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 Replies: 16 / Views: 4,761 |
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New Member
United States
4 Posts |
I have a dansco quarter album that have unc. coins that have developed
a green gook on the quarters. How and what is the best way to clean these
coins without damaging them.
Thank you for any help
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Valued Member
United States
70 Posts |
Yikes, that didn't come from the Dansco album, it sounds like PVC damage or verdigris? How were the coins stored before they were put into the Dansco?
I believe acetone or verdi-care would be a start.
-LTB
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New Member
 United States
4 Posts |
Thanks for getting back to me. I guess the coins have been stored in this Dansco album for awhile do not know how long. The album does have insert slides within the album and that
I guess is the PVC which is causing the problem. It is a green slime that is moist that is on the coin and the inserts. I have not done anything as of yet to them and trying not to make
a mistake on how to correct the problem.
With the acetone do you just dip and air dry or wipe? The verdi-care I am not familar with.
Thanks again
RPM
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Moderator
 United States
188130 Posts |
As far as I know, the Dansco albums have never had this problem, and I cannot see how it ever could have had it.
PVC does not cause this problem! The plasticizers used to make PVC flexible and soft is the culprit; they leech out over time and attack the coins. Since the Dansco album slides are rigid, there is no need for plasticizers.
The coins may have been improperly stored before being moved to the Dansco. It is also possible that album was keep in an environment that allowed this to happen. They are not air tight.
Acetone is probably your best chance at ridding the slime. Keep in mind that the slime may now be hiding irreversible damage to the coin.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1388 Posts |
do not wipe, as it can easily damage the coins. Dip, and air dry... If you use water to rinse, use distilled water, as tap water can leave spotting or other residue...
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Moderator
United States
14463 Posts |
where do you store these albums? on a shelf or in a plastic tub?
I have mine in a sealed safe with a small container of rice to soak any moisture that gets in.
Edited by Fuzzy317
03/09/2011 7:04 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
To start look at the tab at the top for Search and type in Acetone.
The next thing is you should check where you keep your Albums. Dansco and most others today would not have caused such problems. No Album is air tight so storing your Albums in a place where gasses of some type can get to your coins may well be the problem.
Unlikely it is PVC since the slides on the Dansco are not PVC and no other part of that Album is PVC.
You discribed the substance as a green slime. That too is odd since normally most types of corrosions, staining, tarnishings, etc are solid and created from an outside source and the metal of the coin.
Yet the best thing to try is the Acetone dipping and the distilled water rinse.
The main thing is to carefully check the area where you keep your coins. Once done and in the future I suggest you put your Albums in a Zip Lock plastic bag to prevent anything from getting to them.
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Valued Member
United States
70 Posts |
I attached a pic of PVC damage and one with verdigris. Does the green muck on your coins look similar to either? -LTB   |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1143 Posts |
I would try one coin and let it soak for a minute in a dish of pure Acetone. Rinse with distilled water and let dry. Repeat if necessary but that should remove any PVC but show any damage from it.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Quote:
Repeat if necessary but that should remove any PVC but show any damage from it.
You would have to attept one to see the results. If the slime is a coating of some type, should come off with no damage to the coin. HOWEVER, in almsot all instances of corrosion, staining, tarnishing, toning, something combined with the metal of the coin and removing this, removes some of the coins metal. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1143 Posts |
I need to clarify my post. Acetone will not damage the coin but when you remove the PVC, it will show the damage done from the PVC.
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New Member
United States
4 Posts |
Yes it does look like this but it is still moist
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Rest in Peace
United States
9104 Posts |
I don't remember if it was Dansco or another brand, but one of the majors used to use a soft plastic in their slides, and it will result in green slime as in the top pix.
Much improvement has been made in coin supplies over the last 50 years.
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Moderator
United States
188130 Posts |
Quote:
I don't remember if it was Dansco or another brand, but one of the majors used to use a soft plastic in their slides, and it will result in green slime as in the top pix. The Harco albums were like this. Their pages and slides were all plasticized PVC.  (Image taken from this thread.) The new pages for these albums are supposedly safe... http://www.brent-krueger.com/harcopages.html |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Quote:
Yes it does look like this but it is still moist
And that is where I really get curious. Almost any reaction with anything with coins is usually solid, not a mush or pssty substance. You really should check out the area you keep your coins. There is something wrong. Quote:
Posted Today 2 Hrs 2 Min ago
I don't remember if it was Dansco or another brand, but one of the majors used to use a soft plastic in their slides, and it will result in green slime as in the top pix.
As happens frequently it is getting off the subject. He did say a Dansco Album, not some other brand.  Edited by just carl
03/11/2011 7:35 pm
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Rest in Peace
United States
9104 Posts |
Quote:
Almost any reaction with anything with coins is usually solid, not a mush or pssty substance. I see a couple people making the same wrong assumption. PVC is not a reaction with the coin. It's a breakdown of the plastic leaving an oily residue on the coin. Verdigris (or tarnish/toning) is a reaction with the coin. I'm not getting off the subject. "Dansco or another brand" could mean both, heck, any of the all-clear holders may have originally used the soft plastic. I just remember there have been many times I've needed to use pliers to break the slides loose on some albums. I did some digging, and the Dansco World Coin Library albums use acetate slides, like the Whitman albums. Don't recall if Dansco used to make an all-clear album with slides that had pockets for the coins. I have never seen green slime that was anything but plastic breaking down. |
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Replies: 16 / Views: 4,761 |
Posted 03/09/2011 12:53 pm
