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 Replies: 15 / Views: 14,621 |
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Valued Member
United States
75 Posts |
I have a cube of dimes that contains as well as I can tell with a scope a 1959 dime with full bands. Also a 1963 DDO "in good we trust". I believe it contains more goodies but hard to tell since others in question are sitting at angles. |
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Rest in Peace
United States
18456 Posts |
I think your going to have to just live with what you have . Even if you get them out ,they will be ,more than likely damaged .  |
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Bedrock of the Community
Canada
21602 Posts |
 No matter what you try (heat, chemicals, smashing) it will end up damaging the coins. I think you are just going to have to keep them the way they are. |
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Valued Member
United States
223 Posts |
Information obtained from Plastic International Material Properties chart indicates that acetone and xylene will decompose or dissolve acrylic. As both solvents have been used to safely conserve coins, either solvent should be safe for the coins.
Can you remove several pieces of acrylic from the cube? If so, you can run the following experiment to determine if either of these solvents may solve your problem. Place one piece of the acrylic into a glass container containing acetone and the other piece into a glass container with xylene. Then just observe to containers over time and see if either solvent dissolves the acrylic. You may want to periodically gently swirl the containers. If either of these solvents work, you can try it out on the cube. You would most likely have to do multiple solvent changes to remove all of the acrylic in the cube. If you try this, remember to use the solvents only in well-ventilated areas and away from any ignition source
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Pillar of the Community
United States
751 Posts |
A photo would help to give advice.
Dan
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
5394 Posts |
Chisel , hammer , leather gloves , goggles , up to date health insurance ...... LOL
Leave them as they are !
May surprise you , but there are collectors of these acrylics . I collect them if they contain
advertising from banks , trust companies and others.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
837 Posts |
See this thread for advice: http://goccf.com/t/178056&whichpage=1Whatever you do: wear goggles!! Also, I agree with Pacificoin (above) - some of us love advertising pieces like this - it's very mid-century modern! |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
772 Posts |
Quote:
Information obtained from Plastic International Material Properties chart indicates that acetone and xylene will decompose or dissolve acrylic. As both solvents have been used to safely conserve coins, either solvent should be safe for the coins. Good point. Acetone might be worth a shot. It loves to eat plastics and *not* coins! |
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Valued Member
 United States
75 Posts |
Thanks for all the info
Let me ask this, if I'm successful at removal with either chemical option suggested, there will be no harm done and grading of the coin will not be an issue?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
8715 Posts |
Yes, acetone or xylene shouldn't damage the coins.
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Valued Member
United States
75 Posts |
Thanks so much SilverDollar. I'm away from home will family illness but when I get back I'll glove up and see what I can do. My occupation was dental prosthetics, I've worked with acrylic since the late 60's. I have the tools to cut out, grind down and pumice to a thin layer before the acetone. With luck the thin layer will"pop'off.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
837 Posts |
@Commander -
Please let us know how it turns out - and we'd LOVE to see BEFORE and AFTER pics. So please get your camera ready.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
62064 Posts |
Save time. Buy another set of these coins. Sell the cube to someone who needs a paper weight.
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Moderator
United States
188213 Posts |
Quote:
Save time. Buy another set of these coins. Sell the cube to someone who needs a paper weight. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3641 Posts |
Personally, I'd leave it alone. It's a great conversation piece, and probably the perfect desk clutter for any numismatist. I have an acrylic-imprisoned Kennedy Bicentennial Half (complete with some random person's fingerprint) that is a useful paperweight.
Freeing the coins from the cube depends on whether the cube is acrylic or polycarbonate, rather than a thermoset. Acrylic and poly are thermoplastics, and have low melting points, which means they soften well before liquefying.
Acrylics also can't resist Methyl Alcohol (let the jokes begin), Acetone, or Methyl Ethyl Ketone (MEK).
If you take those approaches, never do it indoors, don't breathe the fumes, and don't use pans or containers that you intend to use again. (And if you let it swim in Everclear, don't drink the unused portion undiluted!)
Whether the coins survive the process is a completely different question.
Edited by fortcollins
12/05/2018 11:11 am
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
900 Posts |
If you decide to try it, boil it in water and drop it in a container of ice water. If it doesn't work, nothing lost. I found this process to be effective for freeing my coins, but I had already whacked it with a hammer first, but couldn't fully free the coins. The hot/ice did the trick in the end. I would have liked to have seen if the alternating hot/ice would have worked without the hammer.
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Replies: 15 / Views: 14,621 |
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Posted 12/03/2018 09:44 am
