Hello, This week I'd like to talk about coin cleaning, although I know I've spoken about it before.

In fact, I just recently got a question about it. The gentleman asked me how to clean coins or if he should even bother.

He thought about polishing but wasn't sure that he should so he then asked me.

You never want to polish coins, period. In fact, I happened to catch an episode of the “Antiques Road Show,” and someone's coin went down in price, dramatically, because he had cleaned it.

The appraiser told him that had he not done this, it would have been worth more. I don't remember the exact coin but, I do recall that it went from Very Good Condition to Good Condition.

The appraiser kind of gave the guy a lecture but in a nice way.

Since this part of the column was kind of short and the holidays are here, I am going to put in a good word for Larry, of Larry's Coins on my page here.

Larry's shop, in Jamestown, is stocked full of great wares from coins to coin books. He has items for the coin lover, coin enthusiast and coin obsessed family member.

He also has things for the “NEWmismatist” in your life—Get it? Instead of saying something like “new numismatist,” (meaning new student of all things coin), I blended the two. I guess if I had to explain this, maybe I shouldn't have done it but, it added words to my short column.

Plus, did I use the word “coin” enough time?

There you go Larry, I've done what you've asked so release my family, immediately. (For the very serious reader, with no sense of humor, the above was a joke. Don't sue me. Larry has no clue that I'm even writing this.)

So have a Merry Hanukkah and a Happy Christmas and thank you for reading Coin Corner.