| Author |
 Replies: 16 / Views: 5,286 |
|
Valued Member
Canada
247 Posts |
I recently aquired a gentlemans collection that have been stored in PVC 2x2 flips,makes for some slimy green coins, Whats your thoughts on a quick acetone bath?  |
|
|
|
Pillar of the Community
Canada
516 Posts |
I believe acetone gets PVC damage off but not sure if it is a quick job.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
619 Posts |
It's pretty quick. I found a Peace dollar with green slime a few months ago. Acetone took it right off. |
|
Moderator
 United States
56855 Posts |
Read up on using acetone before you use it it can be hazardous. John1  |
|
Moderator
Canada
10458 Posts |
Liquid ivory soap, hot water and really, really clean hands are all you need...
"Discovery follows discovery, each both raising and answering questions, each ending a long search, and each providing the new instruments for a new search." -- J. Robert OppenheimerContent of this post is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses...0/deed.en_USMy eBay store
|
|
Valued Member
United States
117 Posts |
Quote:
Liquid ivory soap, hot water and really, really clean hands are all you need...
Sure, that's all you need if you want to destroy the coin and still leave the PVC slime on it. Acetone will remove PVC slime, Ivory soap will not. |
|
Moderator
Canada
10458 Posts |
You will not destroy the coin, if your hands are clean and free of anything that could scratch a coin. You wet the coin and your fingers, and put a little bit of ivory soap between your fingers, and lightly remove the PVC coating, taking care to use the meaty part of your fingertips and not the fingernails. Then I rinse the coin in distilled water and pat dry with a clean cloth towel (do not rub and do not let the coin dry by evaporation). You will not scratch the coin, nor will you change the toning. Your skin will not scratch the coin, I have cleaned the crud and PVC off the 1973 specimen coins (because they were not capsulated), including the silver dollar, without a mark on them. I have used this same method on proof struck silver-based coins, and then examined the surfaces under a microscope and even a SEM. Trust me, I have been around this business long enough to know what can, and cannot, hurt coins. Moh's scale of hardness applies to almost anything, including coins versus your fingers. If you don't believe me, then try it on a PVC affected melt-grade coin...
Note that Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) reacts with copper in both bronze, copper and silver coins containing copper. Copper reacts photochemically with acetone and water vapor to form acetic acid. Acetone, on mint state coins, is not a good thing to do - unless you are good enough and quick enough, not to let the acetone evaporate on the surface of the coin, providing you have proper low-light conditions. Otherwise, acetone causes an unnatural look to the surface toning. Rotate any acetone-cleaned coin in sunlight, and you will see this photochemical reaction and how it affected the surface of the coin - on mint-state coins it will look like gasoline on water with coloured spectra, affecting the lustre, you can literally see the evaporation pattern....
Lastly, as John1 states, acetone is pretty nasty stuff. Be very careful how you handle it...
"Discovery follows discovery, each both raising and answering questions, each ending a long search, and each providing the new instruments for a new search." -- J. Robert OppenheimerContent of this post is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses...0/deed.en_USMy eBay store
Edited by SPP-Ottawa
04/15/2012 9:07 pm
|
|
Valued Member
Canada
456 Posts |
Thanks for the tip.... Dove hand soap or Dove dish soap?. I have a couple of coins I need to clean but did not want to try acetone because of the side effects.
|
|
Moderator
Canada
10458 Posts |
Well, PG, I know you like caressing those George VI 50-cent varieties with soft hands... but stick to pure soap (Ivory)!!
"Discovery follows discovery, each both raising and answering questions, each ending a long search, and each providing the new instruments for a new search." -- J. Robert OppenheimerContent of this post is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses...0/deed.en_USMy eBay store
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
Quote:
Copper reacts photochemically with acetone and water vapor to form acetic acid. that will not occur under normal household conditions Quote:
Acetone, on mint state coins, is not a good thing to do - unless you are good enough and quick enough, not to let the acetone evaporate on the surface of the coin, providing you have proper low-light conditions. Otherwise, acetone causes an unnatural look to the surface toning. Rotate any acetone-cleaned coin in sunlight, and you will see this photochemical reaction and how it affected the surface of the coin - on mint-state coins it will look like gasoline on water with coloured spectra, affecting the lustre, you can literally see the evaporation pattern....
