Hobbies And Interests
Things You'll Need
Instructions
Make sure your pennies are acceptable specimens to restore. Use the magnifying glass or loop to identify all your old pennies, writing down in your notebook dates and any applicable mint marks.
The local library will be a good resource for finding guides to determine the value of your pennies. The reason for doing this is particularly important; if you should have a rare penny, you should not attempt restoration or cleaning at all. If you do, stop here and contact a professional numismatist. If not, continue to the cleaning process.
Mix 1 tsp. salt and 1/4 cup of white vinegar into your glass bowl. The acidic properties in the vinegar will eventually eat some of the corrosion from the pennies. Let several pennies sit for a few minutes.
Rinse pennies in cold water, flushing out the vinegar and salt. Repeat previous step and this step again, or as needed, allowing the pennies to sit for several hours on the last attempt, then flush with water. You should have achieved a 75 percent improvement rate. If not, or for additional cleaning methods, continue on.
Air dry the pennies on an old dish rag or paper towel.
A pencil eraser may be used around the edge of the penny or on the surface and works well removing additional debris. Rub gently so as not to remove too much detail, such as the small mint marks on the penny itself. Do not use the white or gray erasers with grit in them or it will damage the penny.
An optional additional step would be to use a toothbrush and copper cleaner to further clean the pennies and shine them bright. Use with caution; scratching and scuffing may occur.