Has anyone ever cleaned old paper money?

I picked up a 1928-D Two dollar bill at an auction today pretty cheap. It was in nice condition but awfully dirty. I wet the bill down and softly scrubbed it with a fine toothbrush and a little soap. I then scrubbed again with running water to remove all soap. Then I set it on a warming tray and applied a book and some weight to it to press it down.

After it dried, it's a lot more cleaner and crispier, and a lot of the creases came out of it.

I have done this before to newer paper money, but has anyone cleaned up their old paper money before?

 

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You sure like cleaning things. Do you want to come over to my house and scrub it down??????

 

Lol. I could not find much on the internet about cleaning old paper money, and I didn't read anywhere saying your not supposed to. However paper money is worth more in "cleaner" condition. So if it's cloth (linen) I would not think a little light cleaning would hurt it. It did not hurt the note, it actually made it much nicer looking, but IDK if it's frowned upon.

 

Money laundering is illegal!

 

Only those who wish to decrease the value of the note. If a cleaned/washed note is graded, it gets an indication that it was washed.

 

So in other words, leave it be?

 

Yes. The basic rule with any collectable (including coins and currency) is that altering it from it's present state will only make it worse.

 

Let me put it to you like this, I got pretty peeved for buying a washed, pressed, and bleached 1914 $20 FRN a month ago. Clean it if will stay in your collection and you're happy with it, however, I wouldn't sell it. It would be unethical to currency collectors.

 

lol would you clean your coins?
Then NO, DON"T clean your currency.

 

Yeah, cleaned a note, but using a different method, no scrubbing. I posted the results here in one of the older threads, maybe a year ago.

I am very happy with the results, since I couldn't care less about grading and TPG indications. I consider the note saved from further damage (fungus like green-brown crap) plus it looks MUCH better.

 

+100000000

 

Apparently you haven't followed much of detecto. :yes:

 

Oh yeah, he's rocked the boat enough times on these threads to splash salt water on his bank notes.

 

Salt is a preservative, isn't it?????

 

Detecto has never read a thread here that he hasn't started.
If he had, he'd never do the things he does or ask the questions he asks.

 

OK guys, lets try and stay on topic.

 

I remember my Dad saying his Mom would iron dollar bills back during the "Great Depression" (1930s). Don't know if she washed them first.

 

OK...lol
Well I get the point.
Back on topic. NO DON"T
Treat them like you would your coins.
Don't let them get damaged and keep them in the same shape you received them.
No altering, cleaning, pressing ect.

 

tried to clean a bill with an iron once, it was so dry it caught fire. As a result, my fathers work shed burned down.