So i've had quite a few questions lately from younger guys who want to soften up some half dollars and morgans. I have some very old coins that I use for performance most of the time, but I have also had some very good success with aging newer coins.
These are the steps that I use now.
1. Instead of sandpaper, there is a really cool "scrubbing stone" you can get from wal-mart or target. It's some kind of cleaning tool for hippies and canadians who worry about the "environment". It is the best item I've found for aging a coin. Sand down your coins under some warm water with the wet scrubbing stone. Wear gloves or you'll end up a bloody sanded mess before you're done. Try to scrub in a figure 8 motion if the coin is big enough. Rinse the coins well when you are finished.
2. The coins will be worn down, but "scratchy". Take some silver polish and give them a nice shine. I know you don't want them shiny, but some polish will make the next step easier. Rinse the coins well when finished.
3. Take two coins, and rub them together in a circular motion for 3-5 minutes. Turn the coins over, and rub those two sides together for 3-5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining coins. This step knocks off some of the scratchy-ness the scrubbing caused.
4. Stir together a half cup of soy sauce and 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. Put the coins into an oven safe container and pour the soy/lemon over the coins. Make sure your dish is shaped so that the liquid covers the coin well. Bake in the oven (or toaster oven) at 450 until the liquid evaporates out and leaves you with a "crust" on the coins. This will smell delicious at first, but as it burns it will smell like you lit chop-suey on fire. It will make your mom/wife angry. Bear this in mind.
5. Remove the coins from the oven and let them cool completely.
6. Under warm water rinse the crust from the coins. They will be stained a dark copper color.
7. Give the coins a quick half-@$$ cleaning with some diluted silver polish. Leave plenty of stain on the coin. Rinse well.
8. Place the coins back into the oven on a clean cookie sheet and bake at 450 for another hour or so. Remove and let them cool.
9. Your coins may still appear a dark copper color. Don't worry. As you handle them over the next day or so they will begin to darken. In no time they will look like worn soft coins.
10. Learn to do a real retention pass. Yours sucks. (I don't know for sure here. I'm just guessing based on experience.)
These are the steps that I use now.
1. Instead of sandpaper, there is a really cool "scrubbing stone" you can get from wal-mart or target. It's some kind of cleaning tool for hippies and canadians who worry about the "environment". It is the best item I've found for aging a coin. Sand down your coins under some warm water with the wet scrubbing stone. Wear gloves or you'll end up a bloody sanded mess before you're done. Try to scrub in a figure 8 motion if the coin is big enough. Rinse the coins well when you are finished.
2. The coins will be worn down, but "scratchy". Take some silver polish and give them a nice shine. I know you don't want them shiny, but some polish will make the next step easier. Rinse the coins well when finished.
3. Take two coins, and rub them together in a circular motion for 3-5 minutes. Turn the coins over, and rub those two sides together for 3-5 minutes. Repeat with the remaining coins. This step knocks off some of the scratchy-ness the scrubbing caused.
4. Stir together a half cup of soy sauce and 3 tablespoons of lemon juice. Put the coins into an oven safe container and pour the soy/lemon over the coins. Make sure your dish is shaped so that the liquid covers the coin well. Bake in the oven (or toaster oven) at 450 until the liquid evaporates out and leaves you with a "crust" on the coins. This will smell delicious at first, but as it burns it will smell like you lit chop-suey on fire. It will make your mom/wife angry. Bear this in mind.
5. Remove the coins from the oven and let them cool completely.
6. Under warm water rinse the crust from the coins. They will be stained a dark copper color.
7. Give the coins a quick half-@$$ cleaning with some diluted silver polish. Leave plenty of stain on the coin. Rinse well.
8. Place the coins back into the oven on a clean cookie sheet and bake at 450 for another hour or so. Remove and let them cool.
9. Your coins may still appear a dark copper color. Don't worry. As you handle them over the next day or so they will begin to darken. In no time they will look like worn soft coins.
10. Learn to do a real retention pass. Yours sucks. (I don't know for sure here. I'm just guessing based on experience.)
