Found An Old Coin Collection - Dirt And Mold

Silver coins, especially in this condition and contained in a folder that has deteriorated so much, will likely not obtain such a color.

I tjink the OP could simply rub off whatever is present on the coins without harming them.

Definitely wear a respirator while handling this. Some forms of black mold are very dangerous, and have been known to kill. That said soak the coins in acetone as stated many times above. Take the folders and wet them with bleach to kill the mold and wrap them in a plastic trash bag to prevent future airborne problems.

I'll be curious to see if they return?

BTW - acetone can be bought inexpensively at Walmart. It is in the section with fingernail polish. The bottle says 100% acetone. You could use fingernail polish remover only if it also says it is pure acetone and has no perfumes or colors added.

Also a little homework will tell you it is not toxic. In fact it is found in grapes and our own bodies make small amounts. Teen girls sit together in bedrooms doing their nails and breathing this stuff all the time.

Use rubber gloves, any type will work. Work outside if possible. Unless you have a rare sensitivity to mold, you'll be fine. The priority is minimizing your exposure to the folders. They are THE SOURCE of the mold, not the coins.

1) Remove all coins from folders.

) Rinse them with running tap water one at a time. DO NOT USE SOAPS.

The shown coins look to be common (and worn) examples. I suspect the rest of them are. This is perfectly safe.

4) Rinse each individually with distilled water.

3) Lay them out in the air on paper towels (no stacking) FOR AT LEAST 24 HOURS.

I agree with the other poster. Put the albums in a bag, add bleach and dispose of.

Jumping directly to using acetone is unnecessary at this point. ALWAYS USE WATER FIRST ON COINS! It is the easiest and cheapest first step and, when used properly, is the safest solvent for coins.

http://www.lincolncentforum.com/for...Conservation

I remodeled an original bathroom of a house built in 1950, and the only thing I found in the wall was a big pile of rusty razor blades.

I agree with BadThad in that all the coins are probably common, but I suggest that you look through them for any key dates and be particularly careful with those. Good luck, and I'm interested to see how this turns out.


This makes me wonder what could be in my house... then again, it was only built in 1982 so finding coins in the walls seems rather unlikely.