Cleaning Old Copper Pennies

When it comes to cleaning old copper pennies you may be surprised at the variety of methods and concoctions people swear by. Even more surprising is the fact that sometimes it is better not to clean your pennies at all.

Be careful which old pennies you clean.

If you come across some old pennies, the first question isn't how to go about cleaning old copper pennies, but whether or not you should clean them at all. Before you do anything to your old pennies decide whether or not you think they may be a valuable addition to a coin collection. If so, cleaning old copper pennies can actually lessen their value, even through you think they look so much better. Here is a list of some of the rarer pennies. If you own one of them, do not clean it!

• 1877 Penny: While many people collect Indian Head pennies, it's the 1877 coin that seems to be the one everyone wants.
• 1909 Penny: Pennies struck between 1909 to 1953 were designed by a man by the name of Victor D. Brenner. In 1909, his initials V.D.B. were stamped on a limited quantity of the pennies. If you have one of these, it's a keeper.
• 1924-S Penny: If your 1924 copper penny is circulated, it isn't as valuable as one in mint condition. But even a circulated version of this penny can be worth ten dollars.
• 1936 Penny: This rare penny is only valuable in uncirculated condition. Otherwise, it drops in value to around 25 cents.
• 1955 Penny: A 1955 penny with a double-die date. Depending on the condition this penny can be worth hundreds or thousands.
• 1974 Penny: In 1974, a test run of aluminum pennies were truck by the U.S. mint. Most of them were destroyed, but not all of them.
• 1943 Penny: Some 1943 "copper" pennies are really zinc-coated steel. If your penny sticks to a magnet, you know that you have one of the zinc-coated variety and is not all that rare. However, if your 1943 copper penny is not attracted to a magnet, it may be a rare coin worth tens of thousands. Don't clean it! Take it to a coin expert to be authenticated.

If you have an old penny that's not on this list, take time to look it up. Use a coin guide, visit a coin dealer or at least look it up on the Internet. Know for sure what you've got before you clean it, or you can devalue it by as much as 90 percent.

Once you've determined that the pennies you hold are worth one cent and nothing more, feel free to experiment with the penny cleaning science which has collected a variety of cleaning methods to try. See what works best for you. The following solutions and products have been said to work if you want to bring back that original shine to your old pennies:

• Brass cleaner (like Bar Keepers Friend)
• Soak in vinegar and salt
• Soak in taco sauce (this contains vinegar and salt)
• Soak in lemon juice and dash of salt, or dip half of the lemon in salt and use it to rub the penny's surface.

It's important to note that since 1982 pennies have been made from 97.5 percent zinc and just 2.5 percent copper. This was due to the rising cost of copper which made the copper in a penny worth more than the penny itself. This is important to note, because many of the cleaning solutions mentioned earlier react differently with zinc than they do with copper. If the solution you choose to use contains acids or reactive agents don't use it on newer pennies minted since 1982. Instead use the following solution:

For the newer copper plated zinc pennies soak them in a cleaning solution consisting of:

• 5 percent acetic acid (vinegar)
• Pinch of cream of tartar
• Pinch of salt
• Dishwashing liquid (one drop)

When you soak pennies in these various cleaning solutions the layer of copper oxide which has tarnished the penny dissolves and washes away leaving you with a bright, new-looking coin. Oxidation leaves a coin dull but all the soap in the world won't bring back the shine. However something like lemon juice and salt or a can of Coke are proven to remove the tarnish.

• Sewing Room Organization
• Cleaning Tips for Swine Flu
• Sweat Stain Removal

• Weekly Checklist for House Cleaning
• Vinegar to Clean Hardwood Floors
• Printable To-Do Lists to Get Organized
• Free Coupon Organizer
• Cleaning Mold Bathroom Ceiling

• Category:Cleaning Tips
• What Type of Juice Cleans Pennies
• Vinegar Cleaning Penny
• Cleaning Old Bottles
• Lemon Juice Pennies Cleaning