Methods and rules for cleaning copper-nickel coins of the USSR. Methods and rules for cleaning copper-nickel coins of the USSR How to clean cupronickel coins of the USSR

One of the frequent finds on the mine is Soviet small things in denominations of 10, 15, 20 kopecks, made of a special alloy of copper and nickel. These pennies are reddish in color, but originally they were white and shiny like silver. But, since copper is among the components of cupronickel, it is precisely this that is “responsible” for the appearance of the red coating. If you are wondering how to restore a coin to its original appearance, here is a cleaning method for you.

He came to us from cooking. In Soviet times, there were many teaspoons and ladles made of cupronickel. They tended to darken and acquire a brownish tint. And every housewife had a note on how to rid her kitchen utensils of such a scourge.

Actually, the recipe itself.

What is needed for cleaning?

You will need: baking soda, foil, boiling water (fresh from the kettle). Well, and, in fact, the coins themselves - 10, 15, 20 kopecks from 1931-34, which are either stored in your “homeland bins” or were recently found in a mine. Let us note that the specimens extracted from the ground most often look downright bad and are in disgusting condition.

Coin before cleaning

Cleaning process

Take a small enamel container. We put the foil. Cover its surface with soda in an even layer of two or three millimeters. Then place the coins on the soda.

We also cover them with soda in the same layer as the first one. Preparing boiling water: if the kettle is electric, and the water boiled about 10 minutes ago, turn it on again. Pour boiling water over everything prepared.

Close the whole thing with a lid and leave it safely for 12 hours.

Once done, remove the coins from the solution, wash them, and clean them with a toothbrush. You can use soap, toothpaste, dishwashing detergent - whatever you want.

Coin after first cleaning.

The procedure must be repeated up to two or three times so that most of the red plaque is gone.

Please note that after cleaning, damage to the coins will immediately become noticeable. Where the surface remains smooth, there will be a silvery sheen, and where there are chips and scratches, the surface will remain dull, darkish and matte.

(function(w, d, n, s, t) ( w[n] = w[n] || ; w[n].push(function() ( Ya.Context.AdvManager.render(( blockId: "R-A -261686-3", renderTo: "yandex_rtb_R-A-261686-3", async: true )); )); t = d.getElementsByTagName("script"); s = d.createElement("script"); s .type = "text/javascript"; s.src = "//an.yandex.ru/system/context.js"; s.async = true; , this.document, "yandexContextAsyncCallbacks");

Hello everyone! By popular demand, I am writing about cleaning copper-nickel and bronze coins. The method, as far as I know, is the most effective. I won’t bore you, welcome to the cat.

For cleaning we need a container. I took a jar of (green peas), table vinegar (acetic acid or essence) and salt. In order not to put your fingers into the aggressive solution, we take tweezers. Well, don’t forget about the coins themselves. Begin:

(function(w, d, n, s, t) ( w[n] = w[n] || ; w[n].push(function() ( Ya.Context.AdvManager.render(( blockId: "R-A -261686-2", renderTo: "yandex_rtb_R-A-261686-2", async: true )); )); t = d.getElementsByTagName("script"); s = d.createElement("script"); s .type = "text/javascript"; s.src = "//an.yandex.ru/system/context.js"; s.async = true; , this.document, "yandexContextAsyncCallbacks");

• Put a tablespoon of salt in a container and fill it with vinegar and stir; you need enough vinegar so that the coins are completely in the solution; you don’t need much. The salt won't all dissolve, that's okay.
• We throw coins into this solution. In the case of bronze ones, just a few minutes are enough, after which we take it out, wipe it without fanaticism with three erasers. Copper-nickel ones take longer to clean. Before cleaning, wash off all the soil from the coins, otherwise there may be dark spots. We throw coins into the solution and wait. During the cleaning process, you will see how the coin turns white. Do not under any circumstances heat the jar with the solution, otherwise you will be guaranteed dead coins.
• After a few minutes, you can remove the coin from the container and lightly rub it with an eraser to evaluate the cleaning process. If it’s not cleaned, we put it back in the jar. So until the coin completely acquires its natural color.

Well, a video to reinforce the material))

I also advise you subscribe to the channel “Old Vyatka”, where you will find a lot of videos about digging, metal detectors, navigation, cartography and coin care:

That's all. Coins are ready for your collection or for sale. Good luck everyone in your search!

