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How to Clean Silver Dollars

Depending on the rarity of a silver dollar, cleaning it may decrease its worth. Older coins that have oxidized or collected a little dirt over the years are generally more valuable. However, if the coin is heavily circulated and of a common, more recent year, then cleaning it won't cause any harm to the value.

Things You'll Need

Baking soda Soft cloth Olive oil Aluminum foil

Instructions

Baking Soda
- 1
  Place aluminum foil in a small shallow pan with the shiny side facing up.
- 2
  Place the silver dollars in the pan.
- 3
  Add ¼ cup baking soda and 2 to 4 cups of boiling water.
- 4
  Allow the coins to sit for at least an hour before removing them and wiping them off with a soft dry cloth.
Olive Oil
- 5
  Apply a small amount of olive oil to a soft, non-abrasive clean cloth.
- 6
  Rub the coin with the cloth and olive oil until it is clean and shiny, reapplying more oil if necessary.
- 7
  Use a separate dry clean non-abrasive cloth to clean up any oil or residual debris from the coin.

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