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Question: Found an old world war two medal!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.!.…
Hello there,
I found an old world war 2 medal in my garden a while back and have wonderewd what is the best way to clean it, i have tried coke etc and i was wondering if you could recomend something that would work!?

Chz, Jordan!.Www@QuestionHome@Com


Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
Don't bother - if you're in the UK, take it to your local museum or get in touch with your local Finds Liaison Office for the Portable Antiquities Scheme (finds!.org!.uk)!. They can give you professional advice on how to clean the medal, look after it and also to help you identify it!. If it has an inscription your local Records Office is a good place to start tracking down local soldiers!.

If you want to sell it, be warned that a lot of medals are so common as to be worth barely anything at all - there were a lot of people fighting in WWII!! It'll be the story that goes with it that's more valuable than anything!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

I would take this medal to your local main library, town hall, etc or other municipal building, and ask them to direct you to a museum where it will be professionally restored!.

It is also feasible the man (or woman) who was awarded this medal is still alive and is missing it, or his family are certainly around wondering where it is!. Maybe by handing it in, it can be reunited with this old soldier or his family!. In any case, its value in terms of the metal used is virtually nil!. Its sentimental value to the soldier or his family is infinitely huge!.

EDIT, agree with the one who said take it to the Royal Legion (or equivalent, though you MUST be British, Americans don't have a garden, they have a "yard")Www@QuestionHome@Com

you can search on line just type in whatever it is,if you can see any detail etc,there is lots of world war 2 medals for sale on ebay,just for reference purposes have a look for comparising you can find a lot out just by looking!.i am not sure of what to clean it with sometimes its best not to touch it especially after being in the ground!.you can cause more damage!.!.i checked myself for a first world war death plaque medal!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Salt and water solution tends to work well on metals!. Vinegar is also rather successful but you need to be careful when using it as it can be TOO abrasive!.

If your really worried about it you should take it to your local museum and they will be able to clean it and return it to its original glory! Whilst at the museum you may be interested in letting them put it in their records as this could be a very useful find!

You do not have to 'hand over' your find to the museum as it does legally belong to you (you could say it was your grandfathers that was passed down to you) but your curator would probably be very grateful to see it!.

But back to your original question, if all else fails try duaraglit it's a tremendous cleaner and is useful to just have around your house!

(and like everyone else has said, try brasso!.)
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Without knowing its base metal composition really hard to say!. That said, Brasso will destroy the patina and that is often what gives the value!. If it is WWII in normal soil, I doubt it has much pitting!. So just soak it in a water and mild soap solution a couple weeks and then scrub gently with an old tooth brush!. Often that is all that is needed!. If more!. Soak it in the olive oil!. Then dry with a clean,soft, lint free cloth!. If it is WWII and bronze it will be high quality bronze and unless you found it in highly acidic soil it should be in pretty good shape!. I doubt very much the soil was high acid since you said it was a garden!.!.!.But be careful, reproductions have been around forever!. Especially of German medals after you finish have it authenciated!.!.!.Don't use salt and water!. This accelerates corrosion!. Good mild dish soap or hand soap!. soak it a couple weeks, change the water if you want every few days!. Hold it under running water without rubbing when you do!. Believe me don't use Brasso!Www@QuestionHome@Com

I would be very careful about cleaning it, so you don't do any damage!. It's better to leave it tarnished than to try to do too much in the name of cleaning!.

Take it to the local VFW or American Legion hall (assuming you're in the US) and they can identify it for you!. They may even be able to tell you who might have lived in that house, and know the owner/recipient of the medal!. It would be very nice if you could get it back to the rightful owner!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Haven't we learned ANYTHING from "Antiques Roadshow!?" Don't clean it till you know what you have!. And certainly don't use anything abrasive or corrosive That means no Brasso and no vinegar! Olive oil might work, but try Efferdent, Polident, or other effervescent denture cleaner!. I do like the idea of bringing it to the local VFW or maybe a museum to find out what it is!. Will you let us know when you find out!? Thanks!Www@QuestionHome@Com

whats it made off!? silver polish is good!. if you go into a music shop you can buy cloths tht have the polish on that are made for flutes etc!. they work well!. vinegar is allways good, but it kinda depends what its made off!. if its gold you need to be carefull as its very soft!. i have lots of old medals and coins and vinegar is great for bronze!. what does it look like!?!?what kind of medal is it!? do you know!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

If your thinking of selling it then its not a good idea to clean it!. First get a valuation if it turns out to be either rare or sought after then the cleaning should be left to the buyer as they will be able to identify what metal it is and the appropriate cleaning methodWww@QuestionHome@Com

That depends what it is made from, I would use soap and water and a nail brush, then possibly vinegar, it is better than coke!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

hey use white vinegar first, then hot soapy water and scrub it with a toothbrush, that's what i do with mine!. don't use bleach based products cuz you could take the outer coat off!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

any metal polish like brasso and a non abrasive cloth if you really want it to shine put brasso on a piece of cardboard and rub hard polish with a soft cloth then look at it with sunglasses onWww@QuestionHome@Com

Chuckler is right, olive oil not any others as they will ruin the medal!.

this is another way and i use this myself all you needs is an old adapterWww@QuestionHome@Com

you can't beat brasso!Www@QuestionHome@Com

leave it in a measure of whiskey, if that fails take it to your nearest Royal British Legion good luck!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

be careful you don't want to damage it!. take it to a dealer and ask their advice!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

how sad that a war medal was thrown into the earth of a garden!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Just soap and water!.!.!.!. Mind you if a VC hand it in!.Www@QuestionHome@Com

Olive oil for two weeksWww@QuestionHome@Com

Is it in good nick!? do you want to sell it!?Www@QuestionHome@Com

wow i would use
vingear=)
xWww@QuestionHome@Com

brown sauce and vinegar mixed together Www@QuestionHome@Com

brassoWww@QuestionHome@Com

Cillit bang!.!.!.!. BANG and the dirt is gone!

Um seriously though I'm not sure, you can get special stuff to restore old things and you don't want to do any damage!.Www@QuestionHome@Com