How to clean an aluminum bronze coin - Metals and their processing

How to clean coins at home: products for copper, silver, bronze and cupronickel coins

If you are interested in numismatics, sooner or later you will have to face the problem of contamination, darkening or corrosion of coins. The longer no action is taken, the higher the likelihood that the product will lose its aesthetic, cultural and material value. To get your collection in order, the right thing to do is turn to a professional.

If you cannot trust your “treasures” to anyone, you will have to master the science of how to clean coins at home. Vika Preobrazhenskaya August 02, 2017

How to properly store coins at home? The main thing is the absence of humidity and direct sunlight. It is important to properly organize the storage of the collection.

There are three types of organizers.

Albums. Each page is divided into several compartments with plastic pockets. Items are stored without touching each other, they are easy and interesting to look at.
Tablets. Made from cardboard. There are slits made on the sheet, with which the coins are fixed.
Pencil cases. They consist of two layers of glass, between which products are placed in special compartments. The devices not only allow you to view products from all sides, but also reliably protect them from dust and moisture.

Coins made of different metals: care features

How to clean coins to make them shine? It depends on the metal. Each material is characterized by certain features that determine its care.

Table - Features of caring for coins made of different metals

MetalFeaturesHow to cleanTaboos

Gold	- Does not require frequent or aggressive cleaning; - easy to scratch even with a regular rag	Laundry soap	— Intense friction; — use of abrasives
Silver	— Oxidizes	— Ammonia;— hydrogen peroxide;— soda;— toothpaste;— “Trilon B” (for low standard)	— Intense friction
Copper	- Subject to patina formation	— Vinegar; — citric acid; — “Trilon B”	— Removal of a thin layer of patina in the absence of corrosion and other damage
Bronze	- Formation of pink, dark brown or black plaque	— Vinegar; — citric acid; — “Trilon B”	— Removal of patina (reduces value); — treatment with nitric and sulfuric acids

Cleaning bimetallic coins raises many questions. Experts recommend treating them with Asidol. Thanks to its soft abrasive, the product quickly removes dirt from the metal surface.

Universal household products

When looking for a way to quickly clean old coins, you need to take care not to damage the metal. If you are new to numismatics, use one of the four universal tools.

Vinegar and toothpaste for rust

To remove rust and oxidation from coins, mix equal amounts of toothpaste and vinegar.
Rub the mixture over the surface using circular movements.
Remove any remaining product with cold water and wipe the product dry.

If you want to clean steel products, you just need to dip them in table vinegar. After ten minutes, the stains should come off.

Soda for cleaning royal coins

Before cleaning the royal copper coins, take a scraper and carefully remove traces of earth, clay and other contaminants from the surface.
Dissolve a tablespoon of baking soda in a glass of water.
Boil the solution and put metal money in it.
Continue heating the liquid for another half hour.
Wash and dry the items.
If the result is not satisfactory, repeat the procedure again.

Ammonia for silver and bronze

Prepare a solution of one part ammonia and nine parts water.
To clean silver coins from green deposits, dip them in liquid.
After an hour, remove the items and wipe them well with a dry cloth.
If we are talking about how to clean bronze coins, then you should not rub them. Just wrap it in soft cloth.

Under the influence of ammonia, bronze can change color.

To clean pink stains from aluminum bronze coins, rub them with toothpaste.

Carbonated drinks for cupronickel

Cleaning cupronickel coins begins by placing them on the bottom of a glass container.
Fill them with Coca-Cola or other carbonated drink.
Metal money must be kept in liquid for seven days.
To ensure even cleaning, turn the items daily.

Cleaning Soviet coins: 2 ways

Cleaning USSR coins at home does not cause much trouble. Such specimens were in use relatively recently, and therefore complex stains and darkening are rare on them. Cleaning Soviet money with aggressive detergents is strictly prohibited. Folk remedies are more suitable.

Soda, ammonia and toothpaste

To clean white Soviet coins, mix equal amounts of baking soda, toothpaste and ammonia.
Apply the mixture to a cloth and rub the metal thoroughly.
Remove any remaining product with a brush.
Rinse the coins and wipe dry.

A paste of soda, toothpaste and ammonia can be prepared for future use. Place it in a sealed container and store in the refrigerator until next use.

Citric acid

Dissolve half a teaspoon of citric acid in a glass of boiling water.
Hold the coin with tweezers and lower it into the solution for 15-20 seconds.
Rinse the product in water and wipe dry.

You cannot keep money in acidified water for longer than the specified time. With prolonged exposure, the products will lose their shine.

