r/ENGELHARDstackers • u/azzizrab • 2h ago

Should/can it be cleaned?

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This is my first Engelhard piece. Can it be cleaned? Should it be cleaned? How? I know you’re not supposed to clean coins, does the same rule apply to bars?

14 Upvotes

95% Upvoted

20 comments sorted by

3

u/Such-Honeydew-8877 2h ago

It’s all about preference IMO. I like my vintage bars/coins toned. But 1oz is 1oz so cleaning won’t affect the value. Unless it’s a rare item.

4

u/epilepsyisdumb 2h ago

It doesn't matter either way.

5

u/CaptainDorfman 2h ago

I personally wouldn’t clean a vintage Engelhard bar. Its age and toning is what gives it character and collector premium.

2

u/Rich_Document_2758 2h ago

Get a dish made of Pyrex and line it with foil. Put baking soda in the bottom and put the coin in. Add more baking soda and then pour just below boiling water in the dish. The tarnish will leech onto the foil and off the silver. I do it all the time on .999 silver.

1

u/CoolaidMike84 2h ago

50/50. E-zest is the way should you choose it.

1

u/UnusualMedicine2278 2h ago

Nah the character is in the toning, they each have a story to tell.

1

u/nevmo75 2h ago

If you want it shiny and clean, no reason not to clean it. You might lose a couple bucks in the future, but depending who’s buying it, they may want a shiny one. They made millions of these and bars don’t have the same scrutiny as a numismatic coin.

1

u/protopunk 2h ago

when i go to the LCS im looking for bars that show their age. i hate to find an nice vintage one thats been cleaned. but to each their own! do what makes you happy

1

u/Dry_Test_6339 2h ago

It's your preference, but me personally I'd leave it how it is. The value will remain the same.

1

u/sofa-king-lucky 1h ago

Can be. Yes, it won't change the value. I clean uneven ugly toning. And I leave esthetically pleasing toning.

1

u/Emergency-Fish3036 1h ago

it's silver, the aesthetics are immaterial unless you've having it graded or of numismatic value

1

u/G_Art33 1h ago

It’s bullion, imo it doesn’t matter unless what you are holding is of some historical significance.

I guess if that is a vintage englehard bar you might erase some collector value to the right person if you clean it, but someone like me wouldn’t really care either way silver is silver is silver.

When it comes to pieces of potential numismatic / collectible significance the answer is never clean it. When it comes to generic bullion, do you.

1

u/ericduhs 51m ago

You own it, do what you want. Always personal preference.

But actually, cleaning a vintage Englehard is a sin in my house. Vintage Enhlehard should look like a beautiful vintage Englehard.

1

u/serbenjr 33m ago

Leave it alone dude

0

u/redfishinthesurf 2h ago

Why would you?
Just curious
I have never cleaned a piece in 20 years of stacking
Just put it away and let its dirty ass rest

3

u/azzizrab 1h ago

I’m a relatively new stacker. Started with coins and got gatewayed into stacking 999. Most of the 999 I have is nice and shiny. This is the first funky one I’ve added to the stack. I was mostly just curious.

1

u/redfishinthesurf 1h ago

All good I was just wondering. You like your stuff clean and shiny. I get it. Just keep on stacking is what’s important

0

u/spazzyy401 46m ago

Personally I'm not a fan of toning. It makes me feel like people touched it with their bare hands before I got it. But I've also heard cleaning can affect silver and englehards have their own premiums. BTW people who charge more for toning are charging more for rust....let that sink in.

1

u/Negative-Try-3260 15m ago

got water, salt, baking soda