A Simple Guide to Cleaning Old Coins Without Damaging Them

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Coin collector Max Hockley explains when it’s acceptable to clean old coins

Co-authored by Max Hockley and Raven Minyard, BA

Last Updated: November 27, 2025 Fact Checked

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• Cleaning Old Coins
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• Should you clean old coins?
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• Storing & Caring for Coins
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• Video
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• Expert Interview
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• Q&A
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• Tips

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If your old coins are looking a bit dull or dirty, you may be tempted to clean them. However, cleaning coins can greatly decrease their value, so only clean them if you know they aren’t worth much. We spoke to coin collector and precious metals expert Max Hockley and numismatics expert Dean Kinzer to teach you how to clean your coins and, more importantly, whether you should. We’ll also explain how to care for and store your coin collection.

The Best Ways to Clean Old Coins

Coin collector Max Hockley says you should only clean coins if you know they aren’t valuable or don’t care that they will decrease in value. Gently rinse the coin under running water, then apply a bit of dish soap if necessary to remove caked-on dirt. Scrub coins with baking soda if you need something more aggressive.

Steps

Section 1 of 3:

How to Clean Old Coins

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   Make sure your coins aren’t valuable before you clean them. Hockley stresses the importance of having coins appraised before you attempt to clean them. “In general,” he says, “the value of a coin is very dependent on its condition. And to a novice or somebody who’s not even involved in coin collecting, they associate shiny with good condition. But that’s not how coin collectors actually see it.” Cleaning your coins can actually strip away the mint luster, causing them to decrease in value. Don’t clean your coins if there’s even a chance they’re valuable.

   • Nearly all types of cleaning will substantially decrease the monetary value of your coins, especially if the face or back is damaged in the process.
   • A numismatist—an expert on money and coins—can advise you as to whether or not you should attempt to clean the coins. If the coins are unique or valuable, they’ll likely advise against it. They’ll also be able to tell you how much your collection is worth.
   • Hockley explains that when you clean a coin and send it to get graded, they won’t actually grade it and will instead label it as “cleaned.” This could cause a $1,500 coin to decrease in value to $60, for example.
   • Kinzer advises against attempting to clean coins if you’re a beginner. “It’s easier to damage them than you think,” he says. “There are professionals who clean coins the right way, and I’d recommend finding and learning from someone like that.”

   Meet the wikiHow Experts

   Max Hockley is a coin collector and precious metals expert. He began collecting coins as a kid and has been involved in the coin world for over 20 years.

   Dean Kinzer is a numismatics expert and the founder of Kinzer Coins, a rare ancient coin dealership and educational coin research hub.
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   Rinse the coin with running water. According to Hockley, “The best way to clean coins once you’ve determined that they’re not valuable [is to] go from least abrasive to most abrasive… The first thing you want to do is wash it with running water [or place it] in a bucket.” He adds that you shouldn’t rub the coin yet because the large particles of dirt or debris could scratch it. Let any dirt come off naturally in the water.

   • If you live in a city, the tap water will be treated with chlorine. This chemical will discolor the face of your coin. To avoid this, either purchase distilled water from your supermarket, or clean coins under water from a purifier.
   • When you’re ready to dry the coin, gently pat it with a soft, cotton towel to remove superficial dirt without scratching the coin.
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   Remove caked-on dirt with a mild dish soap solution. Once the surface dirt has washed off, Hockley says, “You can lightly start rubbing off any caked-on dirt, trying to be careful that you’re not going to scratch anything. Then, if you want to clean it a little bit more, [add] a little bit of a mild detergent, like dish soap.” Use your fingers to gently wipe off the dirt under warm, running water.
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   Scrub the coin with baking soda if you need something more aggressive. If you’ve already tried dish soap alone but the coins are still dirty, Hockley says, “Take a toothbrush and maybe a little bit of dish soap or baking soda and [scrub with] light motions.” The baking soda should remove black and tarnish from the coin’s surface.

   • If you’re worried a toothbrush will be too abrasive, rub the baking soda across both sides of the coin using your fingers.
   • Run the coin under distilled water and pat it dry with a soft towel when you’re done.
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   Dip silver coins in pure acetone or a silver dipping solution. If you don’t want to remove a silver coin’s mint luster but it has some discoloration or dirt, Hockley says you can use a process called dipping. He explains that you dip the coin in pure acetone or a silver dipping solution and leave it there. “Then, you take the coin out and you pat it dry, and it will remove that ugly patina without harming the actual surface of the coin.”

