Goldstone

Okay...so I have a relative (my grandma) who has these acrylic toilet seats with coins similar to this one:
http://www.bedbathstore.com/cocuactose.html

but the seat actually has a CC morgan as well as some other cool coins some in great condition

How can I remove them without damaging them?

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Goldstone

Goldstone

Could I melt the toilet?

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Goldstone

Ripley

Soak in MEK for a few hours. The coins should just fall to bottom of can as plastic dissolves. It will not hurt the coins, MEK- Methyl Ethel Kloride, be careful with this stuff. follow use directions. Traci

stainless

More than likely this stuff will damage the coins (as far as luster is concerned at least) but if it is in a toilet seat, it probably doesn't matter much anyways.


stainless

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Will trade coins for cake recipes.

HandsomeToad

MEK = Methyl Ethyl Ketone

It should dew the job!

Ribbit

DoK U Mint

Esp when stimulated with a little heat....just make sure NOT TOO MUCH heat.

You might want to start with a SawzAll and work with little clumps, not the whole Pot inna Pot at once.

And after all that chance to call inna hazmat team you will most likely find out~

WoW!~ They looked like almost like the real thing!

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"We're all ignorant, just on Different Subjects." Will Rogers

Goldstone

Hm..I wonder is there any other option because the coins are in such a pristine condition encased in the acrylic..and THANKS

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Goldstone

CamaroDMD

If they are encased like that, they are already damaged. It would be hard to remove them without damaging them further...but they aren't in pristine condition.

But, let me be the first to say...that is sweet. I would love a coin encrusted toilet seat. Too bad my birthday isn't near.

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The Truth About "O" Mint Morgan Dollars

clembo

Personally I would contact SGS. They'll slab anything. Any inadvertent "stains" would be noted as toning.

Have them slab said toilet seat in a really big all over MS70 holder and let them sell it for you on a commision basis.

You could be a gazillionaire or end up with.....?

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A closed mind is no mind at all...

desertgem

You really don't think the rarer coins are genuine do you?

Jim

Goldstone

Well yeah, its old its been in her house for over 60 years...Though it is possible I highly doubt it...Also I wont have it for a little bit of time until she sells her house, but it is mine! and definitely going to get is slabbed MS70 lol, who knows they could somehow be PR70 lol

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Goldstone

beachcombermike

only in america, mike.

hontonai

Acetone melts some plastics. If it works on your seat, it won't harm the coins.

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Ethical conduct is being honest when no one is watching.

krispy

IF those coins are/were real and not fakes embedded in there, I feel that the acrylic-resin casting process itself would have done the damage to the coins and that extracting them will reveal what is not presently visible through the cast acrylic. That is, no matter what method you go by to remove them, once separated from the bulk of the acrylic you will be left with coins that have bonded residue to them. Any chemical treatment to remove this will further effect the surface patina / toning that the coins may have had prior to encasement.

ALSO, beware of using chemicals to melt other resins, polymers and plastics... they give off serious noxious and toxic odors which are repiratory irritants. If you go this route, do it outside, away from your home/property for safety and know how to properly extinguish fires caused by chemicals. Wear a proper graded respirator for working with any chemical solvents. With that said, it might be easier to just crack the acrylic with force and see what you can do without chemicals.

Did they actually make acrylic coin embedded toilet seats in 1949? since you mentioned it being like 60 years old... Thought these were more modern kitschy home gag decor. Lucite and PlexiGlas were invented by DuPont in the early 1930s so I suppose it could be that old. At any rate, I did some further Googling and found a thread about Extracting embedded coins from Lucite, read on, it may help:
http://www.coinbooks.org/esylum_v09n04a22.html

Please note that the above link stresses the flammable nature of solvents and the necessity for ventilation when using these materials.

krispy

Read the Materials Safety Data Sheet (MSDS) for Methyl ethyl ketone (MEK):
www.sciencelab.com/xMSDS-Methyl_ethyl_ketone-9927358 [PDF]

Hazards Identification

Potential Acute Health Effects: Hazardous in case of skin contact (irritant, permeator), of eye contact (irritant), of ingestion, of inhalation (lung
irritant.

The stuff is serious, so know what you are playing with before conducting your experiment. And know how to dispose of the waste, it's ecologically toxic, don't dump it in the water supply or sewer.