VK.Widgets.Subscribe("vk_subscribe", (), 55813284);
(function(w, d, n, s, t) ( w[n] = w[n] || ; w[n].push(function() ( Ya.Context.AdvManager.render(( blockId: "R-A -261686-5", renderTo: "yandex_rtb_R-A-261686-5", async: true )); )); t = d.getElementsByTagName("script"); s = d.createElement("script"); s .type = "text/javascript"; s.src = "//an.yandex.ru/system/context.js"; s.async = true; , this.document, "yandexContextAsyncCallbacks");

In Russia, or rather, on the territory former USSR an alloy of copper and nickel was used to make coins from 1931 to 1935. This alloy is considered wear-resistant, but it also has one drawback - over time, a layer of red-brown oxide forms on the coins. It is quite difficult to clean coins from it, but at home you can prepare products that will help you clean copper nickel coins The USSR will be significantly simplified.

USSR copper-nickel coin

What should you not do?

It’s worth saying right away that using such a popular means of cleaning coins as soapy water will not bring results, since soap can only remove minor dirt, but not oxides.

Some numismatists use vinegar when cleaning copper-nickel alloy coins. Indeed, this product can dissolve oxides in a few hours, but there is also a negative aspect of this procedure - vinegar can damage the image and make it blurry. In addition, the alloy takes on a strange pink tint, which makes the coin less valuable from a numismatic point of view.

Table vinegar

It is known that oxides are effectively removed with hydrochloric acid. Its home analogue is the popular means for cleaning plumbing fixtures from rust - “Toilet duckling”, containing hydrochloric acid. It is noted that if you hold a coin in this product, the oxides will be effectively removed, but after a few hours copper may appear on the surface of the metal, giving the coin a pink tint. If the specimen has a silvery-white tint, then such cleaning may ruin it. In addition, the hydrochloric acid contained in the product can disrupt the relief of the coin.

To give inexpensive nickel coins a shine, GOI paste is used. But this product cannot be used to clean rare coins from the USSR period. Firstly, GOI paste contains abrasive particles that clean off not only patina, but also relief images. Secondly, this product gives the coin an unnatural shine, uncharacteristic of coins that were minted almost 100 years ago.

Cleaning methods

Before you start cleaning coins using a popular means, you should choose the least valuable copy that you wouldn’t mind ruining due to a failed experiment.

There are such methods for cleaning coins from the times of the USSR:

1) Electrolysis: the essence of this method is to supply current to a slightly salted aqueous solution (electrolyte). This method is also considered the most dangerous, since a person has to use an electrical appliance. In addition, you must protect your hands and eyes while working. To clean coins by electrolysis, you should prepare a power supply with a voltage of up to 12 volts. Its plugs are cut off, the wires are divided into 2 parts, and the ends of the wire are cleared of insulation. The copper wires are twisted and soldered to metal clamps.

After preparing the source of electric current, you can begin making the electrolyte: take 1 tablespoon of salt and stir it in half a liter of water. The solution is poured into a plastic container.

The power supply is turned on, but you need to make sure that the clamps do not touch, otherwise the power supply will break. The clamps are immersed in the electrolyte (one of the clamps will emit a hissing sound - this will be the “+” that must be attached to the coin). Another clamp (minus) is attached to some metal object (a spoon will do). The coin can be treated in this way for up to four hours. The duration of cleaning depends on the degree of contamination. After cleaning, it is recommended to gently clean the coin with a soft brush and soapy water.

2) Cleaning with Trilon-B: this product effectively dissolves patina, but only if it is used correctly. One part of Trilon-B is dissolved in ten parts of water. Then place a coin in this solution and watch how it cleanses. The duration of the procedure depends on the degree of contamination of the coin. At the end of the procedure, you need to rinse the coin with soap and water and walk over the coin with a soft brush.

3) There is one non-standard way to clean patina from coins from the USSR period. To clean, you will need cigarette ash and water. First, the coin is moistened with water, and then ash is applied to it. The resulting pulp is left on the coin for 20 minutes, after which the ashes are gently rubbed into the coin and then washed off with clean water.

The main purpose of cleaning coins is to give them an acceptable appearance. It is worth remembering that too effective reading can deprive the coin of the noble patina that gives the coin its value.

Cleaning copper-nickel coins of the USSR (aka cupronickel coins) is a constant headache for those who collect them; treasure hunters especially often face this problem. Sometimes even experienced collectors with experience do not really know how to clean such a coin in order to return it to its presentation. The fact is that this alloy is practically impossible to clean, if we talk about a good, high-quality result. And still improve appearance coins made of a copper-nickel alloy are possible, we will consider some relatively safe cleaning methods and its rules, with the caveat that in some cases it is better to leave everything as is.

What kind of coins are these?

