mass coin cleaning methods for US coins, need advice

i'll start by saying that i am not a coin collector, but i figured that all you experts on here might be able to help me out

i leave on the NC coast, and in 1996 we were hit by hurricane fran. my home was filled with 7 feet of water, and on that very same floor i had a giant bucket full to the brim with spare change (quarters, dimes, nickels, pennies). quite possibly over $800 worth. needless to say, the coins were saturated in salt water for several days.

the storm ruined my house and all my belongings, so i was very busy with insurance claims and the like. as a result of being distracted with more important things, i never cleaned the coins and they just sat in the bucket corroding.

i found the coins buried in the closet the other day in my current home, the same as they were left that fateful day in 1996. they are covered in a light green corrosion. i cleaned one with soap and water and believe it could pass in a vending machine or store, but not a bank.

is there any way i can clean all this money at this point? i have looked up methods, but they all seem to be focused on restoration of valuable coins, whereas this is just plain old money. i don't have the time to soak each one in a solution then scrub it with a toothbrush. im talking thousands of coins here.

any help is appreciated, i need this money with the economy the way it is now!

 

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Cement mixer, some coarse sand or fine gravel, and some water. Add coins, sand, and water to the mixer, run until coins are cleaned. Separate out the coins again and dry them. (One wa to dry them is to toss them back into the empty mixer with some sawdust, or animal bedding wood shavings and run it for a bit.Then dump it out and use an air compressor to blow away the shavings) Numismaticly they won't have any value, but the banks or coinstar machines should take them.

 

Just don't let the cement mixer run too long.

 

any options that don't require getting a cement mixer?

 

Ok bud, I am very sorry to hear about your story. I was at panama city, FL during Ivan so I know how they are. The neighbors house got damaged pretty bad by a tornado, but luckily they evacuated but we stayed. But luckily we were ok. Well got to the family dollar. (The dollar store) They will have this crap called totally awesome. It is amazing. And it works wonders on coins. It is a dollar a bottle, and is reccomended to be diluted 1 cup to 120 cups of water. But I just use it straight, because it is only 1 dollar a bottle. And it works great straight.

http://www.housekeepingchannel.com/...ll_Purpose_Cleaner_Degreaser_and_Spot_Remover
Just pour it in the coin jar. And let it do its work. Hope that helps.

 

BTW they also make a totally awesome Calcium, lime, and rust remover for a dollar a 24 ounce bottle. (It's hydrochloric acid, so it will burn your skin so be careful. And common cents (sense), dont mix the two of them. (Pardon the pun)

 

trey,

If the coins are recognizable (i.e. you can tell which are Cents, which are Dimes, etc., etc.) and they are not stuck together, then take them to the Bank! I am pretty sure that they have to take them and give you your money. I am sure that they will turn in the crappy coins in for replacements.


Frank

 

Actually the mint will replace the coins for you if they are unfit for circulation. It is a long process though.

 

They're probably not worth a lot of effort to fully clean. I'd put them in a bigger bucket with clean water and a citrus cleaner, soak them for a while then swish them around to get the loose crud off. Then rinse with clear water and towel dry them followed with a day or so in the sun to completely dry them. Then, if your bank won't take them, take them to the nearest CoinStar machine and let them deal with them.

Actually, I have a vibrating tumbler that I use to clean brass shell casings. It would clean the heck out of them, but would also destroy any numismatic value they may have. I'm assuming that collecting isn't your priority.

 

nah im just trying to cash them in, don't think any of them are special anyway

 

Ok, if you have 800 bucks of change. There are going to be a few special ones. :rolling::desk:

 

commercial toilet bowl cleaner. Don't breathe the fumes though.

 

put them in a 5 gal bucket add a botte of dishwashing liquid and hot water and stir with a broom handle.

 

You could partially fill some paint buckets with coins and take them to a paint store. A few minutes on a paint shaker should knock off most of the crud.

 

well...now that you mention it.

Sell them on Ebay as novelty items

 

Giving them to me.

 

No they don't.

 

Noost - I see what happens when you do. You come out looking like your icon!

Ruben

 

hahahah