How To Clean Copper Coins Found Metal Detecting

This is the best method of cleaning old copper coins that have been found buried in the ground while metal detecting, in my opinion. Many KZbinrs immediately spray old colonial coppers and large cents that they dig with water and scrub the dirt and mud off of them with a toothbrush. I believe this to be a mistake, although I do understand the desire to immediately try to clean a coin for quick identification.
In this video, I describe and show why should never do that if you want the best opportunity to be able to identify the coin. In short, if you really want to spray the coin with water and brush it to clean it, you can always do that AFTER trying this method if you are not satisfied with the results. However, if you go straight to the water spray and rub, you forever forfeit the opportunity to observe the results of this less harsh cleaning method. This is especially important with dug coins that are very worn and those with poor strikes.
I enjoy metal detecting for historical items like gold coins, relics, silver coins, and other buried treasures. I also metal detect for gold and silver nuggets and even meteorites. I like to make videos that promote my choice of lifestyle that includes outdoor adventure,
metal detecting, yapping, searching for river treasure, SCUBA diving, exploring abandoned places, hiking, caving, caring for animals and pets, and observing the things outdoors that often go unnoticed by most people who are not familiar with outdoor adventures and nature. I keep my KZbin "Aquachigger" channel family-friendly and hope you subscribe if you like my style.
BTW, you can also catch me here, / chiggsarmy ,but I may get a little edgier there. FB isn't a place for kids anyway...lol.
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[@ScottHead]

I learned in conserving ancient Roman coins that the patina often displaces the metal, meaning the detail is preserved in the patina itself. Removing the patina almost always removes the details of the coin. Nice lesson, thanks Chigg.

[@nefariumxxx]

I cleaned up lots of roman bronze and didn't worry too much about it. Olive oil soaks alternated with soft copper brushing (not brass). Even used electrolysis on the real stubborn crusties. They would have been fugly forever without it. Favorite was finding Germanicus / Caligula under thick encrustations. Wish I could still get the large imperials cheaply like in the good old days about 25 years ago, but those days are gone.

[@PeanutWalburn-sr1oj]

8

[@scottbrayerton2201]

Coin definitely looked better before cleaning it. I appreciate you passing on your vast knowledge for to the rest of us.

[@mrben6573]

These videos are extremely useful. It's obvious from the before-after that the features of the coin are much more easily discerned before the water and oil treatments. The patina kind of outlines the raised features and all of that delineation is lost when you scrubbed it.

[@aquachigger]

What do you think? What step of this cleaning process resulted in a coin that best shows the coin's details and would be most interesting for others to look at in one of your displays? No water cleaning? Cleaning with water? Cleaning with water and a soak in oil? I like the "no water" one myself. Special thanks to all of my supporters over on Patreon! Follow Chigg’s Army! My Patreon: www.patreon.com/aquachigger Instagram: instagram.com/aquachigger/ Facebook: facebook.com/chiggsarmy/ Twitter: twitter.com/BeauOuimette T-Shirts: www.bonfire.com/store/aquachigger/ Thanks for watching…. The Chigg

[@GaryKillmer]

No water! I think we all started off there though. Spray some water on and poof! There goes all your detail...

[@pup8112]

No water and some face oil 👍🏼

[@thecreekwalker0174]

I like the oil idea. The pre water coin looked better

[@bobmain4007]

No water 👍

[@nelsonx5326]

Don't clean.

[@ScottHead]

Once you hit the coin with water it only looks decent when wet. One way to preserve a coin that was scrubbed like that (in my opinion) is to use a buffable crystalene wax like RenWax (or buffable floor wax). Apply warm, let it dry, buff to a sheen, and the details come out better. But the coin looked much better before you scrubbed with a toothbrush, wish people would learn that.

[@RobFindsTreasure]

Definitely loved the look of the coin prior to the water and oil “bath”. Thanks for the copper coin cleaning sequel Chigg!