An alloy of copper and nickel or cupronickel was used for minting banknotes in the USSR in the short period of 1931-1935. It was small things in the middle segment - 10, 15, 20 kopecks. Minting was carried out in the northern capital to replace silver change money. This metal was valued for its high wear resistance; at first it had a brilliant white color, similar to silver.

But the appearance of such coins quickly changed, they acquired a characteristic reddish coating due to copper, gradually darkened and eventually became almost brown. It is in this form that treasure hunters most often find them, and even at home, Soviet small items from the 1930s that have been lying around for a long time look far from exemplary. And since these coins are of certain interest to collectors, the issue of cleaning them remains relevant.

This is interesting. The copper-nickel alloy with the more noble name cupronickel came into coinage from cooking. During the Soviet period, in many homes one could see cutlery, salt shakers and other household kitchen items made of cupronickel. And, by the way, every housewife knew how to clean them.

What not to do

Before we talk about how to clean copper-nickel coins, it is worth talking about how not to do this, that is, about methods that are useless or unsafe. First of all, you don’t even have to try using such a popular method of cleaning other coin metals as soapy water. In this case we're talking about about oxides that no soap can remove. Next we should mention vinegar, since they really manage to dissolve the oxides of this alloy.

But the downside of such a procedure can be very sad; the image of the coin may lose its clarity. And the alloy itself, under the influence of vinegar, tends to acquire a strange, uncharacteristic pinkish color, which in no way increases the value of the coin, and moreover, can render it unsuitable from a collectible point of view.

Hydrochloric acid

From the chemistry course it is known that hydrochloric acid is an effective means for dissolving oxides. You shouldn’t be afraid of this name; analogues of hydrochloric acid are used in the household, in particular, for cleaning toilets (“Toilet duckling”). You can use this remedy by dropping a coin into it, but it is important to maintain the correct time.

If it lies in the “duckling” for several hours, that very unpleasant and uncharacteristic pink tint for which copper is responsible may appear on the metal. It is important to correctly evaluate the initial appearance of the coin. If it is not very damaged and has that same silver-white color, such cleaning can only ruin everything. And, as in the case of table vinegar, the acid can “eat” the reliefs, which is completely undesirable.

GOI paste is another product that is only suitable for inexpensive coins that are not very valuable in terms of rarity. If you have a real rarity in your hands, this method cannot be used. Abrasive particles of the composition will not only erase the patina, but also spoil the relief, its clarity and even small details. In addition, GOI paste tends to give metals an unnatural shine, which is not at all characteristic of metal money that was stamped almost a century ago.

How to clean copper-nickel coins?

Let's consider the main available methods for cleaning copper-nickel coins of the USSR and their features. It is highly recommended that you start testing them on the least valuable specimens, which you won’t be too sorry for if they fail.

Electrolysis

The essence of the technique is to place the metal in a weak (isotonic) salt solution, into which a small electric current is applied. However, this is still far from a harmless and unsafe method for humans, since you have to deal with liquid and electricity at the same time. Hand and eye protection must be provided. For cleaning, a 12-volt power supply is used, which requires preliminary preparation. You need to cut off the plugs and divide the wires into 2 parts, stripping their ends of the insulating material. After this, you need to twist the copper wires and solder them to the metal clamps, which should not touch!

Now you need to make an electrolyte. The solution is made at the rate of 1 tbsp. l. table salt per 0.5 liters of water. It needs to be poured into a plastic container. After turning on the power supply, both clamps are immersed in water with all necessary precautions. The one that begins to hiss in the electrolyte is positive (the “+” sign), you need to attach a coin to it.

The negative end of the power supply must be connected to another metal object, such as a regular spoon. In this position, the entire switched-on structure can be left for a long time, up to 4 hours. The approximate time is calculated depending on the condition of the coin and how dirty it is. After this, the current is turned off, the coin disc is removed from the liquid and washed in a warm soapy solution, and then wiped dry with a soft, clean cloth.

"Tilon-B"

This effective remedy, which can dissolve the patina, but it is very important to do everything correctly. For 1 part of Trilon-B you need to take 10 parts of water. You don’t need to make a lot of solution, just enough volume to immerse a coin in it. After immersion, you need to stand nearby and monitor the cleansing process. The duration of the procedure depends on its condition. After this, the coin should be washed with soapy water, easily and without pressure, cleaning it with a soft brush. Rinse and wipe dry.

Cigarette ash

The method is more likely to be a folk, non-standard one, but sometimes it turns out to be very effective. You will need ashes from smoked cigarettes and plain water. The contaminated coin is first moistened with water, after which ash is applied to it. She remains there for about 20 minutes. After this, you need to gently and carefully rub the ashes into the metal, and then rinse with warm water and wipe dry.