Cleaning copper coins: 3 ways

How to clean a copper coin at home? A problematic issue, since copper is considered a “capricious” metal. Based on the experience of numismatists, we can distinguish three gentle and effective means.

Laundry soap

Pour a glass of boiling water into a plastic container and add a tablespoon of grated laundry soap.
When the shavings are completely dissolved, lower the metal money into the liquid.
Close the container tightly with a lid or cover with film and leave for three days.
After the specified time has passed, remove the coins and remove the layer of dirt with a brush.
Rinse off the soap with cold water and wipe dry.
If you are unable to completely clean the products, repeat the procedure several more times.

To speed up the cleaning process, add a teaspoon of baking soda to the soap solution.

First dissolve the substance in a quarter glass of water and pour it into the container.

Oil

Pour Vaseline or olive oil into a saucepan and place on fire.
Once the oil boils, place coins in it.
Continue boiling until the contaminants are removed from the metal.
When the oil has cooled, remove the items and wipe with medical alcohol.

Similarly, coins can be boiled in laundry soap. This remedy is more gentle.

Vinegar

Before applying copper coin cleaner, wash the item thoroughly in soapy water.
Rub the areas that have become corroded with a cotton swab dipped in 9% table vinegar.
Rinse the product in cold water and dry.

How to Clean Coins Using Electrolysis

Electrolysis is one of the fastest and most effective ways to clean metal from dirt and stains. At the same time, the technique is dangerous, as it involves the use of electricity. And the risk of spoiling the coin increases. If you are confident in your abilities, strictly follow the instructions.

Cut off the plug from the 12-volt power supply.
Separate the double wire and expose the ends.
Solder copper wires to metal clamps.
Pour half a liter of water into a plastic container and dilute a tablespoon of soda (you can also use salt).
Plug the power supply into the outlet, and place the clamps in a container so that they do not touch each other.
Connect the clamp from which the hissing comes to a coin, and attach the second to any metal object. It could be a key or a spoon.
Old coins can take anywhere from 40 minutes to four hours to shine. It all depends on the degree of contamination of the product.
Unplug the device and carefully remove the clamps from the water.
Clean the metal product with a brush and liquid soap.

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Electrolysis must be carried out in a well-ventilated area. Also, do not forget to protect your eyes with goggles and wear rubber gloves on your hands.

4 more taboos

When looking for a way to polish coins and give them shine and shine, it is important not to overdo it. Careless handling of tools or cleaning agents can lead to damage to precious items. To prevent this from happening, you need to remember four taboos.

Use of strong abrasives. If the coin is valuable, do not use washing powder, soda or other harsh substances for cleaning. This may cause scratches and damage to the pattern.
Boiling damaged products. If there are cracks or signs of corrosion, do not expose the product to high temperatures.
Use of dangerous methods by beginners. If you are not a professional in numismatics, you should not clean coins with electrolysis or harsh chemicals.
Prolonged exposure to cleaning products. If you expose a coin to substances longer than specified in the instructions, this may lead to damage to the structure of the product.

Metal money should come into contact with each other, with hands and with other foreign substances as little as possible. If you need to remove an item from the organizer, wash and dry it thoroughly before replacing it. This will help prevent the metal from darkening.

If you are just starting your journey as a numismatist, remember that cleaning coins at home cannot return them to their perfect original appearance. Therefore, if you have valuable specimens on hand, it is important to protect them from darkening and contamination. Before hiding the product in the organizer, thoroughly wipe it with alcohol and lubricate it with Vaseline.

Source: https://women365.ru/kak-ochistit-monety/

Aluminum coins

In this article, you will learn how to clean, care for, and most importantly, what not to do with aluminum coins. In addition, there is some additional very important information.

Among collectible coins, aluminum examples are clearly the dark horse. Since aluminum is a very light metal, coins resemble play money. Another disadvantage is the softness of the material. The white aluminum coins in the wallet have quite noticeable damage and scratches on the surface after just a short period of use.

In Germany, aluminum money was introduced into circulation in the early twenties. A well-known aluminum coin of that time is the 50 Reichspfennig, an example from the mint of the Weimar Republic.

ARE ALUMINUM COINS COLLECTORS?

Circulating aluminum coins are not really collectible due to signs of wear and frequent circulation. However, collectible aluminum coins that have retained their luster or are still in mint condition are in definite demand. Rare examples with striking misprints can be in the triple-digit price range and will quicken the collector's heartbeat.