[@andrewj61]

My number one rule for dug coppers is to keep them away from water and brushes at all costs. I always use the toothpick method. Gotta love that green patina.

[@IndianaTones]

Chig anytime someone asks me how to clean a largie or copper we pull I share your older video “clean it ruin” one. I totally agree with that one watching this now

[@bobmain4007]

Your first no water cleaning was hands down the best. I have plenty of nose oil 😀 thanks for the heads up 👍

[@terrysnyder3599]

Snot works?

[@henny01]

@@terrysnyder3599 XD

[@intothecalm420]

Thank you for remaking this vid Chig. So many people needed to see this. Even old Wheaties, which most of us find to be a treasure, the same treatment goes for. We can't all be masters of the dig like you sir. Best detecting channel on KZbin hands down.

[@CoinandRelicOntario]

I remember watching your first video about cleaning copper coins. It is one of the best how-to videos for our hobby on KZbin. Thanks Chigg!

[@darbysdownhomedetecting]

Agreed

[@OnTheRiver66]

Great instruction! As I write this you instructed 2,800 viewers in the proper way to clean a copper coin found in the ground. Well worth showing one coin being scrubbed with water and a toothbrush!

[@rogermisner3368]

Back in the 70's a major metal detector manufacture company (name withheld) strongly recommended that freshly dug coins should be soaked in olive oil and then cleaned. So back then,I always carried a small jar of the oil and dropped the coins in as soon as they were dug. After a few years of this method, I realized that this more often than not hurt the appearance of the coins. I then began using the "dry" method that you have explained in your video and began achieving much better results. Thanks for the very informative video. If today's newer coin hunters follow your advice, many dug coins will much better off.

[@hamshackleton]

Olive oil is an acid!

[@loripretti843]

I watch 8 KZbin channels that metal detect that includes your Channel too. None of them use water on old copper coins!!! Thank you for sharing this vlog with us!!! You can truly tell NOT to use water on an old copper coin!!! God bless!!!

[@michaelcarter3448]

Your a good man chigg, you just possibly saved thousands of old coins for collectors. Colonial coppers can be very very rare, and the difference in value from poor condition to good condition can thousands of dollars.

[@mypeeps333]

Collectors won't buy coins that have been cleaned 🤣🤣🤣

[@lolAnnMarie182]

If I had ever come across a potentially old coin I bet I would’ve to cleaned it with water first thing, without knowing it would ruin it. Seriously thank you, I learned something before making a mistake.

[@twindiggersminnesotapamandpat]

Chiggs We took your advice a few years ago and also use the oil from our face. It is amazing how it works.

[@bellecarmichael2663]

It definitely looked much better before the water! I can't believe it got that much worse after the oil, I thought after the water step it couldn't lose much more definition but it sure did.

[@renofredrenofred4913]

Hi Chigg! That was very enlightening. Your practices make sense on cleaning and/or not cleaning coin finds. In my opinion the first method was the BETTER of the methods. The secondary cleaning methods did wreck the coin. Thank You for the first hand demonstration! Sorry a nice coin was sacrificed t to make the point. I'm sure that the demonstration will help many preserve their finds and be able to appreciate them better after doing a proper cleaning. Anyhow....... Have a Great Day!

[@threewheeler624]

Great video, again!!! Thank you!!! I am new to coin collecting. I have experimented using an ultrasonic cleaner, plastic basket and solution on some wheat pennies for approx. 480 seconds. The results were satisfactory. The coins kept their toning and the solution had dirt particulates. Also, somewhere I read that old cardboard with sulfur in it can create some toning effects on silver coins. Maybe it will work on copper too? More experiments... I think so.

[@1984rrc]

I agree with all you are saying. Have sadly discovered for myself the error of putting water or soap and water and scrubbing a coin. Toothpick method works well, sometimes I use a piece of copper wire to scrape if a toothpick is too soft to do the job. Have to be a little more careful with the piece of wire so as not to scratch the base metal.

