How to Shine a Copper Penney

Over time copper pennies, which are a shiny orange color when first produced, turn brown with use. Coin dealers do not recommend shining or cleaning your coins as it often scratches, leaves spots or harms the coins, which decreases the coin's value. For this reason, coin dealers prefer purchasing coins in their natural state. If you are sure that you want to clean your coins, use a method that is the least harmful. It is highly suggested that you experiment on low-value coins before attempting to shine higher-value coins.

Things You'll Need

• Copper pennies
• Rubber gloves
• Industrial strength coin brightener, which is available at coin dealers and suppliers
• Soft toothbrush or cotton swab
• Baking soda

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Instructions

1. • 1

     Put on rubber gloves before handling the cleaner or the coins that have been soaked in the cleaner.

   • 2

     Soak the coins in the cleaner.

   • 3

     Remove dirt from the crevices of the coin using a soft toothbrush or cotton swab by moving it in a massaging fashion.

   • 4

     Continue to soak the coins until you have achieved the desired look. This can take days, weeks or months.

   • 5

     Neutralize the cleaner from the coin by rubbing baking soda on the penny. Hold the coin under running water until it is clean.