dirty, filthy wheats!

Dick · Expert Member

Good morning, fellow members! I have a question: How does one "clean up" the wheats? I have a few, (quite a few), wheats, that look as if they had been buried in a tarpit, someplace! Can anyone tell me how, and IF, I can wash them, without harming them, such as some fluids, will? I hate to handle these things! Besides, it makes it very hard to "tell all" about the things. Thanks to all, Dick

wavysteps2003 · Expert Member

I know one person who boils them in water for awhile and having tried that trick, it does seem to work. Acetone does seem to tke some of the gunk out, is great for removal of glue, but as far as the dirt, it does not due the trick. Verdi gris, the awful green stuff is the toughest to get rid of and I am not to sure waht will rid a coin of that stuff.

WAVY STEPS 2003 aka BJ Neff

coppercoins · Site Admin

Double boiler, water, and baking soda.

Fill the basket with the coins, fill the pot half full of water and set to boil. Once boiling, place the coins in the water, pour in a tablespoon or two of baking soda. Let boil until the foam turns green and shows the stuff is coming off the coins. This should take three to five minutes in the boiling water. You can stir the coins around with a wooden spoon while they're cooking.

Once they are done, rinse with warm water, then spread them on a towel to dry. Voila!

Dick · Expert Member

Yeah, BJ, I know what you mean. It looks like my old batterys, except this is green, where the battery was white, or a dirty yellowish-white. Yuck! It boils down to the fact that dis-similar metals will react, and that is one of the indicators. I will ask my better half, if she can stand to use one of her nice pots, or kettles, to boil my wheats.It would not surprise me to hear her say NO!!! Some one mentioned a "rose thorn", dried, would clean the "tight spots". I wonder if a thorn off my dwarf sweet lime would work? It is a lot bigger, and my dainty little fingers can grasp it much easier! Regards, Dick

Dick · Expert Member

CD, sonds good to me! I'll give it a try. The wife used lime-away, on an old coin, to see if it would clean it. It still looks like it had seen a ghost! How many to a "load"? A roll, or mayby two, max? Dick

coppercoins · Site Admin

Depends on the size of the pot, but I generally stick around five to eight rolls per group.

ldarrellc · Senior Member

I heard mineral oil was good for cleaning coins. Has anyone else heard of that?

Bob P · Site Admin

I've heard about using mineral oil, but I haven't tried it myself. I use Goo-Gone to take the ugly green PVC stuff off, as well as all the gunk that sets itself in the devices. It will not harm the patina or the coin itself, but you still need to be careful. I let them soak for a while and blot them carefully with a cotton swab.

Dick · Expert Member

Bob, I take it that Mineral oil, and mineral spirits are NOT the same. Or yes? Thanks for your input. Now those "dirty little boogers" will get a well needed bath. Who knows what has been hidden under all that filth? Regards to all. Dick

coppercoins · Site Admin

Mieral oil and mineral spirits are different - exactly how, I don't know. I wouldn't use mineral spirits on coins.

Mineral oil and goo gone are good for single coins, but to get the crud off a batch all at once cooking them is best.

Dick · Expert Member

Thanks, CD, I don't want to ruin what I haven't even seen yet! I'll use the oil, or a nice big pot, and "cook 'em"! Thanks, again. Dick

coop · Expert Member

If the coins are circulated then I use a process using mineral oil and a worn out took brush. (Don't sneak your wifes) and I put a little on the tip by dipping the end of the brush into a container filled with about 1/8 of an inch, just to wet the end bristles and brush the coin in different directions turning about 1/8 of a turn each time. Check the coin under a scope and see if it is what you like, then re-brush areas that need it like insides/outsides of letters. This I refer to as a bathing rather than a cleaning. You always associate cleaning with the use of acid. So I bathe the coin with mineral oil and a toohbrush. In the image below, I cleaned 1/2 of the coin, left the other 1/2 as normal so you can compare the difference. The reverse usually comes clean with one pass, but the letters/numbers usually need a second pass. See what you think.

coppercoins · Site Admin

Looks good, Coop, and works well...but I wouldn't be one to want to brush the teeth of a whole bag of circ wheats. That's what the cooker is for. Far more time efficient and does the job just as well.

coop · Expert Member

Chuck: Your right about it being quicker, but I usally only need to do this to a spot I want to see better on one coin. The quick solution to one coin, not multiple.

Something I missed that was mentioned earlier. If you are using a thorne to clean the devices, make sure you use a fresh thorn as it is less of a chance of scratching a coin than a dry one.

Dick · Expert Member

Gentlemen, I have found out a bit more about my pleasure. Use a green thorn, the old dried one is a bit too rough! The wife says "find your own pot"! I guess a trip the the local "Starvation Army" store, or thrift shop is next on my agenda. Is there a way to make the text I type bigger, on the replies? I have to use a magnifier, and it is a pain. It comes out okay on the preview, but the writing part is the rough one. Just thought I'd ask... I don't how I missed finding you folks before, as much as I am on the 'net. BJ put me onto this one, and I am deeply endebted to him for it. Regards to all, DICK