Not just that they are silver: some dates are worth much, much more.

DO NOT CLEAN THEM. That can destroy any collector value. I once had a call from someone who had some half dollars from the mid 1800’s. When I got there, they brought them out and proudly said “We cleaned ‘em real nice for you!”

Arrgh. Coins that I could have paid hundreds of dollars for each now became a few hundred for the whole lot.

DON”T CLEAN OLD COINS. Not with soap, not with a cotton rag, don’t do ANYTHING.