Help! I've Been Slimed - Coin Community Forum

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

Author	Replies: 9 / Views: 1,360
mwr1550 Valued Member United States 193 Posts	Posted 09/10/2011 5:10 pm I could use some advice. A while back I bought 8 1976 Kennedy Silver proof halves. They came in soft vinyl flips. I was always meaning to put them in either cardboard flips or snaptite holders. However through my own forgetfulness I didn't right away and they sat in my collection for some time. Recently I was going through my collection and when I got to them I realized what I had done But they had already begun to get slimed. Some are not as bad as others but all of them showed some signs of slime. Of course I immediately took them out of the flips and attempted to wipe the slime off of some of them with a soft dry cotton cloth but That didn't really help in fact I think I put some scratches on them. So my question is what do I do now? Are they ruined? I realize I've probably degraded them from what was probably a PR69 to something less. Will the damage stop now that they are out of the vinyl flips? Is there anyway to clean them? I kick myself in the butt when I think of what I've done But at least I have the satisfaction of knowing I got them pretty cheap. Any Advice? Report this Post to the Staff

lukkyseven Pillar of the Community United States 880 Posts	Posted 09/10/2011 5:13 pm My guess is the scratches have probably devalued them more then the decoloration. The only real good news is that they are silver so you can still get metal value for them. So depending on how much you paid for them, you might be able to make some money even though they're not proof like any more. Report this Post to the Staff
mwr1550 Valued Member United States 193 Posts	Posted 09/10/2011 5:16 pm Oh I'm sure I can get money for themevenat melt but I was hoping to be able to conserve them. Report this Post to the Staff
biokemist6 Bedrock of the Community United States 12437 Posts	Posted 09/10/2011 5:41 pm Your halves have been afflicted by the dastardly PVC slime. The offgassing of the PVC flip combined with moisture will produce hydrochloric acid which is highly damaging to silver. Wiping the coins was probably the worst thing you could have done, friction is unforgiving on proof surfaces. The residue can be removed through the use of an organic solvent such as acetone but even so, the damage has been done and they will never be worth more than melt value(currently ~$5). Report this Post to the Staff
CaptainFwiffo Pillar of the Community United States 4132 Posts	Posted 09/10/2011 5:56 pm Green goo! Acetone is your best bet, but the wiping... Report this Post to the Staff
mwr1550 Valued Member United States 193 Posts	Posted 09/10/2011 6:08 pm Well I only tried the wiping on 2 of them, the worst ones. Some had hardly any slime at all. Report this Post to the Staff
Buddy Rest in Peace United States 7075 Posts	Posted 09/10/2011 7:45 pm I have a similar problem. I found (amongst my late father-in-laws' things) about a dozen Kennedy halves -- all with green slime. They were a cardboard box. I expect that the coins were damaged before he got them. But I don't think there are any silver coins in the lot. They are all MM D from 1974 (I think). Anyway, I understand that I should NOT use nail polish remover acetone, but that I need to get some from the hardware store. Then what? Put them in a covered glass jar? One at a time? How long will it take and what should I expect to see? I have been looking for info on this for quite some time and I keep finding a little info here and there, but I feel a bit nervous about trying to do this. Any advice is very welcome. Thanks. Report this Post to the Staff
biokemist6 Bedrock of the Community United States 12437 Posts	Posted 09/10/2011 8:33 pm Acetone found in the paint section of a hardware store should be sufficient. You will want to check the purity with an evaporation test- pour a small bit in a clear glass dish and let it evaporate, there should be no residue left behind. It should not take any more than a few minute soak(no rubbing!) to remove any foreign material. Once the residue has dissolved, rinse the coin with FRESH acetone and let air dry. WARNING: Acetone is a flammable organic solvent but it can be used safely with a few precautions. Only use it in a well-ventilated area away from ignition sources. Take care to minimize contact with your skin, short contact is not harmful but it will strip your skin of natural oils leaving you feeling a little leathery. Acetone is not compatible with most plastics(#5 plastic polypropylene is the exception) so use glass. Report this Post to the Staff
BadThad Bedrock of the Community United States 19931 Posts	Posted 09/11/2011 02:27 am Yep, what bio says. NEVER wipe coins with a cloth....especially proof coins. Lincoln Cent Lover! VERDI-CARE™ INVENTOR https://verdi.care/ Report this Post to the Staff
Buddy Rest in Peace United States 7075 Posts	Posted 09/11/2011 8:53 pm Thank you biokemist6. I will save a few glass jars and give it a try. Report this Post to the Staff
	Replies: 9 / Views: 1,360

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

All Forums Category: General Numismatic Forums Forum: Main Coin Forum

Silver Gold Bull US is the United States leading bullion dealer. We deliver gold coins, gold bars, silver coins, silver bars and precious metals to your door. Order today!

The First Dollar, your premier source for bullion and rare coins. See our bullion list on the site and the coin inventory on ebay.

View Last 100 New Topics

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

It took 0.41 seconds to rattle this change.