   • Be sure to follow the product’s instructions exactly.
   • Hockley warns that “sometimes it can fail and it will damage your coins, but in most cases, you could even send those in for grading and still receive a grade. It won’t be considered cleaned.”
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   Never clean coins with abrasives or acids. Although abrasive products are often advertised on TV or in stores as effective for cleaning coins, this is not the case. Acidic cleaners remove some of the material from the coin’s surface during the process of cleaning it. Although this will make the coin look cleaner and improve its shine, the coin will be damaged and its value diminished.

   • Similarly, never scrub or scrape coins in order to remove tarnish or blackness. Products like steel wool or wire brushes will irreversibly damage your coins and remove their value.
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Section 2 of 3:

Should you clean old coins?

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1. 
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   In general, do not clean your coins. If you suspect your coins have any value, do not attempt to clean them before you’ve had them appraised. Hockley explains, “When you clean [a coin], you strip away all that mint luster and patina… that actually gives it depth and character and is what the collector is looking for. It can really take the value down like 90%.”

   • Hockley continues, “When you clean it and make it shiny, from a layperson’s perspective, it looks new. From a collector’s perspective, it looks completely uniform, and there’s no character left to it whatsoever because the wear is still there.”
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   It’s okay to clean coins if you’re sure they’re not valuable. If there’s even a possibility the coin is rare or you may want to sell it someday, don’t clean it until you’ve had it appraised and confirmed it isn’t valuable. “If you’ve already determined that the coin is not valuable or the amount that it will be reduced by cleaning it is irrelevant to you, then you can clean it any way you want,” says Hockley.
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   Clean old coins that were buried in the ground. “I would say there is one category of coin that is completely acceptable, even from a collector’s perspective, for cleaning,” Hockley says. “And those are coins that are pulled out of the ground, [or] relics.” He explains that coins buried in the dirt or sand may be corroded or caked in mud, so you’d need to clean them to see what they are.

   • “It’s still going to be considered a clean coin, and it’s still going to sell less than if it were, you know, in mint state condition or even any gradable condition, but you can’t sell [or] identify a coin with mud caked on it,” explains Hockley.
   • Hockley adds, “The same is true for ancient coins. Ancient coins are not graded in the same way [or] handled in the same way as modern coins. Modern coins can still be hundreds of years old, but they’re not graded in the same way.”
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Section 3 of 3:

How to Store & Care for Old Coins

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1. 
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   Keep your coins in a coin holder. Modern coins and coin sets should be bought and sold in original cases and capsules, so keep your collection in these holders whenever possible. If you don’t have the original holder for whatever reason, consider using a 2”x2” cardboard or plastic holder, a plastic tube or capsule, a sleeve or envelope, or an album.

   • Store high-value coins in hard plastic holders. Professional coin grading services use sealed holders called slabs to protect authenticated and graded coins.
   • Use acid-free cardboard and plastic holders free from polyvinyl chloride (PVC), as acid and PVC can ruin a coin’s surface. PVC will eventually coat the coin with sticky green slime.
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   Store your coins in a cool, dry place. Drastic or sudden changes in temperature and moisture can cause discoloration, which will devalue your coins. Keep them in a cool, dry location, and avoid talking directly over them, as tiny droplets of saliva can create spots on the coins’ surface.
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   Make sure they won’t get lost, stolen, or damaged. One of the easiest ways to keep your coins safe is to store them in a safe-deposit box at a bank. If you have a home collection, keep them in a safe or somewhere they won’t be disturbed, and make sure your home insurance covers full replacement costs.

   • Remember to save your documentation, as well. Some coins come with a certificate of authenticity and an information card.
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   Hold your coins by their edges. Avoid touching your coins when possible, but when you need to hold them, wear soft, gotten gloves and grab them by their edges using your thumb and forefinger. The natural oils from your skin can be corrosive, so it’s best not to touch them bare-handed. Hold them over a soft towel or surface to prevent damage if you accidentally drop them.

   • Kinzer explains that wearing gloves is more important when handling modern coins than ancient ones: “If you leave a thumbprint on an expensive American coin, that alone can reduce its value. Those coins are expected to be pristine. Ancient coins, on the other hand, are expected to have wear, damage, or character. They’ve been around for 2,000 years—your fingerprints won’t be what ruins them.”
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  Who do I ask to grade and certify my rare coins?

  

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  Ask a coin expert. They will be able to grade your coins, and also tell you how rare your coins are.

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  What is the value of a 1896 Barber Quarter proof 65?

  

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  CoinTrackers.com has estimated the 1896 Barber Quarter value at an average of $11. One in certified mint state (MS+) could be worth $525.

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  What is the value of an 1875 silver dollar?

  

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  It can be worth $2,533-$4,806 or more in uncirculated mint condition.

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• To avoid building up oils and dirt on the face of your coins, always handle coins by the edge. Avoid placing your fingers directly on the face and back of a coin.
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