A question about cleaning pennies for pressing...

[skriegerjr]

Got all our pre 1982 pennies soaking in vinegar, peroxide and baking soda mixture as recommended on this thread...(the corrosion had turned the liquid aqua blue) getting ready for all the penny presses!

The pennies are shocking how much better they look, there are some wheat pennies that look like they were made yesterday!

My DW and DD5 plan to make bracelets out of them!

Sent from my rooted Samsung Galaxy SIII using the DISBoards app

 

[cdavid01]

Very cool info! Time to start digging for the good ones!!!

 

[Luv0fDisney]

Awesome. I save the shiny pennies i get from change and i have a coin purse filled. Lol.

 

[Urugami]

The pennies are shocking how much better they look, there are some wheat pennies that look like they were made yesterday!

You're not going to PRESS those wheat pennies, are you?
I'd press a zinc penny and re-plate it before I did that.

 

[tjevans]

My kids did a fun little experiment: they had three little bowls - one with ketchup, one with vinegar and one with coke. They soaked the pennies overnight, stirring occassionally and the vinegar worked best but Coke sure worked too! Kind of made them think about what Coke can do inside your body!

Not much, other than contribute to excess calories.

Source

 

[Nakkira]

I personally use any of the "acid methods" Vinegar, Lemon, etc.
Soak & Shake/Wipe.

Then I rub them with toothpaste to get off the last of the junk and re-shine them.
Or Baking Soda paste.

TIP: If you need a penny last minute while in the park (maybe you did not bring enough) soak it in Ketchup and wipe it with a napkin.
Also, try buffing them with a Pencil eraser. IT is astounding what that accomplishes.

 

[Nakkira]

Are you supposed to?? My husband is a penny freak too!! And why before 1982??

Before 1982 they were made of pure copper.
It makes a Much better looking penny in the end (with a little cleaning first).

 

[cujochurch]

I just did this today in preparation of our trip. I tried vinegar and salt it worked great for the newer pennies. Some of the pre 1982 pennies were super dirty. I used Brasso metal polish. It made them all shiny and took off even the darkest marks.

 

[jenbelles]

You're not going to PRESS those wheat pennies, are you? I'd press a zinc penny and re-plate it before I did that.

Why shouldn't you press a wheat penny?!?!?!

 

[bopper]

Before 1982 they were made of pure copper.
It makes a Much better looking penny in the end (with a little cleaning first).

...and the reason is that when you squish a post 1982 penny, you see the zinc guts coming through. Pre1982 all copper squished penny is all copper, not part copper part zinc looking.

 

[bopper]

Why shouldn't you press a wheat penny?!?!?!

Wheat pennies are more rare and therefor every so slightly more valuable.

 

[perdidochas]

My kids did a fun little experiment: they had three little bowls - one with ketchup, one with vinegar and one with coke. They soaked the pennies overnight, stirring occassionally and the vinegar worked best but Coke sure worked too! Kind of made them think about what Coke can do inside your body!

We already have acid in our stomach that will dissolve pennies. Coke is not nearly as acidic as vinegar, which nobody thinks is harmful to your body.

 

[snowman]

Because, ya know, with finals coming and an Abnormal Psych paper to write, I just don't have enough to keep me busy.....I decided today would be my "great penny experiment" day.

I took a bunch of old, nasty, dirty pennies and tried 7 different cleaning agents. They were all in the same type of container (pyrex custard cups, for the record) and I set a timer so everything was soaking for pretty close to equal time.

Dish one - Apple Cider vinegar with salt
Dish two - White vinegar with salt
Dish three - A1 Steak Sauce
Dish four - Ketchup
Dish five - Texas Pete's hot sauce
Dish six - Lemon juice and baking soda
Dish seven - Coke

And, believe it or not, that is pretty much how they fell, when it came to cleaning power. Though the ketchup did do a bit better than the steak sauce.

Hmmm, what can I stall off my studying for tomorrow?

 

[Urugami]

Wheat pennies are more rare and therefore ever so slightly more valuable.

Sorry for my extended absence from the thread after riling it up like that.
But, yes, that was what I should have said. Wheat pennies are sought after by coin collectors, and I'd rather see them go there than be crushed into a monorail badge, cool as that is.