Cleaning aluminum coins

At the very beginning, the main reminder: it is not recommended to mechanically clean coins made of this metal with metal brushes. Hence, the gentle method using warm or soaking in neutral warm soapy water is the preferred option.

Between you and me, you can gently clean the coin with a soft toothbrush. Then rinse the coin vigorously under running water until the soap residue is gone. However, you should avoid nasty water stains by blotting them with a cloth.

Ultrasonic device: for gentle cleaning

A much gentler way to clean aluminum coins is using an ultrasonic device. A warm or warm soapy bath with the object inserted into it is recommended. Under the influence of ultrasound, any adhering dirt gradually dissolves.

Simple soda against dirt

You can clean stubborn dirt with a special cleaner, such as non-baking soda. Rub the coin with the product thoroughly under cool water between your fingers. Then rinse vigorously under running water and dry. Nothing complicated!

The coin must be dry before you begin photographing. You can wipe the fabric thoroughly with a cloth.

Relevant advice: It is wise to try your first attempts at cleaning and storing broken, non-collectible coins.

Caring for Aluminum Coins

Surface coating is highly recommended for significant Al metal coins. You can use well-known brands of Zapon varnish, which is a tried and tested method of long-term savings. Finally, the degree of preservation is maintained by this protective layer.

STORING ALUMINUM COINS

To avoid scratches in the future, coin capsules are the best choice. In these capsules, collectible coins are ideally protected from external damage. Thanks to its low weight, large collections can be ideally placed in coin albums.

It is forbidden to put several coins in a bag! Transport and movement quickly damage the surface!

WHAT NOT TO DO WITH ALUMINUM COINS

Do not store with other coins in a bag.
Never clean with a hard brush (copper brush, etc.).
Do not stick or tape together
Store aluminum coins without preservation or without a protective capsule (protective case).
Do not polish coins or try to add shine artificially.

cleaning aluminum bronze coins

Source: https://coins-info.ru/alyuminievye-monety/

Cleaning aluminum bronze coins - recommendations from professionals and experts

How to properly store coins at home? The main thing is the absence of moisture and direct rays of the sun. It is important to properly organize the storage of the collection. There are 3 types of organizers.

Albums. Each page is divided into several compartments with plastic pockets. Items are stored without touching each other, they are easy and interesting to look at.
Tablet computers. Made from cardboard. Slots are created on the sheet, with the help of which coins are attached.
Pencil cases. They consist of 2 layers of glass, between which products are placed in specialized compartments. The devices not only allow you to examine products from each side, but also reliably protect them from dust and moisture.

Coins made of various metals: specifics of care

How to clean coins to make them sparkle? It depends on the metal. Any material has certain properties that determine its care.

Table - Specifics of caring for coins made of various metals

Multifunctional household products

When looking for a way to quickly clean old coins, you need to worry about not damaging the metal. If you're new to numismatics, try one of the four multi-tools.

Soda for cleaning royal coins

Before cleaning the royal copper coins, take a scraper and carefully remove traces of earth, clay and other contaminants from the surface.
Dissolve tbsp in a glass of water. spoon of soda.
Boil the solution and put iron cash in it.
Continue heating the liquid for another half hour.
Wash and dry the products.
If the result is not satisfactory, the procedure must be repeated again.

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Ammonia for silver and bronze

Prepare a solution of one part ammonia and nine parts water.
To remove green deposits from silver coins, dip them in liquid.
After an hour, take the products out and wipe them well with a dry cloth.
If we are talking about how to clean bronze coins, then you should not rub them. Just wrap it in soft cloth.

Cleaning Soviet coins: 2 ways

Cleaning USSR coins at home does not cause any big problems. Such specimens were in use almost recently, and therefore heavy stains and darkening are rarely found on them. Cleaning Soviet cash with aggressive cleaning compounds is completely prohibited. Grandmother's remedies are more suitable.

Soda, ammonia and toothpaste

To clean white Soviet coins, mix equal amounts of baking soda, toothpaste and ammonia.
Apply the mixture to a cloth and rub the metal thoroughly.
Remove any remaining product with a brush.
Rinse the coins and wipe dry.

lemon acid

Dissolve half a teaspoon of citric acid in a glass of hot water.
Hold the coin with tweezers and lower it into the solution for 15-20 seconds.
Rinse the product in water and wipe dry.

Cleaning copper coins: 3 ways

How to clean a copper coin at home? A problematic question, since copper is considered a “capricious” metal. Based on the experience of numismatists, it is necessary to highlight three gentle and productive means.