[@maisiefreeman8597]

My grandparents have an enormous 3ft tall jar of coins sitting in their dining room that they have found over the years metal detecting. I remember getting them out and looking at them all and asking my grandad why they were still dirty. He told me exactly what you just said, and now seeing it demonstrated, I totally agree. Thanks for the demo Chigg.

[@Nighthawk1966]

It’s pretty obvious you’ve been a very successful digger for many years now. Maybe I’ve missed it, but why don’t you do a video on your relic room. I’d love to see it as I’m sure many other viewers would !! Keep it up Chigg !!

[@normawinton6832]

Would you want everyone too know what priceless artifacts you have at your house? But having said that his most valuable would probably be in a safe deposit box in a bank.

[@ogpk3]

he’s done one in the past if i remember correctly, i know for sure he’s done the knives and sunglasses he’s found

[@digitaldebz]

I wish I had watched this last week. I have just wrecked a token and bun halfpenny. Not anymore though. Thanks for the info. 😊

[@TheSduguid]

Without a doubt, "No water" is the best. Thank you for your informative and entertaining videos!

[@kilroy1287]

As a young man who was born in 99 I can honestly say I have appreciated your channel. You have made me reconsider my idea, of cleaning my sheet pennies.

[@kilroy1287]

And all this may be a personal opinion I think you are a good man Chig. Sorry if I misspelled it

[@aquachigger]

No worries. Happy to see your comment.

[@matthewleno4027]

The coin was beautiful before the last steps ( mistakes). Thank you for sharing the knowledge in preserving history and the age of a find.

[@bryanmccloskey2722]

Amazing video. Definitely looked better before the water. Thank you for the knowledge. Keep up the amazing work

[@DetectDigSmile]

Great Video, I like the first cleaning you did, I stopped cleaning my old copper with water. I only use water in the field on silver. Thanks for sharing.😀

[@marymcandrew7667]

Wow, I learned a lot from your demonstration! I found two brittish pennies from 1863 in my garden and cleaned them a little with water and brush, wish I'd seen your video first.

[@donusmc1]

I think your original video on this same subject was the very first video I watched of yours. I appreciated the info then and I appreciate just as much now. There’s nothing worse than seeing some detail and going too far to the point that nothing is left.

[@1catfishuntermiller753]

Hiya Beau, I agree with you on what you said, because I had found a old coin one time, and I cleaned it with a tooth brush and water, and it took everything off and now you can't tell what it is, and I regretted it ever since. I could kick my own but....for doing that. That was 30 years ago and I still think about how I ruined a beautiful coin I found inside the woods when I was hunting for old bottles. Thanks for sharing this important information about how, not to ruin your old coins. I hope you and yours, have a awesome blessed day. Cya! 😺🐟 out!

[@tonydowd8566]

I think you are the "Chig" and know exactly what you're talking about. The coin looked far better before the water or oil. Great video

[@johnpospisil3950]

Like the look of the coin when you used the oil from your face. It was the best way to see more detail on it.

[@jbrian53]

Your original video was terrific. I've shared it with people many times. Thanks for taking one (or two) for the team.

[@mickbrown4855]

I’m new to this hobby so forgive my ignorance. I agree that the no water example looks much better initially but my question is, does using the “face oil” do longer term damage? The oil from our skin is acidic (which is why museum staff wear gloves when handling many metal items) so wouldn’t that do longer term damage to the metal of the coin?

[@AprilEM-vs8fg]

Thanks Beau, I'm new to the hobby, and you just helped me to clean my first coin; a George VI 1940 Half Penny. Thank God I found your video before taking a toothbrush and water to it!!

[@mikef2906]

I'd say it looked best with just the field cleaning. The oil did help once you "ruined" it with the water. What prevents a coin from continuing to corrode/decay once it's out of the ground though?