LOL, that is a bunch of nonsense, pure reagent-grade acetone will have ZERO effect on toning or luster. If you are seeing any type of evaporation pattern, that is due to not rinsing the coin after a soaking in acetone, using contaminated acetone, or using fingernail polish remover. If you dissolve something off the surface of a coin, that dissolved substance in now in the acetone. If you let the acetone evaporate, you have just diluted and redistributed your contaminant on the coin. That simple problem is solved by thoroughly rinsing the coin in clean acetone after a soak. It is also worth noting that acetone is not "pretty nasty stuff". Acetone is even produced in the human body as a byproduct of the metabolism of fatty acids. Yes, it is flammable and volatile but as far as organic solvents go, it is very low on the hazard scale and can be handled safely with a few minor precautions. |
|
Valued Member
 Canada
247 Posts |
Thank you all for the info, I feel more informed and will add that I did try it on some Junk silver and will proceed with some others,slow and watchfull wins.
|
|
Valued Member
United States
117 Posts |
Quote:
You will not destroy the coin, if your hands are clean and free of anything that could scratch a coin. You wet the coin and your fingers, and put a little bit of ivory soap between your fingers, and lightly remove the PVC coating, taking care to use the meaty part of your fingertips and not the fingernails. Then I rinse the coin in distilled water and pat dry with a clean cloth towel (do not rub and do not let the coin dry by evaporation). You will not scratch the coin, nor will you change the toning. Your skin will not scratch the coin, I have cleaned the crud and PVC off the 1973 specimen coins (because they were not capsulated), including the silver dollar, without a mark on them. I have used this same method on proof struck silver-based coins, and then examined the surfaces under a microscope and even a SEM. Trust me, I have been around this business long enough to know what can, and cannot, hurt coins. Moh's scale of hardness applies to almost anything, including coins versus your fingers. If you don't believe me, then try it on a PVC affected melt-grade coin...
Note that Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) reacts with copper in both bronze, copper and silver coins containing copper. Copper reacts photochemically with acetone and water vapor to form acetic acid. Acetone, on mint state coins, is not a good thing to do - unless you are good enough and quick enough, not to let the acetone evaporate on the surface of the coin, providing you have proper low-light conditions. Otherwise, acetone causes an unnatural look to the surface toning. Rotate any acetone-cleaned coin in sunlight, and you will see this photochemical reaction and how it affected the surface of the coin - on mint-state coins it will look like gasoline on water with coloured spectra, affecting the lustre, you can literally see the evaporation pattern....
Lastly, as John1 states, acetone is pretty nasty stuff. Be very careful how you handle it... Virtually everything you stated is pure nonsense. Rubbing proof coins with your fingers will mar the surface. Pure acetone will NOT harm your coins. Ivory dish soap will absolutely not remove PVC slime. Acetone is most assuredly not "pretty nasty stuff". Where on earth do you get you information?  |
|
Pillar of the Community
Canada
2426 Posts |
TheCoin Geezer... if you like Pure Acetone so much then by all means why dont you take your most valuable coins and stick them........ in the Acetone for awhile.
Send us some pictures when you are done since you seem to be a professional!
Edited by darryldarryl
04/16/2012 8:43 pm
|
|
Valued Member
United States
117 Posts |
Quote:
TheCoin Geezer... if you like Pure Acetone so much then by all means why dont you take your most valuable coins and stick them........ in the Acetone for awhile.
Send us some pictures when you are done since you seem to be a professional!
Acetone is a tool to be used on PVC slime. I'm glad you recognize my professionalism, it's surprising since yours is indiscernible.  |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1080 Posts |
acetone is good. It works very quickly. I dip the coin in the acetone and "pat" it between my fingers a few times. Be sure to rinse it in distilled water and pat it dry when you're done.
Also, use good acetone from Lowe's -- not nail polish removes that also have fragrance and additives.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
Canada
610 Posts |
EASY guys. It sounds like this thread is getting a little testy. I was going to put in my input,but think not. (At least not yet.) I'll wait until it cools down a bit. In the mean time,I think I will just continue reading and not posting. ALL RIGHT,EVERYONE TO THEIR CORNERS! And wait for the bell! |
| |
Replies: 16 / Views: 5,286 |
Posted 04/15/2012 11:27 am
