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 Replies: 29 / Views: 3,955 |
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Valued Member
India
265 Posts |
if you want to clean your coins, experiment with low value coins, which means that even if something goes wrong, the loss wont be big. People worrying about the state of future owners, is futile. The coin which you have in your hand is yours, let it not go away, save it for your future generation.
warm wishes.
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Rest in Peace
United States
3039 Posts |
Be VERY VERY careful with acetone. Highly flammable and the fumes are toxic.  |
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Moderator
 United States
15459 Posts |
Hoping this thread does not degenerate into a fight amongst the family! In the spirit of offering some third-party advise ..... following long quote (sorry Admin Dudes if not allowed) is taken directly from the web page of ANACS ..... the longest-standing TPG out there and the grading arm of the American Numismatic Society ...... Here is the 'official' ANACS advise regarding usage of acetone ..... in this case for purposes of PVC removal: What is PVC residue?
PVC residue is a surface contaminant that may be caused by storing a coin in a soft, pliable vinyl flip. The amount of time a coin needs to reside in a vinyl flip before the PVC film develops will vary significantly, depending on temperature, humidity, the age of the flip, and the type of coin. Under optimal conditions, PVC residue can begin to form in as little as two weeks. At ANACS, we only use Mylar flips. Mylar flips are free of all PVC.
The composition of a coin is a strong factor with the formation of PVC residue.
A gold or platinum coin will be the most resistant, a silver coin is next, and a copper or copper-nickel coin will be the most susceptible. Copper and copper-nickel coins are also highly susceptible to corrosion and/or spotting from excessive moisture and high temperatures. Due to this, collectors need to be extra careful with their choices of storage materials for these coins.
During the manufacturing process for soft vinyl flips, an agent is added to increase pliability. The main reason for this is to allow the flips to be reused without breaking or tearing. This softening agent will migrate out of the plastic over time, and becomes the surface film that is called "PVC Residue." As this film continues to degrade, it eventually turns into a mild acid, and begins to attack the surface of the coin. Until the film is removed from the coin, it is usually not possible to tell if the coin has been damaged. Additionally, this chemical reaction can continue even if the coin is sealed in an inert plastic holder. This is why ANACS does not encapsulate coins with active PVC contamination.
Recognizing PVC residue is not always easy. When the residue begins to form, it often appears as light milky spots on the coin. PVC residue also appears as streaks or a light haze, and ranges from nearly white to dark green or gray. If the coin has enough contacontamination and your sense of smell is good, you will detect an odor that imitates the smell of a new plastic shower curtain.
For most coins, removal of PVC residue is a simple process. Gold, platinum and silver coins are easier to decontaminate than copper and copper-nickel coins, and business strikes are easier than Proof coins, but as with any coin, proper caution must be utilized. Pure acetone is the best solvent for PVC residue removal, and like many solvents, acetone must be handled properly in a controlled environment.
When using acetone, proper ventilation is a necessity, and extended exposure is not recommended. Wearing chemical-resistant gloves and eye protection is a good precaution against accidental acetone contact with your skin or eyes. You also need to avoid any type of open flame or spark, as acetone is highly flammable. If you are uncomfortable with these types of procedures, it is recommended that you make use of a PVC removal service to decontaminate your coins.
Pour a small amount of pure acetone (the kind you can purchase in the paint section of a hardware or home improvement store) into a small glass or metal container. Acetone can eat through plastic, so using a plastic container is not recommended. With light PVC residue, gently swishing the coin back and forth in the acetone while holding the coin with a gloved hand will often remove the residue. Let the coin air dry afterwards on a soft cloth to avoid damaging the coin's surfaces, and then inspect carefully.
With heavier residue, or contamination that has been on the coin for more than a month or two, more effort will be required. In these instances, the use of Q-tips can handle the residue. Begin by soaking the head of a Q-tip in the acetone, then carefully roll the head of the Q-tip across the surface of the coin. Make sure that the head of the Q-tip stays wet, as a dry Q-tip could scratch the coin. Continue to work the surfaces of the coin for about 15 seconds or so, then inspect the head of the Q-tip. If the process is working, you should see a green, gray or brown discoloration on the cotton tip.
Throw the first Q-tip away, and repeat the process with a second Q-tip. Continue until the head of the Q-tip remains white after working the surface of the coin. Once this happens, turn the coin over and perform the same operation on the other side. After all visible PVC residue has been removed, and the Q-tip stays clean, place the coin on a clean, soft cloth and let it air dry. You can also give the coin a few light swishes through the acetone, to remove any remaining traces.
