my junk silver that really has no value other than the silver content. It makes it look much better, that’s just a preference of mine. Also you can use a soft toothbrush very gently to get the coins even cleaner. (Beware the rotten egg, sulfur smell) LOL
I’d say don’t use the toothbrush! But maybe if it’s light enough it’ll be okay. As long as it’s junk silver, no harm in doing whatever you want to it outside of spending it for pocket change!
Very interesting video. Thanks for taking time to share this dipping process. This experiment was definitely a success.
Glad you enjoyed it!
Great Video! Next time you do this, make sure to close that e-Z-est container up when you are done dipping. You did the whole video over that open container, haha. I could almost smell it. =)
Thanks for the tip!
Basically, most of the dipped coins look better, and none looks worse. Scientific experiments rule. Nice video.
Thanks!
Nice video. I used to collect coins from the Mint but don’t know what all I do have. I can find the prices though since around 70% are graded, while others I inherited through family or friends. I would sell probably pretty much all of them. Many from the Mint Sets were never sent off to be graded, still in OB. I just never got around to it. I have at least around 30 or more Morgan’s. 6 or so are graded Toned higher grades up into 66 & maybe 66+, (mostly PCGS) Old Green Rattles/possible upgrades) & others were bought through an Auction by myself years ago. I also have many of the Full Proof Sets in OMP, & the Full Silver Proof Sets of years in the Original Mint State Packing! Also 2 Full Sets of 2012 Limited Edition Sets still encapsulated in the Original Mint Boxes! The last Canadian Silver Jubilee Penny Graded (NGC) PR 70UC! Also I had started the 5 oz Pure Silver (what I called Hockey Pucs) due to the size, Huge 5 Oz Pure Silver Quarters. I started with the very 1st One & ended up with around the 1st Eight released Ones that I sent in to get Graded. (NGC) as I was a member for several years. I have about 2 Rolls of the Sacajawea, Year 2000 in a dark plastic holder in ms condition, taken straight out of wrapped rolls. & I’m thinking 2 full Bank Rolls of 1958 wheat backs that appear to be in MS cond. I just barely opened the end on One of these Rolls. I have more but they are likely in storage & haven’t seen the light of day for over 5 years now. I’m not in any way in need of Money, & the prices on some if not all of these have certainly increased. Some that are Graded & some still in the Original US Mint Packaging Ordered by Myself. I still have Rolls of the 4 New Lincoln Series Releases in Clear Shrink Wrapped Rolls that I got from a local Bank of the Early Years that came in a closed box to the Banks in $25 Dollar Boxes via the Brinks Truck. Also Unopened Boxes the Mint Sold with the date stamp on them that are US Mint Wrapper rolled inside. The P&D of each series. I thought they might catch on. Lastly I not only have the entire Sets (in box) both mints, of the 4 Westward Journey Nickel Series-Boxes of White Unopened US Mint enclosed wrapped rolls-P&D-2 Rolls in each box & I hate to even say this, but I’m thinking 4 – $100 Bags of each nickel series release in the Cotton Sacks that are loose in the Sewn Up Bags. A fair offer of something you might like would Buy these. I would certainly Sell most all of my Collection as I’m having some health Issues and could use the extra money. I even dropped out of NGC several years ago & the last 5-7 coins I sent off were of the State fair that Christian spoke of in an Earlier Blog! These are Quarters or Halves (can’t recall) that were released starting with the Columbus One. The very 1st release at the Worlds Fair. I have around 8 or 9 of these. I know I do have an Oregon or two, the Boone, Stone Mtn, ummm General Grant, a Lincoln, Wisconsin etc., I’ll just have to dig them out to see. Also I have some great Books that were Printed & Sold by some of the very Best Dealers & Numismatic in the trade during this time. They are still great books! Some are Large Books filled with beautiful Glossy Colored Pages! “The 100 Greatest Coins Ever Made” several along these lines by the Greats that some of you are familiar with. I was Buying Up a lot of things back then as I was into Antiques. I once Bid up to $22,000 on a Pristine “Black Swamp Find” Ty Cobb that was graded 8. I’m sure you all remember the story that broke around 10 or 15 years ago about the family in Ohio that found a Huge Collection of Baseball Cards in Pristine Order that the families Grandfather had put up in the Attic. Heritage Sold some of those cards because the Family decided to have them graded & Sold Off. … That card I lost a Bid too Sold for around $45,000 if I’m thinking correctly. Anyway… with that said anyone interested in some of these Coins contact me & we can work out some sort of deal, IF it’s ok with Christian as It’s his Page so he would also get 1st Dibs on every & or anything. I would like to get rid of the Rolls of 1958 bank rolled wheat backs to start, then perhaps the Sacajawea 40 or so (circulated but fresh out of the Rolls) Gold Dollars firstly. Then maybe the large 5 Oz Pure Silver State Quarters. Yes.. I do have the 1st release & it’s encased in the Large Holders they created for them. I know one or 2 of these might be MS69, 2 might be 70’s, I believe I have the 1st 4, then I decided to wait & buy certain ones I liked the design of the most, as they were so large and expensive at that time for me! I also have a decent nicely opened roll of Kennedy Halves showing 1776-1976- The centennial Quarters! Christian can let me know what his Rules are though. I’ll try to research what I’ve paid for these Sets for near 15 years, & decide on a price if anyone is interested. Again… this is up to Christian! I’ll be as fair as I can with prices! No Lowballing though please. FMV at today’s Pricing! Ok.. that’s about it. I know I have others but until I see them I won’t mention them! Thanks All…..My Name is Jim Rushing & if you want to send a Friend Request to my FB Page, I can them Accept You as it is Private. From there I can send an iPhone Photo there or through Messenger for you to see. My Profile Photo is of a Young Boy & a Young Elephant looking out of a window. Old B&W Photo. That’s Me…. I don’t think you can just simply send photos here. So send me an Friend Request & when going in, I can then accept you! I don’t accept PayPal or CC but if we agree on a sale or set price, I would prefer a Bank Cashiers Check or a Check that will have to clear. Of course if this is against Christians Rules Here… Please let me know Christian as I’m new to this & have never Sold anything on E*bay, or any other Format. I’m simply Old & Tired & it’s time to downsize! Thanks Everyone… Stay Safe!!! ✌️🙏 To Add- I believe that it was in 2012? that the US Mint decided to release 5 different varieties of Silver Eagle Dollars. Only so many sets were produced & the Mintage was low. I ended up having 4 other friends Sign Up through the Mints Page (as the restriction was One Set Per Household), & so I ended up with 5 Full Sets! None could be removed from the US Mint Packaging. They had to immediately be sent in to be considered First Day or First Strike Issues. If you do some research you will know what year I’m talking about. I ended up missing a perfect 70 on 2 or 3 coins out of 25 Coins sent in. They are all Graded & 3 entire Sets are all Graded 70 or above. I could have made a nice Premium on those for many months after getting them back but decided to just hold them. These will be For Sale also, per Set! All are in my name for now under the NGC Registry. I was thinking I was offered around $1500 for a set of these 5 releases of different Types of Silver Dollars in that year. I hear a perfect set now is down to around $950. I’d have to look this years release up as again… they have been in storage for several years with all my other Collections of things… I just don’t have the time to keep up with it anymore… Ugh 😑🤘
Your the second coin guy I’ve seen use ezest I am definitely going to buy some. I bought a 2020 silver eagle a month or so ago and has some milking on it I want to clean it up so going to use the ezest. Thanks for the video!
I metal detect and find coins that are really dirty, spend hours trying to clean the coin just to read the date, you sold me, I am going to buy this stuff, Thanks!
Very cool!! It’s best with silver, though, and once you have gotten dirt off of it.
BU stuff, especially proofs even from a few decades ago with slight to moderate tarnish can definitely take a few seconds bath and come out looking mint fresh and no one the wiser. I’d bet money that some massive chunk of shock white morgans in 60+ slabs have been dipped AT LEAST once, and I don’t think that’s really a bad thing once or twice in over a century’s time with coins whose only use history has been sitting in a dark drawer or vault for 99% of their existence. The restoration services PCGS/NGC provide use these same kind of chemicals, but it’s not “cleaning” when they do it lol (to be fair they do a better job than the average person/collector).
I don’t mind dipped coins . I don’t consider it cleaning (cleaning is when someone harshly rubs the coin leaving hairlines on it or using a paste with a toothbrush that’s cleaning) too many folks confuse dipping with cleaning . I been collecting US coins and World coins for over 35+ years . There were few occasions I’ve dipped a lightly toned coin send it in for grading it came back MS65-MS66 … however I was once told by a coin dealer to thin the solution a little . 1 part E-z-est to 1 part of distilled water or it doesn’t hurt to go a little thinner 1 part E-s-est to 2 parts of distilled water . I haven’t messed around with copper yet . But someone knows how to turn copper back to that reddish/orange look . I’ve seen people try clean copper with vinegar, ketchup and other methods it comes out look pink . However this E-Z-est is not for copper I wouldn’t even try copper in it… however if someone leaves a coin in solution way too long it will come out with dull hazy texture that’s when the coin is damaged and no longer salvageable … anyone goes to enough coin shows see all the “blast white” Morgans yeah they were dipped at one time in their life
I have an uncirculated 1921 peace dollar with really ugly, distracting, dark blobs of toning. I’m usually a huge fan of toning, but on this example the toning is decidedly detrimental to the overall eye-appeal.
I generally do not clean coins with the exception of restoring crusty ancients with distilled water. I’m considering making the leap with my 1921 (after experimenting on lots of junk silver for practice), but I’m still having a hard time accepting that cleaning of any kind is, in fact, ok.
I also wonder if my result might be similar to that modern, German silver you dipped. I don’t want to ruin a moderately expensive coin, but removing that distracting toning would definitely boost eye appeal ten-fold.
Do you have any words of advice, or comments?
I wouldn’t clean a 1921 Peace dollar. Leave it alone.
How did you clean up the tissue particles after drying?
I have talked to a number dealers about cleaning or dipping actually not cleaning the coin and all the dealers I have spoken to 100% of them agreed that dipping in e-zest.
Is considered restoration and not cleaning of coins.
Now keep in mind a few seconds is sufficient to clear away the dirt and grime from a coin. If you leave it in too much longer it will definitely damage your coin to remove the patina.
I would suggest that you practice on points that are just ugly and have no value. And then advance to the other coins that you would like to clean. Also keep in mind that most collectors do not like clean coins and look shyly upon that be sure you have plenty of practice before you start cleaning coins at any value. And remember coins with numismatic value or collector status value should never be cleaned.
Instead of dipping your coins directly into the jar of e-Z-est Coin Cleaner, a much better method is to pour out into a separate container the amount that you need for dipping. Then dip your coins in that separate container. By this method, you can preserve the potency of your original jar of e-Z-est Coin Cleaner, because it remains uncontaminated. However if you dip coins directly into the jar of e-Z-est Coin Cleaner, then it starts losing its potency as the dissolved tarnish from coins contaminate the original jar. Also when you have finished dipping your coins, then do not pour the contaminated solution back into the original jar of e-Z-est Coin Cleaner which contains 5% Sulfuric Acid + 7% Thiourea.
Dang, that stuff works good. Thanks for sharing 👍