[@buffalo4127]

Mr. Chig, this is a very good video. I can’t agree more…I have put artificial patinas on bronze sculptures for 48 years. The average patina applied to silicon bronze takes several hours to achieve. We use acid combined with water, plus heat at perhaps 220 degrees Fahrenheit. When the desired patina effect is achieved, I do not wash the sculpture. I seal the bronze, when cold, with either spray lacquer or floor wax. The patina resides on the surface and is somewhat locked into the porous casting. I seek to replicate the patina that existed on your coin. And I agree don’t scrub it off, it is part of the antiquity.

[@Dank-gb6jn]

For me, what I’ve found determines how I clean. I’m not a hardcore detectorist, in fact, I’ve never been on a major metal detecting trip. I’ve played around in my yard, and some creek beds, and that’s it; what I can say though: if I pulled a a colonial copper, my first instinct WOULD be to clean it. However, knowing how old said coin would be, I feel confident in saying that doing anything OTHER THAN the first steps you’ve shown; would be a major disservice to the coin.

[@bordenatorx]

Great video! I use your same method too, works great. That thin layer of dirt silhouetting those minute details is what makes it artifact like. I don't know why people worry about ruining a crusty dug coin anyways, it's your coin, do what you want with it, Cheers!!

[@chasebodin4188]

Great video Chigg! I'd love to see a tour of your collection of finds and memorabilia and I think others would like that too. Have a good day Mr. Beau!

[@forestb3575]

Thank you for this! I just recently started metal detecting and a few weeks ago I dug a mercury dime from 1926 in absolute prestine condition! No cleaning necessary. However, I did dig some wheat pennies, that I cleaned with a brush and water and they didn't turn out like I thought they would. Anyway, I think you just saved me some heartache if I eventually dig a nice Indian head. Thanks for sharing your knowledge!

[@cesardiosdado5679]

It looked better with original patina. Thanks for demonstration. You ruined one coin but saved countless others from being destroyed. Good job.

[@rothbergrelicrecovery7360]

Sorry Chig, I hate to be that guy, but although you have some great points, there is some bad information here. Face oil is on average at a ph of 5.5, ie slightly acidic. It may take a hundred years, but that acid will eventually damage a coin. To truly conserve a coin it must be ph neutral. To understand this you must understand bronze disease and chemistry. Knowing how the British Museum conserves their coins as they pioneered the best conservation methods using sodium sesquicarbonate is important. Bronze disease is the fluffy powdery like light green that you sometimes see on dug coins, caused by chlorides. Chlorides mix with moisture and create hydrocloric acid, which eats at the copper, creating more HCl and the cycle continues until there is no copper left. Sodium sesquicarbonate is a cleaning agent that not only binds to chloride ions, but is also a weak base, neutralizing the hydrochloride acid. Soaking a coin with bronze disease and using ph test paper or a tester with sodium sesquicarbonate until the acid is gone is the only known method to stop this reaction without damaging the patina. After soaking and cleaning with toothpick and repeating as necessary until complete, the coin should be rinsed in distilled water. It then must be thoroughly dried (using low temperature oven or chemical such as acetone) and sealed to prevent further moisture from penetrating the patina. Renaissance wax that we all love was also invented by the British museum for just this. This method will ensure the coin will last for generations to come. Also, olive oil should never ever be used on copper. Olive oil will leach copper into it. This is why I’m the stores olive oil is never sold in copper containers, always in glass, plastic, etc. Happy hunting my friend!

[@susansmith6680]

Relic room and shelves got a paint job. Looking good. Thanks for the coin advice.

[@budrohammbone2806]

I attended your previous lecture and the proof is there to see. Too bad so many will ignore good advice.

[@JohnnyButtons]

Is that a Bruce Catton book back there? Looks like either Mr Lincoln’s Army or Glory Road? Catton is my favorite CW author.

[@seastheday2020]

I just ordered the garret at pro through the link in your description and it is my first metal detector. So I'm excited to look for some old coins and stuff. I'm just waiting for it to get here!

