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 Replies: 14 / Views: 1,653 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2543 Posts |
So here is question I have often wondered about.
We all know that cleaning a coin is not the thing to do. If you clean it with polish or tarnish cleaner, it leaves hairline scratches and uneven surfaces where you couldn't get to to clean.
If you dip it, you take off a microscopic layer of metal, disrupting the surface and the coin's mint lustre.
Now question is, if someone invented a way to clean the surface of a coin, classic or modern, that was imperceptible, no matter what the magnification. And did not strip any metal from the surface of the coin, nor did it affect the lustre. Cleaned toning, patina, years and years of gunk and dirt without affecting the original minting surfaces .......
Would you use it?
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
5239 Posts |
Maybe it will be possible with nanotechnology.
One issue is, if you couldn't tell it was used on a coin, you would have to use it because everyone else would be.
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Valued Member
United States
215 Posts |
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New Member
Canada
34 Posts |
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Moderator
 United States
56855 Posts |
Did you invent it already? How much would it cost? John1  |
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Valued Member
Canada
496 Posts |
Any thoughts on ultrasonic cleaning of coins?
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Moderator
United States
56855 Posts |
Upper left of page search box,has been posted before. John1 |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Quote:
Any thoughts on ultrasonic cleaning of coins? It's been discussed before and the results are just don't do it. So far as anyone knows, cleaning a coin is just not smart. Sure would be nice to have a collection of coins that all looked like the day they were minted but once circulated, just never looks the same. AND if you did find a way to clean a coin that was not recognizable and used on a used coin, it would always be noticed that once circulated, will look circulated. |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
2543 Posts |
Quote:
One issue is, if you couldn't tell it was used on a coin, you would have to use it because everyone else would be. Would it change the whole coin collecting paradigm? If everyone did it, would new value be placed on coins with patina and years of visible wear and tear and less value on, say an MS68 Morgan dollar? How many of you place a higher value on "honest" coins and not so much on high MS coins pulled out of a safe deposit box somewhere? |
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Valued Member
United States
215 Posts |
At this moment, for what I am collecting, mostly just two rules, no rim dings, no scratches. Honest wear is OK
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Pillar of the Community
Norway
1358 Posts |
If that could be done, then the whole basis of coin collecting would be turned upside down. You can just throw all the grading systems overboard. I think it pisses off more people than it pleases. And what would be next? Regenerating your lowballs into FdC's with another invention? It'd take a part of the fun of numismatics away, I'd say... Numismatics isn't rocket science or a competition and it'd be great if we could keep it that way.
I'm against cleaning coins with chemicals and heavy treatment, also because of the effects afterwards. I'm not that much against a soft and subtle, minimal cleaning of coins that already were in circulation, though. But honest wear is part of the job (and filthy coins I usually don't buy/collect anyway).
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Valued Member
United States
392 Posts |
Dennman - I have an ultrasonic cleaner and have used it often to loosen built up dirt, grime, or other substances. After using the ultrasonic, the coin(s) will go into an acetone soak.  I have mixed feelings about how helpful the ultrasonic cleaning process is for coins. That's probably due to the fact that I bought it at Walmart, for about $25. It may be that my unit just isn't powerful enough. Jack |
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Rest in Peace
United States
18456 Posts |
I would only use an ultra sonic cleaner on detector finds. NOT on any of my collector coins .  |
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Moderator
United States
188213 Posts |
Keeping in mind that often the surface has changed because of chemical reactions and removing the resulting compounds will only reveal a damaged surface, I will say no.
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CCF Advertiser
United States
1533 Posts |
I run a laboratory and have a cell disruptor which is like an ultrasonic cleaner, but the $3000 version and is a lot more powerful. If someone wants to send me something to clean, I'd be happy to give it a soak. None of my coins for sure.
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Replies: 14 / Views: 1,653 |
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Posted 04/23/2016 4:15 pm
