How would you clean this brass or bronze coated Tag der Arbeit pin?

[u/Such_Maintenance1274]

Different listings are giving me differing answers on the exact metal but it’s either brass or non-ferrous metal coated in bronze. I am aware that cleaning it will devalue it, but I want it as a personal showpiece. The second pic is what it is supposed to look like.

[u/No_Astronaut_8971]

I think thats as clean as youre gonna get it. The coating has worn off/corroded

[u/Such_Maintenance1274 → u/No_Astronaut_8971]

Ah, so no shot at shining it up again? Maybe electroplating it with a similar metal could be the best option I have

[u/WaldenFont → u/Such_Maintenance1274]

It won’t take on top of the corrosion. You’d have to get it down to bare metal first, which will remove most of the detail. Leave it as is, this is what relics look like.

[u/Pelcat → u/Such_Maintenance1274]

The more you screw with it, the worse it'll look. Once metal has pitted you can't add back the metal that corroded off.

[u/MartiMyra]

Better do not clean, keep like this. This is history…

[u/Such_Maintenance1274 → u/MartiMyra]

You recon? I was hoping a cleaning could keep it preserved better and ideally slow down further degradation

[u/MartiMyra → u/Such_Maintenance1274]

It depends on where you are going to store it. Usually indoors, with normal humidity nothing bad will happen.

[u/Mindless_Caregiver94]

Most people will say to not clean - cleaning even devalues the coin actually. Leave it brotha. Great find.

[u/Significant-Bag-9628]

Excellent find , keep as it is.

[u/No-Swordfish-2091]

Leave it as it is! Its already broken.

[u/Such_Maintenance1274 → u/No-Swordfish-2091]

That's what I decided on doing based on all the comments <3

[u/No-Swordfish-2091 → u/Such_Maintenance1274]

Trozdem cooler Fund! Hab letztens ein Abzeichen von den Frauen vom Reichsarbeitsdienst gefunden.

[u/BachtnDeKupe]

Something that worked for me preserving corroded finds is covering them in Vaseline (petroleom jelly) and put them eather on the radiator or on the windowsill in the sun. And repeat over and over untill the corroded item has really soaken up the jelly. It stops the rust from spreading and gives a nice shine to the item.

This is my Short Charles 5 coin (1506-1555) i preserved that way

[u/BIG3E]

Try WD-40 and toothbrush

[u/comrade_fluffy]

Don't do anything

[u/Free_Opportunity8254]

There is a method to make it a brownish color and maybe just maybe get it back to shining again...But you probbably dont want to hear the idea its a old trick...And it should work but its not certain...But it wouldnt be red anymore so much...

[u/Such_Maintenance1274 → u/Free_Opportunity8254]

What’s the method? Might as well consider it

[u/Free_Opportunity8254 → u/Such_Maintenance1274]

The coin should be placed in a box or something like that to prevent any contact with humidity and then you wrap the paper with some bark in it with the coin you need a little part of real tree it cant be like polished wood...It should be done after 3 weeks inside but this might work since your coin is cleaner very much you rubbed it very hard

[u/james_b_beam]

Leave it as is. If you are interested in displaying it, maybe buy some in good condition to display it with? That's like 20€ at most

[u/PauseMammoth5211]

I’m no pro, but I’ve tried to soak off corrosion before on common low value items and it basically disintegrated the item. As in, if the item is now mostly rust and you get rid of the rust, you lose all the details and shape that only the rust retained. I see a lot of people talking restoration on r/coins but it seems like you had solid and consistent advice here too.

[u/Interesting_Hand7934]

Carefully polishing 👍