[@NathanAvery-h9z]

Thank you aquachugger for the awesome knowledge drop brother. I find things all the time metal detecting and I like to see and learn new way to clean my relics and coins. Thank you sir for all the awesome videos. God bless u sir

[@garylee190]

Thanks for the video, Chigg! Best view was before water & brush. Lost highlights and definition thereafter.

[@jbrian53]

Once you wreck an old copper with water and toothbrush you might as well go all the way and tumble it for a few hours at a time until some highlights pop back out. I'm not suggesting people tumble them from the get go. They should just dry clean them like you suggested. I'm just saying if you've already wrecked it, and it's not a particularly valuable coin anyway, then tumbling might actually bring some highlights back out.

[@rita1259-y5c]

Best info I've heard so far...thanks!

[@michaeldouglas1243]

Definitely better looking before there chigg. Also a shout out to you from upriver at Hancock.

[@ellabayforever]

Thank you Beau..worth sacrificing a coin if it means people learn how to treat coppers properly.

[@NQExplorers]

Great video Beau, we don't generally even clean our coins, we have a few preserved in soil clumps in the display cabinet - look great that way too. All the best mate, great idea to publish these instructional videos. Cheers mate and Happy Fossicking! Warren.

[@yankeetimeline]

100 percent right chigg. Don't hit ya coins with "foo juice" lol . Great video

[@jamesyoder8705]

This video makes sense to me!! Except I don't see a lot of you tubers spraying their coppers. 👍👍👍

[@depthspader8820]

Some good tips Chiggs, your Cobalt Ontario bottle connection! That's right it was us that put the bottles in the trees. All the best :-) Brad

[@dalepeirce5932]

Thanks for sharing your knowledge. 1st cleaning definitely looked the best.

[@shanevonharten3100]

I'm with you on this, definitely looked better in it's unmolested state

[@kevinallman6700]

Such a useful video. I think everyone should educate themselves about finds restoration. It's all part of the hobby in my opinion. Thanks chigg 👍🇬🇧

[@algiordano9214]

Thanks Chig for your valuable info. The coin was so much better before the water. Al, NJ

[@alabamadixiediggers4714]

Thanx Chigg Great information on keeping from damaging your finds. Keep on doing what your doing

[@GENOBURRITO1]

I agree that the cleaning without the water looks much better. I never shoot water on coppers only silvers in the field. Good info.

[@dougalexander7204]

Best was a touch of dirt with all of the patina showing. Woodrow, next door in the trailer park, and the wobbly kitten both agree.

[@doubledee7517]

Excellent advice. Great video. I dug up an old penny and cleaned it with water . Ruined it really. Lost a lot of detail. Wish I had seen this video before digging it up. Next one I come across defo no water ! 👍

[@jerrymccall9116]

DEFINITELY LOOKED BETTER AT FIRST. YOU HAVE MADE A GREAT POINT!!

[@MayaPosch]

One way to look at is that in a sense coins and similar metal objects 'fossilise'. Much like how bones and soft tissues of critters get preserved in stone, the patina on coins displaces the original metal. When those yahoos then go and scrub the 'dirt' off, they're essentially removing entire parts of what made the object interesting and informative to begin with. It'd be like cleaning fossils with a wire brush.

[@normawinton6832]

Your so right Beau, I see so many newbies on yt spraying them with water and I cringe. Same thing goes for them wiping a silver coin without spaying them too get the dirt off first. I'm sorry you ruined your king George 11 but it was in a fertlized field when you dug it. So it is what it is. But it did have a good strike on it. Oil can also take away the patina of a coin too. But face oil is the lesser of 2 evils. Thanku for trying too help the new detectorist enjoy the hobby and to help preserve history.

[@p.k.carlson6646]

Yup, I’ll be leavin’ the patina! Looks worse after all the scrubbing! Good lesson for us, Chigg. Thanks!

