Cleaning Silver Coins..... bad idea?

[93LXHORSE]

I've got a bunch of silver dollars - some are from 1881, 1890, 1921, 1926... I know the 1881 coin is kinda rare, but it's got some wear, as do most of them. Along with those I have plenty of coins from different countries that my grandparents visited over the years.

I am holding on to them, but if I wanted to display them or make them more presentable is there a method to shine them up a little? Or is that a big no no? Right now they are just in a little safe. Also I have quite a few Kennedy halves from 1964 which are un circulated and very nice looking.

My grandma left them all for me and I was thinking of making a little display for them. But I don't want to do anything to them that will lessen their value.

Someday the Morgan dollars might really be worth something..

[Scott Mc]

You aren't supposed to but mercury works well lol

[likeitfast55]

Never clean older silver coins.

[LANTIRN]

I have cleaned my new ones, but I don't own anything earlier than maybe 1940 or so. Basically al my stiff is worth what silver is worth. But no, I would not clean older stuff that is more valuable. Also not sure I would display it openly for thieves, either.

[Barbie]

Coin collectors don't want cleaned coins makes them worthless in their eyes

[0393gt]

Whatever you do don't rub them. Boiling water, foil, and baking soda works well. Line the bottom of a caserole dish or pot with a little foil, doesn't have to be perfect, lightly coat the foil with baking soda, place coins on it, pour boiling water on top. This creates a chemical reaction that gets rid of tarnish. Works great on jewelry too.

[jluv]

Whatever you do don't rub them. Boiling water, foil, and baking soda works well. Line the bottom of a caserole dish or pot with a little foil, doesn't have to be perfect, lightly coat the foil with baking soda, place coins on it, pour boiling water on top. This creates a chemical reaction that gets rid of tarnish. Works great on jewelry too.

Reminds me of a Master P song.

[0393gt]

One - look for the nigga wit the whitest snow
Two - no buying from no nigga that you don't know
Make yo way to the kitchen where the stove be
You get the baking soda I got yo D
Get the triple beam and measure out yo dope
Mix one gram of soda every seven grams of coke
An shake it up til it bubble up and get harder
Then sit the tube in some ready made cold water
Twist the bitch like a knot while it's still hot
And watch that shit rock and rise to the fuckin top
Now ya cocaine powder is crack

[yellowstang]

Use tweezers so you don't contaminate them with your skin/oil and drop them into a glass of coke. You ever seen what coke does to a penny? Fucken spark'len like a MoFo!