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Finger Prints On Silver

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upstate's Avatar
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 Posted 03/24/2011  3:40 pm Show Profile   Bookmark this topic Add upstate to your friends list Get a Link to this Message Number of Subscribers
Are finger prints as difficult (impossible) to get rid of on silver coins as they are on copper? What would be a good strategy to try to remove ugly finger prints?
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 Posted 03/24/2011  5:29 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add mkman123 to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
If I'm correct you cannot get fingerprints off.
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Sap's Avatar
Australia
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 Posted 03/24/2011  5:38 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Sap to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
For copper and silver coins, once a fingerprint has developed to the extent that the metal underneath has turned a different colour, there's nothing you can do for a fingerprint that wouldn't be considered "cleaning" in the negative sense. A silver dip will remove the mark but will also remove any other toning the coin has acquired.

If you know a fresh fingerprint is present, the oil can be removed with solvent such as acetone before it has time to react with a coin.
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jbuck's Avatar
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 Posted 03/24/2011  5:40 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add jbuck to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Correct. Fingerprints, if not removed almost immediately, will almost always permanently etch into the coin surface. If an acetone rinse does not remove the fingerprint, you are probably out of luck. Unfortunately, my best advice at this point would be to replace the coin.
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upstate's Avatar
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 Posted 03/25/2011  11:37 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add upstate to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Thanks guys, I knew this was the case with copper but wasn't sure
if silver was the same situation. It's a uncirculated Peace dollar
who is soaking in acetone right now. There is also some yellowish
stuff on her so I might get some improvement. I'll report the results
with photos if anything good happens.
Bedrock of the Community
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 Posted 03/25/2011  12:55 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add just carl to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Oddly enough fingerprints can engrave themselves on almost any metal. If left long enough they can and do leave an empression on any smooth service. It is the Acid, moiture, oils in your sweat that creates a nasty reaction that become part of the metal. I've seen this on even some grades of so called Stainless Steels. And as noted if caught in time Acetone will take them off. If not, they are there forever.
One of my irritations with that TV show Antique Road Show. I've seen so many people on there put their hands and fingers all over knives, swords, guns and yes, even coins. Then when it comes to an old vase, pot, jar, they handle it as if it was going to blow up in not treated like a bomb.
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