You’ve found something that could potentially be interesting and you’d love to get a better look at your find, but it is so dirty you can’t even see if there are any distinguishing marks on it or not. Welcome to the exciting world of metal detecting. Cleaning items can be one of the most exasperating parts of the whole hobby.

Removing the dirt from your metal detecting finds can be incredibly tedious work. If you do it incorrectly, you can seriously devalue your item without even realizing it. But it can drive you crazy to see something so interesting and potentially valuable covered in grime, especially if you are a person who feels compelled to clean everything whether it needs it or not. Here is a quick guide as to the rules of cleaning your finds.

Leave Your Coins Alone

Coins, in particular, should be handled with care. If you scrub them too vigorously, you’ll cause tiny scratches that will reduce their value, sometimes dramatically. If a coin has been cleaned, many serious coin collectors will pay far less for it or they may potentially not want to buy it at all. Continue reading →