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 Replies: 5 / Views: 1,190 |
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Valued Member
United States
164 Posts |
So I picked up a couple of Morgan dollars at a show yesterday. Nothing too crazy, a 1902S and a 1878CC. Both are around VG, but I felt like I got a good deal on them, and both of those slots were empty in my set, so I was glad to pick them up. I get home and pop them out of their 2x2s, and these things absolutely reek! I have terrible sense of smell, so if I can notice it, it's bad. It's like they were stored in a mildewy basement or storage unit for years or something. Other than the fact that they just smell awful, I'd like to clean them to neutralize whatever may be going on with them. If it's mold or mildew or something like that, I'm hoping that an extended soak in acetone may be enough to do the trick. Any other advice? Also, the CC unfortunately was harshly cleaned. The fields are just full of hairlines, pretty much all going the same direction as if it were cleaned with steel wool or something. I was thinking of maybe once that's done with the acetone just carrying it around as a pocket piece. Hopefully the wear and hairlines I would be adding to it would be enough of a random pattern to create a more uniformly smooth surface everywhere including the fields. If needed I can post some pictures but it would be tomorrow before I could get around to that. |
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Bedrock of the Community
 United States
25071 Posts |
chirrrs, your acetone soak should remove the smell from them. As for the CC, that's a real shame. Caveat emptor, as they say. That's why you got "a good deal" on it. Never go to a show without a good lighted loupe. You could also put it in a rock tumbler with very fine sand for a while to hasten the smoothing process (NOT RECOMMENDED!!!).
Inordinately fascinated by bits of metal with strange markings and figures
Edited by HondoB
02/12/2023 4:21 pm
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Valued Member
 United States
164 Posts |
Oh I already knew about the harsh cleaning on the CC, I got a pretty good deal on it because of that!
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Moderator
Australia
16810 Posts |
Acetone and similar solvents remove "organic" chemicals, including PVC goo, paint, varnish, and most things that cause "bad smells" such as tobacco, mould or rancid oil.
It is odd that the outside of the 2x2s did not smell, but the coins inside did; if it were mould, I would expect the 2x2 to smell worse than the coin, since mould can't grow on coins. I would tend to suspect tobacco products would be the cause of a bad-smelling coin in such a case.
It's also possible that it's artificial toning that is causing the foul smell, and acetone might therefore remove the artificial toning agent.
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Moderator
United States
56855 Posts |
Don't try this without more input from members, you have been warned LOL. On the CC,E-Z-est coin dip and then make it your pocket piece. Before and after photos please. John1  |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
1985 Posts |
I thought this was going to be another one of those threads where "unclean" coins need to be exorcised.  |
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Replies: 5 / Views: 1,190 |
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Posted 02/12/2023 4:49 pm
