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 Replies: 11 / Views: 3,036 |
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Pillar of the Community
Philippines
1156 Posts |
I have two remaining 1874 Straits Settlement copper 1cent, in pure black uncleaned, but very readable years, May I ask what type of cleaner should I use to get rid of the black tar? it looks like solid black paint.
I have used Vinegar 24hour soak on the last one, the acid just goes under the tar and dissolves the tar together with the copper, had EF grade went down to G, cleaned condition but G, now have to look hard to read the date. I used acetone soak 10 minutes, not much effect
So looking for an alternative, please advise, appreciated and thanks!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3077 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
1844 Posts |
You could always try paint & varnish remover? Circa is the most potent so ware gloves... It should not hurt the copper at all, or any other metals... It works very quick usually within 30 seconds or less ..When the paint or tar starts bubbling use a nice soft rag to wipe clean.. If necessary repeat process... Nothing to lose ..
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Moderator
 Australia
16808 Posts |
If it really is "tar", then acetone will remove it; you should at least see the acetone take on a brownish colour very quickly, after ten minutes of soaking. If acetone isn't moving it, it's not really "tar". It could well be corrosion, which would explain why acid ate through it easily.
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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Rest in Peace
United States
1729 Posts |
Consider GooGone, which is about as benign as acetone. It won't really dissolve gummy substances, but if you can work off a little of the gook at a time with a toothpick, or your fingernail, eventually you can clean the stuff off a coin. I find it effective when I have to deal with chewing gum on a coin.
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Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
Acetone should do the trick.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Did you consider a Butane torch? Holding it over a gas stove with your fingers? Of course you probably haven't yet tried Tomato Juice either.  The problem is you are not sure what that STUFF really is. It may well not be tar at all. Also, all depends on the value of the coins, how much you want to invest in cleaning or whatever you may want to call it. I'm nost sure of the type of coin you are discribing so I don't really know the composition of that coin. You mentioned Copper but many coins are called Copper but also contain Tin or Zinc or other substances. For example Bronze could contain numerous different elements including Silicon, Carbon, Aluminum, etc. If your coins contain other such materials, you have to watch carefully what you expose them to. For example you mentioned a 24 hour soak in Vinegar. Normally Vinegar is approximately only 4% Acid. However, some brands are considerably more. Did you read the lable to see what your actually soaking that coin in? All such substances suggested by people so far may or may not damage that coin. You nor those that suggest chemicals are also not aware of the substance on the coin. I suggest you start with the simplist, cheapest substances first. Place the coin in Distilled water in a Pyrex Glass container and slowly, very slowly, heat. Not boil, just heat. If that doesn't work then you may want to attempt Acetone. Read carefully all information on this web site for Acetone. Use the Search section for that. Then too prior to using other substnces for cleaning, such as Xylene, go to the ATSDR web site. ATSDR = Agency for Toxic Substances and Diseasce Registry. It really pays to be safe not sorry. |
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Pillar of the Community
 Philippines
1156 Posts |
Thanks all, as of now, a remaining one coin is considered expendable, the other will be sent to a collector friend a lot more experienced, for cleaning experimentation (if he wants to).
Will try all proposals, xylene, googone & paint remover and see what happens... thanks!
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Pillar of the Community
Philippines
1156 Posts |
....but no, will not try Butane torch with my fingers! hahaha, nor tomato juice hahaha, that's a nice jest justcarl! but thanks for that detailed response, much appreciated.
Will try instead the distilled boiling water on another such copper coin.
Offhand, there seems to be a lot of such copper black coins here locally I see with coin dealers... previously submerged in some muddy lake or near ocean over the years... maybe...
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Quote:
....but no, will not try Butane torch with my fingers! hahaha, nor tomato juice hahaha, that's a nice jest justcarl! but thanks for that detailed response, much appreciated.
Hoever, if you do try the Toamato Juice and it doesn't work, you still can put it on something and eat it. Now that is something you couldn't do with all those other chemicals.  And that is one of the biggest problems with using Vinegar. Way to many have ended up putting the coin and the Vinegar on their salads and eating them. Now there is something to wonder about. How would the Bile in your stomach clean coins?  |
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Rest in Peace
United States
1729 Posts |
I'm sure no one would heat acetone to clean a coin (just as sure as I am that no one in their right mine would use a cigarette lighter to check the fumes from a gas tank) ... but JUST TO MAKE SURE that no one changes their appearance the hard way, please don't heat acetone over an open flame, okay?
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Quote:
I'm sure no one would heat acetone to clean a coin (just as sure as I am that no one in their right mine would use a cigarette lighter to check the fumes from a gas tank) ... but JUST TO MAKE SURE that no one changes their appearance the hard way, please don't heat acetone over an open flame, okay?
Not sure where you read about heating Acetone but we were discussing heating DISTILLED WATER. Actually what you mentioned about the match though reminded me of my neighbor that just put in a gas heater in his garage. He checked all the connections with matches. I ran when I saw that. |
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Replies: 11 / Views: 3,036 |
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Posted 10/11/2009 09:14 am