As with any restoration process, proper care must be used at all times to prevent damage to the coin's surfaces. Experiment with low-value coins first to familiarize yourself with the process. Done correctly, using pure acetone to remove PVC residue will not harm the surfaces of a coin, but if performed improperly, you could end up with a hairlined or otherwise damaged example. Not sure if this adds fuel to the fire ...... hoping all can agree the subject of coin 'restoration' is a sensitive one with many grey areas. David |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1534 Posts |
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... only adds to the elusiveness. Seems a catch-22. One needs years of practice AND one should not do anything to a coin, unless you know what you are doing. Hard to square that. I think coppercoins made it clear. It isn't some absolutely rock solid list of when to do it and when not to. It takes experience and years of learning-it isn't just one quick and easy process, and it is definitely not some sort of a trade secret. Don't do it to high value coins if you're not familiar with the results and steps of conservation, but there's nothing wrong with experimenting with lower value and circulation coins to learn the results and when it's necessary and when it isn't. |
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Valued Member
United States
193 Posts |
Just wondering has anyone ever tried using an ultrasoninc cleaner on coins? like the kind that are used for jewelry? Not that I'm advocating this but I'm curious as to if anyone has ever tried it.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4989 Posts |
For household use, Acetone is very safe. You would have to inhale or ingest a large amount to cause any long term damage.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
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Carl, that picture proves absolutely nothing. It is blatantly obvious that all of those coins had been harshly cleaned and were ruined long before acetone ever touched them.
Not sure what you mean but not all these were cleaned that I know of. Yes some were, but some were just normal coins. And those are not the only ones I've experimented with. Some time ago there was a reference to an article on how Acetone soaking Copper coins that are exposed to the Sun causes a reaction. I too thought that article was a joke so I tried it with multiples over and over. In Sunlight, darkness, hot weather, cold weather and in almost every instance there was some to extensive reactions pending the amount of time. TRY IT. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
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For household use, Acetone is very safe. You would have to inhale or ingest a large amount to cause any long term damage.
I suggest a visit to the ATSDR web site. On the Home page, far right is a list of Links. Click on that and go to Acetone. Oddly enough a great web site not full of possibilities, maybe's, I think so's, could be, might be, etc. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1534 Posts |
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Just wondering has anyone ever tried using an ultrasoninc cleaner on coins? like the kind that are used for jewelry? Not that I'm advocating this but I'm curious as to if anyone has ever tried it. Sonic cleaners are never a good idea. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
584 Posts |
How does everyone feel about Autoclaves. Spelling might not be right. I used it to clear up some of my hard to read cents approx 3 sets of 25. I used Distilled water! But I did run a test with tap water just to see if it truly made a difference. When I tried the Tap water test. The cents I used were of no value other than face. The result shocked me. Not sure if it has to do with our areas water.(Somerset County NJ) But Tap water cents mostly came out lighter (pinkish) Results were much better with distilled water. I wish I could say it was a cure all. But some just seemed to stubborn to shake free the grime, dirt, corrosion, and other hard to remove pains. I wish I had written the dates down, Now that I think about it. I ran 180 Cycles with the distilled water. Tap water I ran 360sec cycles. I don't think I harmed the surface of the coins with the distilled water anyone know if this would change / devalue the coin in any way. Metal & water isn't a great combination. When done I used a Coin Towel W/ light patting to get any surface water off then let air dry for 1 to a few days per side. I say few days cause id forget to flip them LOL. I was tempted to add a little dish soap to the water but held off. One thing I did notice is the little air bubbles that form from vibration does indeed lift off a good amount of dirt...and other things that can be rough to remove. Id have to say I was pleased with the results. I wonder if a solution could be made to aid the process. Of course nothing that would alter the coin. Now that I think of it I cant say 100% if I didn't add some soap to the tap water.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3294 Posts |
The NFPA rates acetone as a 1 (on a scale of 0-4, 0 being no risk and 4 being nastily lethal) for health hazard. This would imply that that the risk from acetone does exist, but is probably limited to prolonged exposure or high dose exposure.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19963 Posts |
John - Keep in mind there's a huge difference between cleaning and conservation. As Chuck said, there's no substitute for experience. Like him, I make an error probably < 10% of the time. It happens, each coin is different and sometimes things don't go as planned during a conservation. That's the chance we take but I feel it's a necessary risk. Many coins are better off when properly conserved.
Lincoln Cent Lover!VERDI-CARE™ INVENTOR https://verdi.care/
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19963 Posts |
Acetone - I don't like it as much as distilled water or xylene for copper conservation. It's one of the least effective solvents for removing surface debris on copper. Nonetheless, it has it's place as a desiccating solvent and I have NEVER seen it "ruin" a coin when used properly. In Carl's experiments he soaked coins for excessively long times. Gnerally, one should NEVER over-expose a coin to ANY solvent (including water) for excessive time periods, i.e. > 24 hours.
Acetone is NOT toxic! Your very own body produces acetone and the health hazards are very low, as nod pointed out, NFPA rating of 1 on health. Extensive study of acetone on humans has been performed and it's not harmful unless taken to the point of abuse.
I have used actone on thousands of coins without ill-effect. Prior to storage it is by far the best way to remove all traces of water from a coin surface. Biokemist and I are in 100% agreement. If acetone changed your coin, there was a reason: 1) over soaking, 2)poor quality acetone, 3)an artificial surface treatment on the coin.
Acetone will NOT remove verdigris. End of story, I've tested and written about this a hundred times. If it did remove your problem, then you did not have verdigris. Copper verdigris salts are NOT soluble in acetone.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
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How does everyone feel about Autoclaves. Why would you want to sterilize your coins  I do not think that 121C 20PSI steam would be very good for them. |
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Replies: 29 / Views: 3,955 |
First Page
Posted 01/03/2011 7:31 pm
