Coin Community Family of Web Sites Join Thousands of Coin, Bullion, & Money Collectors
Join Thousands of Coin, Bullion, & Money Collectors Coin, Banknote and Medal Collectors's Online Mall Royal Canadian Mint products, Canadian, Polish, American, and world coins and banknotes. Specializing in Modern Numismatics 300,000 items to help build your collection! Shop for APMEX Bullion on eBay!Vancouvers #1 Coin and Paper Money Dealer








Username:
Password:
Save Password
Forgot your Password?


This page may contain links that result in small commissions to keep this free site up and running.

Welcome Guest! Registering and/or logging in will remove the anchor (bottom) ads. It's Free!

Any Way To Remove Polish From A Coin?

To participate in the forum you must log in or register.
Author Previous TopicReplies: 6 / Views: 5,893Next Topic  
Valued Member

United States
360 Posts
 Posted 11/19/2009  7:01 pm Show Profile   Bookmark this topic Add numismatist6 to your friends list Get a Link to this Message Number of Subscribers
I have an 1810-Mo 8 Reales piece that has been polished to a bright sheen. Is there anyway to remove the shiny appearance other than carrying it in my pocket and hope it wears off?

Thanks
Moderator
Learn More...
Sap's Avatar
Australia
16809 Posts
 Posted 11/19/2009  7:35 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Sap to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Basically, the short answer is "no". Not quickly, anyway.

A silver object (such as a coin) is polished by removing the thin layer of silver at the surface of the object. This layer can't be "put back" once it's removed; it's gone forever. This is why cleaning and polishing are frowned on by coin collectors.

Carrying it around in your pocket probably won't do much, since the constant wear and friction will only keep it bright and shiny. The additional wear would also lower the grade (and value) of the coin even further.

Your best bet is to allow nature to take it's course and retone the coin after many years of exposure to the air. You can try to accelerate the process of "retoning" the coin, but this is seen as deceptive by many collectors, especially if you then try to sell your coin as if it had never been cleaned in the first place.

An acceptable means of slightly accelerated retoning seems to be to place the coin on a warm sunny kitchen windowsill for a year or so.
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
Valued Member
United States
360 Posts
 Posted 11/19/2009  7:59 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add numismatist6 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Thanks. I'll just leave it be then. The coin has several Chinese chops on it so it'll be something to give to a grandkid.
Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts
 Posted 11/21/2009  11:35 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add just carl to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Any-Way-To-Remove-Polish-From-A-Coin?
Note the Nickels in the photo. All were at one time polished to a mirror state. Actually all these coins were at one time corroded, stained, polished, pitted, etc. So all were placed in a glass jar, Laquer thinner added. Then replaced with Alcohol. This was eventually also replaced with Acetone. A not to long ago seb site stated how Acetone and water in the Sun will make all kinds of things happen to Copper so I placed this last attempt on a picnic table in the Sun for seveal weeks. Eventually all coin were and still are on the inside of a kitchen window sill. The Nickels have now lost that mirror finish. The Large Cent and Indian cent have turned RED. One Lincoln Cent, tunrned dark for some reason. The SLQ came out the best and it too was polished but not as much.
JUST remember that all such coins are now considered cleaned.
Bedrock of the Community
BadThad's Avatar
United States
19935 Posts
 Posted 11/22/2009  12:57 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add BadThad to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Unfortunately, the coins is ruined. Your best bet is to use it as a pocket piece and set it in a window sill every night so it will tone.
Lincoln Cent Lover!
VERDI-CARE™ INVENTOR
https://verdi.care/
Rest in Peace
Parklane64's Avatar
United States
2668 Posts
 Posted 11/22/2009  12:06 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Parklane64 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
...Or sell it on ebay as 'amazingly original'.
Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts
 Posted 11/22/2009  10:34 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add just carl to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply

Quote:
Or sell it on ebay as 'amazingly original'.


And of course followed by "I don't know anything about coins but...."
  Previous TopicReplies: 6 / Views: 5,893Next Topic  

To participate in the forum you must log in or register.



    




Disclaimer: While a tremendous amount of effort goes into ensuring the accuracy of the information contained in this site, Coin Community assumes no liability for errors. Copyright 2005 - 2026 Coin Community Family- all rights reserved worldwide. Use of any images or content on this website without prior written permission of Coin Community or the original lender is strictly prohibited.
Contact Us  |  Advertise Here  |  Privacy Policy / Terms of Use

Coin Community Forum © 2005 - 2026 Coin Community Forums
It took 0.25 seconds to rattle this change. Forums