How do you clean a Canadian two dollar coin back to its luster?

Answer 1

Unfortunately there is no way to put luster back onto a coin, but you can clean the coin (carefully might I add) and make it more eye appealing.

Let me first make a disclaimer.

Never clean a coin. Ever. Unless the coin was found in your pocket, and you wanted to keep it for your collection. There are a few ways to clean a coin without harming it. But you need to be made aware that even the slightest contact with the surface of a coin can damage it and leave tell-tale marks that someone has altered the surface of the coin.

There is only one way of cleaning that I feel comfortable explaining to a new collector, as if I was to explain all the ways to you, then you might damage the coin.

I will suggest that you could dip the coin in PURE acetone. NOT NAILPOLISH REMOVER. Although Acetone will only remove PVC damage, or verdigris from the surface of the coin. It will not remove dirt.

I will make one more disclaimer that I have never tried to dip a twoonie before in Acetone, so I am not aware of what effect the acetone would have on the core of the toonie. There would be no effect on the outer ring, except for removing debris, but I am not sure about the effect on the core. It could alter the color of the coin to the point where it would look "altered" and no longer be a collectible coin.

Good luck, and please be careful with the acetone, it can be dangerous to get it on your hands, or if you breathe it in too heavily. Make sure to wear gloves, use the acetone in a glass container, and be sure to do it outside.

Note: Cleaning or altering the surface of a coin in any way will cause it to lose its collectible value.