How Do You Make Old Coins Look New?
It is never advisable to clean or polish old coins. If the coins are valuable, cleaning them will greatly reduce their value. This being said, if you still want to shine up some old coins that you are sure aren’t worth much and make them look new, you can use these techniques. Verify in a coin price book that your coin is not valuable. Use a magnifying glass and a good light to determine the mint mark and date. Hold the coin by the edges and wash it under high pressure with cold water from the faucet. Do this for a couple of minutes. Soak copper coins in white vinegar for about five minutes. Silver coins do best in a lemon juice soak. Rinse the coins well under the faucet. Lightly brush the coin with a very soft toothbrush if dirt or stains remain. Do not apply much pressure and rinse the coin often so that loosened dirt does not further scratch the surface. If encrusted dirt still remains, use a small toothpick or dental tool to carefully pick or pry off dirt. Take care not to damage
