Have you got a stash of old coins that have seen better days? Like with anything, you might be wondering whether cleaning them up will get them looking their best.
Plenty of coins sell for a small fortune in the UK each week with a variety of designs making them appealing to collectors.
It’s no surprise that over time, coins start to look older and less shiny but should you clean them? Here’s what the Royal Mint advises when it comes to cleaning coins.
Should you clean your old coins?
The Royal Mint explained coins that age are often said to be “tarnishing, discolouring” or “toning” but that this is “a natural process”.
It said: “It is a natural process, although the speed at which it progresses depends largely on the environment in which the coins are kept. In most instances, it is a very slow process and the natural patina which develops is considered by many to enhance the beauty of the coins.”
Tarnish shouldn’t be removed from coins, the Royal Mint explains: “The tarnish on a coin is made up of the product of the corrosive element in the atmosphere and the metal from the coin surface.
“If the tarnish were to be removed, the coin surface might become pitted and very unattractive after cleaning - therefore we do not recommend cleaning.”
The Royal Mint explained that while newer coins “are less likely to tarnish”, it’s not guaranteed that they won’t tarnish at all.
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It said: “Obviously, over the years The Royal Mint has continually improved the production process for proof coins and therefore, our more recent products are less likely to tarnish.
“However that is not to say that the newer products will not tarnish; as indicated, this is a natural process.”
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Royal Mint's top 10 most valuable 50p coins
Here is a list of the top 10 most valuable 50p coins, when they were made, and how many were minted:
- Atlantic Salmon (2023), 200,000
- Kew Gardens (2009), 210,000
- Olympic Wrestling (2011), 1,129,500
- Olympic Football (2011), 1,161,500
- Olympic Judo (2011), 1,161,500
- Olympic Triathlon (2011), 1,163,500
- Peter Rabbit (2018), 1,400,000
- Flopsy Bunny (2018), 1,400,000
- Olympic Tennis (2011), 1,454,000
- Olympic Goalball (2011), 1,615,500
Have you seen one of these valuable coins? Let us know in the comments.
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