[@fernkitten]

You're so funny, your facial expression when you say "I think a lot of you will agree I ruined this coin" when talking about washing it with water! So cheeky... in my opinion you're not wrong, I also agree that it looks completely destroyed from the water and brush! If there is something that happened that made it so I HAD to clean a coin with a brush and water, I think the coin oil does make it look interesting, but definitely prefer the original.

[@herbambs5925]

The coin was best with the patina. The coin oil helped. What a sweet piece of history.

[@ogamhunter]

I use vinagar and nothing else, soak it over night in it and wipe with cotton! Beautiful patina with a luster and great detail. God Bless, (Glen). WV.

[@justins3810]

I made this mistake just today. Thanks for the video

[@richardliles4415]

I agree with you Aquachigger, you messed that coin up. But I appreciate the good information that came from it. Thank you.

[@johnscott1091]

Chigg, really enjoying the channel. And I agree with you

[@sonnypate6808]

When you put water on them straight out of the hole the high points or relief gets taken off with next layer of dirt. Just like you said take the majority of dirt off and let them dry. Then toothpick or one of those coin pens with the rubber on them work too. 👊👍

[@annieg7440]

Thank you Mr Aquachigger, I definitely won’t be using water to clean my coppers again. You could really notice the damage caused by the water. Much prefer the uncleaned version as the detail was still visible. Cheers

[@lazooro]

Thx Chigg, you are the best! Chigg's ARMY 4 LIFE

[@andrewcooper1154]

Thanks for the update on this video. Really important info for those of us lucky enough to dig an occasional copper. And yes, I have ruined a few in the past. Thanks again Mr. Chigg.

[@bd4582]

I think you are right on. I would treat any coin I find like you do. Great video!

[@MT-zd2qj]

Great information for newbies like myself. Thank you

[@dawnwatson4158]

It looked a lot better before the water, toothbrush, and oil. It's a good lesson to learn. Thank you! I'm sorry a good coin had to get ruined to show it.

[@rawfoodwriter]

I've seen Joselin from Relic Recoverist spray her coins. I agree using water tends to ruin most coins. Its a rookie mistake. Glad I know better now.

[@EDLaw-wo5it]

Great info for a newbie such as I am. Thanks, Chig. Havagudun bud.

[@bamadave6324]

great video- I too used water and olive oil etc years ago when I started out and got a bunch purple buttons ands blank coins!

[@chrispemberton7000]

That was a lesson worth remembering. Thanks chigg

[@Findingwithfrequency]

I think your way is the proper way and it looked way better before you got done with the rest of the stuff wondering what you think of the Andre pencils

[@Langonica]

It has been far too long between Professor Chigg episodes! Some of my faves from the cave.

[@gr8finds196]

Great informative video Beau. See ya on the next one.

[@hollissweedman1494]

It looked great right up to the toothbrush! Now I understand why you are always saying to let it dry before you try to find the dates! Thanks

[@cedarbay3988]

I am a beginner, and this was quite helpful. When I went out last week to the shoreline, my detector went crazy. It beeped erratically. I thought for certain something was wrong with it. Turned out to be an electric dog fence. Lesson learned.

[@stevenstark9017]

I liked what the coin looked before using the water and toothbrush. I will keep that in mind if I find a large cent.

[@rasbagna]

Like coin better before water and tooth brush. Great demonstration

[@terrencebuller7676]

Thanks Chigg for the information. I like it best, no water. I cringed when you put the water on then toothbrushed it. The first old coin I found, I made that mistake (water and toothbrush) never again. Thanks again. Take care my friend 👍

[@terrysaylorsr.9902]

Much better with NO water. Thanks for sharing. Love your videos.

[@matthewnichols5986]

i like the patina look and i like the way you teach us how to make the best out of our finds thanks Chigg Dig on brother

[@frankiesaotoandmore5872]

Thanks for the learning experience from Sterchi it's very sad the coin had to pay the sacrifice

[@rickska5437]

Much better without water or oil, great tip. Thanks Chig