Simple soap

Pour Vaseline or olive oil into a saucepan and set on fire.
Once the oil boils, place coins in it.
Continue boiling until the impurities leave the metal.
When the oil has cooled, remove the items and wipe with medical alcohol.

Before applying copper coin cleaner, wash the item thoroughly with soap and water.
Rub the areas that have become rusty with a cotton swab soaked in 9% table vinegar.
Rinse the product in cold water and dry.

How to clean coins using electrolysis

Electrolysis is one of the very fast and excellent ways to clean metal from dirt and stains. At the same time, the technique is dangerous, as it involves the consumption of electricity. And the risk of spoiling the coin increases. If you are confident in your own abilities, strictly follow the instructions.

4 more taboos

When looking for a way to polish coins and give them shine and sparkle, it is important not to overdo it. Careless handling of tools or cleaning products can lead to damage to expensive items. To prevent this from happening, you need to learn 4 taboos.

If you are just starting your own journey as a numismatist, remember that cleaning coins at home cannot return them to their wonderful original appearance. Therefore, if you have valuable specimens on hand, it is important to protect them from darkening and contamination. Before hiding the product in the organizer, thoroughly wipe with alcohol and lubricate with Vaseline.

As with the winter test of the Tornado coil, I will not be original in the method of cleaning Soviet aluminum bronze coins. I once saw this method in one video clip on the vastness of a common video hosting site. I immediately liked the method because of its simplicity and effectiveness, so, if possible, I decided to repeat it and share the result with my reader.

One day, while wandering between the shelves in a store, the object that was used to clean yellow coins in the video catches my eye. This is a shoe brush. However, it is unusual - its inner part of the bristles is made of brass. These bristles are the important element that helps us get rid of plaque on the yellow field of the coin.

Let me remind you: Soviet kopecks made of aluminum bronze in denominations 1, 2, 3, 5 were issued from 1926 to 1957. As you can see: the period is quite long, so such coins are often caught in the mine. I like the yellow color of these coins, which is why they are my favorite.

So, the author of the video advised that before cleaning the pennies with a shoe brush, wet them. I’ll say right away that this is so that the dirt softens a little and makes it easier to clean off. But, since I’m impatient, I generally don’t soak them, but immediately clean the coins, adding a little soap at the same time.

In this case, I will have a pair of 2 kopecks as a prototype. 1955 and 56 years of release.

These coins were found using a metal detector already this year, so they’re fresh.

Cleaning two copies took about five minutes. The result is shown in the photo below:

Personally, I am pleased with the result. Pennies cleaned with this option look great, even more natural than after polishing. Since brass is softer than a bronze alloy, there are no scratches on the field of the coin. The author of the video even provided pictures from under a microscope - there are no scratches.

What about other coins?

But I wondered how coins made from other metals and alloys would look after cleaning this way. For the experiment, I took 50 kopecks from 1992 (should be made of brass), 50 kopecks “50 years of the Soviet Union” (copper-nickel alloy) and 5 kopecks from 1869 (should be made of copper). Here they were in a similar state before cleaning:

Modern and Soviet kopecks were dug this year, and from copper last season.

I worked with a brush on the field of coins a little longer than the first time and the result is published in the photo below:

As you can see: I was never able to clean the 1992 penny to a shine - I didn’t have enough strength; 50 kopecks of advice - “neither fish nor fowl”; and a coin from the 19th century, on which it had apparently been barbecued a couple of times, was freed only from dust.

So: the method of cleaning with a shoe brush does not stop working exclusively for pennies made of aluminum bronze.

Hello! Help needed.

I read on the Internet a way to clean aluminum bronze coins: dip in NH4OH for 15-20 minutes, then clean with soda. I decided to try it first on brass coins - everything went well.

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Then he dipped coins made of aluminum bronze (Ukrainian) into ammonia, closed the lid, after 15 minutes took them out of the solution and put them in water with the expectation of immediately washing them off from the ammonia and drying them, but I got distracted by something else and forgot about them. As a result, I have 2 dark coins that were oxidized by water. I decided to dip them in ammonia again, but this did not help. But the story didn't end there.

I kept 2 more coins in ammonia (yes, I’m so forgetful) - as a result, the ammonia turned dark blue, and the coins became very dark (also with a blue tint), and cannot be washed off with water.

I used 10% ammonia from the pharmacy. I covered it with a lid so that it wouldn’t all disappear.

