1961 Penny And Half Penny...proof?

Thanks for the reply.

I didn't think so but they were in a plastic sleeve for so long I wondered if the plastic effected the coin. Here's one of the sleeves.

Acetone? Um, what about all the 'don't mess with coins it'll ruin their value' advice? Do you think they're proof? Thanks.

With the caveat that I am completely unfamiliar with Aussie proofs, I would say that there is a good chance they are proofs given the hammered strikes and sharp squared rims. I also see a matte finish vs. the cartwheel luster/radial die flow typically seen on business strikes. The first thing that popped into my head when I saw your images was that you have the dreaded PVC contamination and your later image of the green ring on the flip confirmed my suspicions. The green slime is corrosive and will eventually ruin the coins given enough time. Get them into an acetone or xylene bath yesterday and DO NOT reuse those plastic flips.

They are definitely proofs, not particularly good quality examples though.

Acetone is the way to protect them from further corrosion but if you've never used it before, you could easily cause further damage. You don't want to experiment on proofs. It might be safer using PCGS/NGC's conservation service.

Thank you wwwww and Joseph. I read up on acetone. Seems straightforward. Dip coin for a few minutes. Remove. Rinse in acetone. Air dry. However, if I were to go the coin consolidation route I would need to shell out some shekels. Is it worth it? What do you think I could get for the pair? Again, thanks so much.

Thanks Trout. Maybe I'll just put away the bottle of acetone. Is PCGS the service of choice?