Why are my pennies blue?

A penny is made of copper. The vinegar on the paper towel helps the copper in the penny easily react with the oxygen in the air to form a blue-green colored compound called malachite.

Why do coins turn blue?

Toning occurs naturally over time. It is primarily the result of oxygen and/or sulfur reacting with the coin's metal. However, the toning process can be accelerated by heat, moisture, and various chemicals in the environment.

Why do pennies change color?

The change from green to black is a sign of progressive corrosion. It occurs when the copper-hydroxide-carbonate on the penny's surface reacts further with oxygen and moisture in the air to form copper sulfides. Older pennies may never reach this level of corrosion and thus maintain a lighter green coat.

Why do pennies not turn green?

You may notice that not all of your pennies turn green. This usually has to do with the age of your pennies. Prior to 1982 pennies were made of copper. After 1982, they were made with only 2.5% copper and coated with zinc, so there are not as many copper molecules exposed to do this reaction.

Why does Coke clean a penny?

The soda cleans the pennies because it contains phosphoric acid. Phosphoric acid breaks down the copper oxygen compound and causes a new layer of the copper to be exposed.

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How do you remove copper oxide?

(1) Simple way is by scrubbing the metal surface with the lemon covered in salt to remove the copper oxide. The acids in the lemon loosen the copper oxide and the abrasiveness of the salt crystals scrapes away the loosened particles.

What is the rarest penny in the world?

1943-D Lincoln Bronze Cent

Many of these coins exhibit wear from circulation. This is an indication that they were not "helped" by some unscrupulous mint employee. But the rarest of all is this single known pristine example from the Denver mint. It is the most valuable Lincoln penny in the world.

What are the 15 most valuable pennies?

How do you make pennies blue?

When you add vinegar and salt to pennies, it dissolves the top copper-oxide layer of the penny. This causes the copper atoms to mix with oxygen in the air and chlorine in the salt. This creates a blue-green substance known as malachite. It's chemistry in action!

Can you speed up copper oxidation?

You can sprinkle a little bit of salt on its surface to further speed up oxidation.

What does tarnished penny mean?

When oxygen binds with copper, they form a new molecule known as copper oxide. Copper oxide is brownish or sometimes black in color (depending on other things in the penny's environment). This is why most pennies you see look dirty or tarnished—it's not actually dirt but copper oxide that makes them look so dull.

How do you get rid of the blue stuff on pennies?

Copper oxide dissolves in a mixture of weak acid and table salt-and vinegar is an acid. You could also clean your pennies with salt and lemon juice or orange juice, because those juices are acids, too.

How do you remove oxidation from coins?

Are discolored coins worth anything?

Different colors and patterns of toning can have varying effects on a coin's grade and value. For example, brown spotty toning could decrease a coin's value, while colorful rainbow toning could increase it.

What penny is worth $1000000?

1943-S Lincoln Cent Sells for $1 Million.

What is a rare penny to find?

With only about one million pennies minted, the 1914 Denver Mint Lincoln penny is rare for a one-cent coin. Of those million, nearly all the coins went into circulation, making it extremely difficult to find one in mint condition. An uncirculated one sold by Legend Auctions fetched almost $159,000 in 2018.

Why is a 1958 D penny rare?

One of the biggest and rarest errors for Wheat Pennies is the 1958 Doubled Die Error. Only three examples are known to exist, with only two being officially graded by PCGS, a third party grader. Doubling can be seen very clearly on the obverse of the coin.

How much is 80000 pennies worth?

For example, 80,000 pennies would be worth around $800.

What is the oldest penny?

What is this? The oldest penny in the world is the Birch Cent of 1792.

Why is the 1941 penny worth so much?

The most valuable variety of the 1941 wheat penny by far is one in which the obverse face has been struck twice, an error known as a doubled die. Depending on the color (red being worth the most), lower grades of this coin can be worth over $80, and this increases dramatically in higher grades.

How do you remove blue copper stains?

Create a paste by mixing together equal parts white vinegar, flour, and salt. Apply this paste to any copper stains in your bathroom. Allow it to sit for 30 minutes, then wash it away with some soap and water.

Can you reverse copper oxidation?

If you have stubborn copper oxidation due to exposure to air and water, cover the surface of the copper with salt and begin to rub it vigorously with a soft rag. Keep rubbing until the bluish-green discoloration has disappeared.

How do you reverse copper oxide?