As I understand the essence of the reactions: ammonia reduces aluminum and copper oxides to pure metals that are not protected by an oxide film, thanks to which they quickly reacted with water, but why did the coins turn black? As I understand it, aluminum oxide and hydroxide are light-colored, and copper should not react with water at all.

In fact, I dipped the coins in water first before drying, since they quickly turn black in air if there are drops of ammonia solution on them. But the blackness, intelligent in the air, is easily restored again with ammonia, but the blackness, intelligent in the water mass, is not restored.

What is the difference?

How does ammonia react with aluminum or copper so that the solution turns blue, and an indelible dark blue coating remains on the coins themselves? Is this really where the amphoteric nature of aluminum emerges?

Why take baking soda for cleaning? Is it needed only as an abrasive material or are its alkaline properties necessary?

All this happened yesterday, at this time the coins did not change their color themselves. Thanks to this, the question is: how to reconstruct the gilded color of coins? However, you don’t need to answer me: don’t worry, give it a try, it’s not worth it. I know for sure: it's worth it.

Modified on August 20, 2012 by PROfesor client

Here are the recipes I found:

Source: http://versace-promo.ru/babushkiny-sovety/chistka-monet-iz-aljuminievoj-bronzy-rekomendacii/

Cleaning Bronze and Brass Coins

Bronze and brass coins began to be minted quite recently, and the most common representatives of such coins are USSR coins in denominations of 1, 2, 3 and 5 kopecks.

Cleaning brass coins by electrolysis

This cleaning method does an excellent job of removing oxides and deposits from the surface of the coin, but since the coin consists of brass (an alloy of copper and zinc), this cleaning may cause the color to have a copper tint. Particular attention should be paid to the secure fixation of the coin and the electrode during cleaning. On the given penny, when cleaning, the coin touched the electrode and, accordingly, a short circuit occurred. At the point of contact, the coin received a noticeable dent (bottom right on the edge).

This 1969 penny was purified using electrolysis. A soda solution was used as an electrolyte, a current source was a charger for a car battery, a coin was attached to “-”, and a stainless steel electrode was attached to “+”. Cleaning time: 5 minutes. After electrolysis, the coin was ground in soda paste.

Cleaning brass coins with ammonia

In general, brass coins are preserved well, but sometimes pockets of corrosion (green spots) appear on the surface of the coin, and the oxides are quite strong and are not easy to remove. Ammonia dissolves oxides well and is quite safe for bronze coins.

When removing coins from ammonia, you should immediately rinse them in cold water; this should be done to prevent the appearance of dark, uneven spots on the coin, because ammonia can be used not only for cleaning, but also for patination of coins.

Both of these coins were cleaned using ammonia. Deep cavities remain on the surface of the coins after removing the greenery, but it is difficult to do anything about it - time in an aggressive environment has taken its toll.

Cleaning brass coins with Trilon B

Trilon B is perhaps the best cleaning product for brass and bronze coins. Trilon solution removes all oxides and does not interact in any way with the metal of the coin. Even after being in the solution for a long time, the coin does not change color and is not destroyed. Strong oxides require quite a long dissolution (up to several days), but this disadvantage can be solved by heating the solution.

Five kopecks of the USSR in 1952 were cleaned using Trilon B. Initially, the coin had very dense oxides. Unfortunately, the metal of the coin was severely damaged under the oxides and deep cavities opened up during the cleaning process. But nevertheless, the main goal of cleaning was achieved - complete removal of greenery without damaging areas untouched by corrosion.

In general, the abrasive cleaning method is not desirable and is completely unacceptable for rare and valuable coins, but can be used to add shine to inexpensive coins from modern or not very old circulation.

Such cleaning only has a negative effect on the value of the coins, so if the coins are ever sold, it is best not to clean them with GOI paste and other micro-abrasives.

As a result of such cleaning, small details are erased and for coins of average or poor preservation this method is not applicable since the relief can be completely destroyed.

To clean this coin (3 kopecks from 1969), GOI paste was used + a felt attachment on an engraver (Dremel 4000, revolutions 10 - 15 thousand per minute). In 2 minutes, the oxides were removed from the coin and the patina began to shine like new. The shine is certainly beautiful, but not at all natural for a coin that is several decades old.

The method of cleaning with GOI paste is most suitable for bimetallic coins, since problems may arise with chemical cleaning due to the dual composition, but such problems cannot arise with micro-abrasive cleaning. The photo shows the result of cleaning bimetallic 10 rubles; next to it for comparison is a coin in approximately the same condition, but not cleaned.

Source: http://www.wheeclamp.ru/chistqa_monet/chistqa_bronzovih_monet