Tumblers & Cleaning Supplies for Coins, Relics & Finds

Coin & Vibratory Tumblers for Cleaning Finds

For detectorists, a vibratory tumbler is the standard machine for cleaning batches of metal finds, which is why they're so often called coin tumblers. Because the bowl vibrates the whole load at high frequency rather than rolling it slowly, it cleans fast, runs quietly enough to sit on a workbench, and is gentle on the pieces. Our core tumbler is the Raytech TV-10, a practical 0.10-cubic-foot bowl on standard household power, and the Professional Rock Polishing Kit bundles a complete starting setup. The same machines are also used to polish rough stone. For the full Raytech range and model details, see the Raytech collection.

How a Coin Tumbler Cleans Your Finds

This is where a tumbler earns its keep for detectorists. Load the bowl with stainless steel shot or ceramic media, add water and a little finishing compound, and let it run. The vibration lifts dirt and brightens metal evenly, turning a pouch of crusty clad and copper into clean finds with almost no hand work. Modern clad, copper, brass, and most relics clean up well. One important caution: keep collectible or numismatic silver, and any coin whose value depends on its surface, out of the tumbler, since tumbling can scratch and reduce collector value. When in doubt, clean a find gently by hand, using an electrolysis cleaning device, or leave it to a specialist. For everyday clad, jewelry, and display relics, a tumbler is the fastest cleaning method there is.

Hand-Cleaning: For the Finds You Shouldn't Tumble

A tumbler is the right tool for batches of everyday finds, but it's too aggressive for collectible coins, delicate relics, and anything where you want to preserve patina and surface detail. For those, hand-cleaning is the safe route. Le Crayon à Gratter and Le Crayon à André conservation tools, precision pencils with scalpel, brass, carbon, and fiberglass tips, finishing needles, and protective wax, are made for exactly this: controlled, careful removal of dirt and crust on coins, relics, and artifacts without risking the surface. The same precision tools are used to clean gold specimens and matrix pieces too, so they bridge nicely into our prospecting gear. Tumble the everyday finds; hand-clean the keepers.

Tumbler Media, Compounds & Replacement Parts

The media and compound do the actual cleaning, and keeping spare bowls and parts on hand makes the process painless. We stock stainless steel shot, ceramic media, liquid finishing compounds, replacement bowls and lids, strainers, and hardware, all on our dedicated tumbler parts & media page. A dedicated bowl per job is the easy way to keep a clean load from picking up leftover grit.

Why Shop Tumblers & Cleaning Supplies at Serious Detecting

We carry genuine tumblers and finishing supplies, the gear our own staff uses to clean finds, and we'll match the tumbler, media, and compound to what you're cleaning, whether that's a season of dug coins or a batch of relics. Orders of $99 or more ship free in the lower 48, local pickup is available out of Michigan, and thousands of verified buyers have rated us 4.9 stars. Tell us what you're cleaning and we'll build you the right setup.