Gren Meanies

Olive Oil will help

I know that after having the coins in olive oil they are supposed to be rinsed with distilled water. I have done this and the coins remain greasy. PLEASE tell me what's the trick in rising with distilled water and getting the grease off?

Jim it really depends on how actively the degritis damaged the coins surface whether or not there is anything that can be done for the discoloration left on the coin .

If it is just a different patina it may improve some,, if the surface is etched from the degritis its there to stay ,, time sometimes help reduce the appearance as those areas retone but they will always be a little different .

Im not sure how effective olive oil will be? I have never tried it .

Metalman

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From an raw coin collector's perspective (mine), what exactly is a good acetone...mineral spirits? rubbing alcohol? gasoline? Is there a certain "brand" you all would recommend cause I have some green crud on a coin or two myself?!?

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Nelrak, I had to go way back, but this may help you out.

https://goccf.com/t/14389

Thank you as well from me, lord knows no one wants to ruin their prized possessions as our predecessors once did. This feedback is very much appreciated as it is helpful.

First of all read the recent post called How do I remove PVC from Early Silver Coins. If you value those coins, do NOT use Olive or any kind of oils. Do not put things on coins you do not know the end results of. Oils of any kind will leave a coating on the coins and the constant adding and removing of any substance will slowly ruin what is left of the coins. You will first clean off what you think is something with Acetone, then add an oil, then clean off the oil, then rinse that with distilled water. Why not just use a sand blaster next. The green stuff is in reality just normal process of what happens to all Copper. When you remove it you remove some of the Copper of the coins. Naturally this is not in the best interest of the coins. People will tell you to try many things and that is usually because they are not their coins, they are yours so they have nothing to loose.
Copper will normally combine in air to form Cu2O. This is the normal reddish tone called Cuprus Oxide. Unfortunately the nexty step is Moisture and Carbon Dioxide in the air also. This reacts with the Cu2O to form [CuCO3-Cu(OH)2] called Copper Carbonate. This is probably the greeninsh stuff, Patina, on your coins. This is NOT Verdigris as so many may try to tell you. Now if you live in an area where there has been Sulfur Rich Coal burned, the air in your area many contain SO or SO2. This also will attack Copper and produce a greenish substance. Regardless, if you can avoid using anything other than Acetone, you will be probably be removing some of the metal of the coins. They are YOUR coins so treat them as such.
The best thing I always recommmend is if you really must play with things like this is if it will not dissolve in distilled water, leave well enough alone.

Jim1953: If they were mine and it really bothered me I would possibly try the Acetone first. If this did not work I would try the Distilled water and a really soft, soft brush. The main thing is if the coins are valuable or just coins you like the best thing to do is put them in a air tight or similar product so as to stop any further contamination growth. Without air, moisture, Carbon Dioxide, etc., no further reactions can take place. If the stuff is as bad as you say, try picking it off with an ice pick. Just remember the primary thing about coins is the more metal you take off the worse the value.
There is an old saying "let sleeping dogs lie"