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Pillar of the Community
United States
604 Posts |
Well said Dave  Quote:
Sometimes you just have to leave them dirty.  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
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Rubbing alcohol (isopropyl) from the drugstore is not good since it's only about 75% pure.
You need the 95+% stuff but then it will melt plastic. If you look around you can get 91% Isopropyl at the drugstore. Quote:
I don't know much about ethanol or methanol but what little I do know suggests avoiding them. Either of those would also do just fine, the problem is getting them with a high enough purity and no other contaminating substances. I believe for ethanol there is a brand called Everclear that's something like 190 proof (about 95% pure ethanol.) Butit is illegal in some states. Medicinal or reagent grade ethanol would probably work too. But frankly the isopropyl or acetone are MUCH cheaper. (medical grade 95% ethanol is about $30 a gallon Reagent grade 98.8% is $14 a pint. Quote:
I've watched the PCGS grading video ut that video is OLD and was long before the sniffer. Quote:
If your coin is just dirty will acetone clean it? I do have coins that are in pretty good condition but they are dirty, oily and sort of nasty looking. Will acetone clean off that gunk? Maybe, maybe not. Some things are just water soluble and acetone won't touch them. Other things it will clean right off. Something to consider though. If the contamination is heavy and you remove it you may find it was hiding corrosion, or it may have protected those areas from toning and the con now screams that it was cleaned. You are always taking a chance when you do a bathing/degreasing job. The end result might look worse. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1566 Posts |
As a large cent collector primarily, I am very careful about which coins get the acetone. I've soaked coins to get gunk from around the wreath and regretted it. The places where the gunk was turned out lighter than the rest of the coin. The result was ugly beyond belief. Luckily they were lower value coins. Like SsDd said, sometimes you just got to leave them like they are. Especially when what you're trying to remove has been there for a hundred years or more.
Edited by Celticsoul
04/07/2015 3:21 pm
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Moderator
 United States
23522 Posts |
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I believe for ethanol there is a brand called Everclear Don't know about you but I'm not wasting Everclear on coins.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2936 Posts |
I'll bring the grape juice and relive my college days..  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1450 Posts |
I cleaned one of my Peace dollars today in acetone and it revealed a big scratch. The coin that was the most tarnished and discolored did not really improve with the acetone. I could not believe how I missed those scratches when I bought the coin. It is like when I tore out the old rug in my house to reveal the wooden floors only to find the floors were discolored by animal urine. You can't make a silk purse out of a sow's ear. Every time I buy a coin I learn a lesson. |
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
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The coin that was the most tarnished and discolored did not really improve with the acetone. Acetone has no effect on toning. Toning isn't organic. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1450 Posts |
Is there a specific book recommended by the group for beginning collectors that would include the topics we have discussed here. There is so much to learn about every coin. The devil is in the details.
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
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Is there a specific book recommended by the group for beginning collectors that would include the topics we have discussed here. There's no real way to put this all into a book. You'd end up with something as big as.... ....this forum where a hundred people are ready to answer any question, regardless of how many times it's been asked. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7390 Posts |
Dave, wont acetone possibly mute or dull intense rainbow toning?
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
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Dave, wont acetone possibly mute or dull intense rainbow toning?
Not a chance. Unpossible. Acetone has no more effect on chemical toning than water. |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
5402 Posts |
Actually there is a book. ." COIN CHEMISTRY" that will help you out on this subject.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
5402 Posts |
It is an older book by Weimar White and very informative .
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
3049 Posts |
I've just been picking through that book as of late.... my chemistry isn't the best... and the author really does get into it a bit I feel .. but it's super interesting... I actually like what it says about toning... however I also feel it's a bit of a sales pitch for a few products mentioned in the book ...
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
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Replies: 46 / Views: 8,256 |
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Posted 04/07/2015 12:20 pm
