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 Replies: 23 / Views: 3,815 |
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New Member
United States
4 Posts |
Well, this is my first post, and I wish it were an easier one. I'm just starting into this coin collecting thing, so feel free to point me in the right direction if I'm posting in the wrong place. My father-in-law just gave me a small box of coins to keep, and two of the coins in this box were/are my mother-in-law's Morgan dollar coins, a 1903 and a 1921. Awesome condition EXCEPT for a Sharpie marker "V" (for my MIL's first name) on the cheek on the head of these two coins. (The V makes it look like Liberty has whiskers.) My MIL did this so people would know those two coins in the box were hers (instead of, you know, putting them in a sandwich bag and writing on the bag, rather than on the coins themselves). I understand I shouldn't clean my coins, but what should I do, if anything, about these Sharpie pen marks? Or is it a lost cause? Kimberly |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1130 Posts |
Acetone soak should get rid of those marks, I think.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
954 Posts |
 Use pure acetone in a glass dish in a well ventilated area.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5318 Posts |
Welcome, and I'm glad they didn't use a ballpoint!  A sharpie should be relatively easy to remove. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
914 Posts |
We'd love to see before/after pictures!
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New Member
 United States
4 Posts |
Here are the before pics of both sides of the 1903. (Let me know if they don't show!) I'll have to run out tomorrow and buy some acetone, then take after pics..... THANK YOU so much for your help!   |
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Valued Member
United States
231 Posts |
Use baking soda. You can use it in a small spot. Just add a little water and you can just clean the V and retain the natural tone on the rest of the coin. When you make the paste, just rub lightly with your thumb on the marker and it will come right off. Without damaging the coin.
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Valued Member
United States
253 Posts |
 do not rub them with any thing soak them in acetone then rinse with distilled water. that is a beautiful coin and rubbing on it will only devalue it  Jeff |
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Forum Dad
 United States
24148 Posts |
No worries, I fixed it from here....  Acetone... Baking soda.... You guys think too much.  |
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Moderator
 United States
6563 Posts |
I'm gonna throw in acetone as well just to let ya know the majority rules  Geez Bobby....now everytime you say you never have any free time I'm gonna pull the Wiskers Morgan out to prove you wrong |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1130 Posts |
No baking soda. It is abrasive and will leave rather obvious hairlines.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2177 Posts |
Now you have an awesome looking coin!   |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
549 Posts |
This is just my opinion, but I wouldn't even try to remove the marker. Your MIL put the Vs on the cheeks because it was important to her. To me, that's kind of a funny way to bring back her memory every time you look at those coins.
If the coins were extremely valuable, I'd take it off, but the 1903 is worth $40-$50 and the 1921 is likely only worth $10-$20 depending on condition.
I guess I'm different than everybody else here, but I'd definitely rather preserve the memory than clean up the coins, mix them in with coins that don't hold sentimental value, and eventually completely forget which ones even belonged to MIL in the first place.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
914 Posts |
I'd agree with you mahgobbi, if she didn't put them where it looked like giant whiskers.
I'd only suggest baking soda if it was blackened silver due to oxidation. Since it's marker, acetone!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2797 Posts |
Ooops ... It's baaaccckkkk!  C'mon Bobby. You're fix was only temporary.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
549 Posts |
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Replies: 23 / Views: 3,815 |
Posted 02/07/2008 9:18 pm