Ayran

The well-known fermented milk drink can also help in cleaning coins made of copper-nickel alloy. But this process will not be quick and gradual. The coin is placed in the ayran for 3-5 days, after which it is removed, rubbed with fingers and placed in a new composition. Each time the result obtained is evaluated to understand how many cycles need to be applied to achieve the desired effect. This is one of the methods, the advantage of which is that there is no reddening of the copper surface.

Cleaning with soda

Let us immediately make a reservation that for coins that, due to storage conditions (for example, buried in the ground) have a frankly bad appearance, this method is unlikely to be effective. You will need: baking soda (carbonate), foil, enamel bowl and boiling water.

Soda is poured onto the foil in an even layer of approximately 2-3 mm, and a coin (or several) is placed on it. The same layer of soda is poured on top. Now you need to fill everything with a small amount of boiling (not boiling water a minute ago, but boiling) water. The container is closed with a lid and left for 0.5 days. Depending on the neglect of the coin and the result obtained, you can repeat the cleaning several times. After that, everything is usual - we take it out, wash it with soap (it’s a good idea to use it instead of soap toothpaste), dry or wipe dry.

You should be prepared for the fact that in places where the surface is damaged it will not be shiny silver, but darker and more matte.

And yet vinegar

The vinegar method, with all its “barbaric” essence, is still effective, and in some cases the only possible one. But you should understand that everyone uses all the proposed methods at their own peril and risk. The essence of the method point by point:

• Buy a brass brush or sponge.
• Take a small non-metallic container and pour vinegar solution into it, based on the proportion of 1 part undiluted acetic acid to 10 parts water. Sufficient liquid depth is 5 mm.
• Place a coin in the solution and every 12 hours remove it from there and use a brush to remove all flaking oxides from both sides and the edge. Repeat as many times as the state of the instance requires (usually 3-10 cycles).
• Wipe the coin with alcohol and put it in a warm, bright place to dry for several days.

After lying there, the coin will begin to turn gray and lose its shine; this is a natural process. As for scratches, they will not be noticeable visually, since the brush is still soft. But, if you look under magnification, they, of course, will be visible. If the oxides “ate” part of the metal, then after their removal the surface will be unsightly and uneven, like the surface of the moon - nothing can be done about this, because patina is not a coating, but a part of the metal. If drying is poor, rainbow stains may appear on the surface after several months. And one more important detail: vinegar must be of high quality and comply with GOST.

And finally, it must be said that not all copper-nickel coins covered with patina (oxides) need to be cleaned. If the surface of the coin disc is covered with a thin and smooth, so-called noble or cabinet patina, there is no need to remove it. This is an indicator of the age and authenticity of a collector's item.

Copper-nickel soviet coins, especially those dug out of the ground, are covered with a black or brown-red coating. How to get rid of it without ruining the coins?

If the coin has only a dark patina and a minimum of rust, then it is better not to clean it, so as not to harm it.

Soap

A soap solution and long soaking will help remove dirt and get rid of darkening. Use laundry or baby soap. Coins must be kept in solution for 1-7 days or 2-3 months.

Vinegar and salt

Many people use a solution of 9% vinegar and table salt to clean coins made of an alloy of copper and nickel. Pour vinegar into a glass and add a spoonful of salt. Place the coin in for 10 minutes, the main thing is not to mix coins from different alloys. After that, take out the coin, wash it, and erase the remaining marks with a school eraser.

Unfortunately, after using vinegar or citric acid, red marks appear on the coin. They are removed by soaking in hydrogen peroxide. Also try iodine, cover a coin with it, then rinse it off.

The worst thing is that after using vinegar, shells appear on the coins, and this affects their value.

Black bread

On the forums it is advised to soak nickel coins in a jar with brown bread crumbs and water. The jar must be closed, the liquid in it ferments and cleans the coin.

Detergent Silit

At home, cleaning USSR copper-nickel coins with Silit detergent brings good results. Use a stove cleaner. Take a couple of drops and clean the coin with your fingers.

Ayran

The fermented milk product ayran helps in cleaning coins, although the method is quite long. You need to soak for 3-5 days, after which the ayran is replaced with a new one, the coin is rubbed with your fingers and the result is assessed. The advantage is that the copper does not come to the surface, i.e. no redness.

Special means

On the Internet you can buy special cleaning products for copper-nickel coins, for example Silbo. It is very easy to use; the coin is soaked for 3 minutes, then wiped with a napkin.