Copper Coin Has Been In A Plastic Pocket For A Long Time.

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Author	Replies: 6 / Views: 1,791
agandau Valued Member Australia 193 Posts	Posted 07/21/2011 12:59 am I have a large Somali 10 centesimi copper coin that is about 60 years old and it was a bright shiny coin AU when I first got it. It has spent the last 40 odd years in a soft plastic coin holder and over time it has become dulled. I have the impression that this older type of storage can be damaging. Is this because of sulphides or some other compound in the soft plastic? The coin has some foreign material in a few spots, possibly verdegris? Would the product Verdicare be useful on this coin in general, or what suggestions would anyone recommend? I now use 2 x 2 coin holders for my better coins. Somali 10 centesim 1950 30mm dia. Thank you. Report this Post to the Staff

BadThad Bedrock of the Community United States 19935 Posts	Posted 07/21/2011 09:07 am The soft, plastic "flips" are not air tight. Fortunately, I don't see any corrosion or damage. I also don't see a need to use VC on the coin. It looks like simple browning/oxidation and not corrosion. I'd be concerned that the flip (as old as it is) might be made of PVC. Just google PVC damage for loads of info on the topic. I would put the coins in either modern 2x2 mylar type holders or airtite type holders for long term storage. Also, use multiple layers of protection (see the post in this forum section about storage). Before reholdering these, I would rinse them with acetone to remove any surface moisture/contamination. Lincoln Cent Lover! VERDI-CARE™ INVENTOR https://verdi.care/ Edited by BadThad 07/21/2011 09:08 am Report this Post to the Staff
agandau Valued Member Australia 193 Posts	Posted 07/21/2011 6:58 pm Thanks Thad, I'll give the acetone a try. Report this Post to the Staff
agandau Valued Member Australia 193 Posts	Posted 07/21/2011 9:42 pm I soaked it in acetone and some material did come off, but it does seem to have some surface damage near the circle and some other places. What do you think? Thank you for your time. Report this Post to the Staff
just carl Bedrock of the Community United States 20753 Posts	Posted 07/21/2011 9:46 pm You could always do what I did to protect coins. Just kidding of course. Howevere, those coins still look the way they did a long, long time ago. Report this Post to the Staff
Sap Moderator Australia 16809 Posts	Posted 07/21/2011 10:00 pm Quote: It has spent the last 40 odd years in a soft plastic coin holder and over time it has become dulled. I have the impression that this older type of storage can be damaging. Is this because of sulphides or some other compound in the soft plastic? The plastic is probably PVC. PVC in raw form is hard and brittle, it needs additives to soften it up. These "plasticizers" are the real source of "PVC damage", as when they degrade they release acids, which etch the surface of coins encased in it. Acetone takes the acidic goo off, but if it's been in there for 40 years, the damage is already done. 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 Report this Post to the Staff
agandau Valued Member Australia 193 Posts	Posted 07/22/2011 05:50 am I put the coin in a Mylar holder and think that now clean, and enclosed once more it should be right. It is not the crown jewels after all. Goo spots aside, it was instructive to observe the effect of oxidation on the once shiny copper surface. As badthad iterates and just carl demonstrates, taking air out of the equation makes a big difference. Thank you all. Report this Post to the Staff
	Replies: 6 / Views: 1,791

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