jcz1

I submitted a Trade Dollar to PCGS and was just informed that it was rejected for PVC Residue. My question now is where did it come from. Here's a little background...

I'm just getting back into the hobby after a long absence. After pocket-change collecting as a kid, I got back into coins in the early 90's, then stopped in 1993. These were the pre-internet days, so getting info about products and dealers was not as easy back then. A co-worker and I ended up buying a bunch of coins from the major magazine advertisers back then, such as Paul Sims and Coast to Coast. The 1874-S Trade Dollar was purchased from Paul Sims in XF for $149.

Based on what I've read recently about certain dealers, my main concern would be that the coin would come back marked "cleaned" but instead it was a PVC issue. (I don't know if this means it had not been cleaned at some point in the past, based on the ruling.) My concern now is if it had it when I bought it, or did my storage cause it.

The coin was placed in a self-seal 2x2 Day Mount Coin Holder. A google search found these still for sale. They claim to be PVC-free now, but the boxes I have do not mention PVC at all. (The picture on the site looks exactly the same as what I have.) The 2x2 was then placed in a 80-pocket Anco Coin Album. This does not seem to exist anymore, though the Coin Alblums mentioned on the first google result for Day Mount Coin Holder look remarkably similar, other than the text. The Trade Dollar was a little big for the 2x2, so it might not have been as air-tight as it could have been. The album, and all my other coins, were then stored for 15+ years in boxes on the main level of my home.

My question to all, especially those who've been around a while, is this: do you remember Day Mount Coin Holders and/or Anco coin albums from the early 90's, and do you think that these were the source of the PVC? Possibly because the Trade Dollar was too big for the dollar-size holder it was in? Or is it possible the coin already had PVC residue when I bought it?

Okay, a little more info: I still have some unused Anco albums, and I just went up and smelled them. They do have the plastic smell of a new shower curtain, so I'm guessing they have PVC. If the 2x2's are still well sealed, is this enough to keep them protected in these albums, or should I replace the albums? And do I need to replace the Day Mount 2x2's as well? (Replacing the albums is not a big task, but re-doing every 2x2 would be!) Thanks in advance!

GDJMSP

You definitely need to replace the albums. When the PVC softening agent breaks down it turns into a gas. And since no coin holder is airtight, that gas can then get on the coins.

Since this coin had PVC on it, it's a pretty safe bet that the others do too. I would suggest that you have a lot of work in front of you.

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jcz1

Okay, thanks for the info, even though it's not what I wanted to hear.

I already started the process with NCS for the Trade Dollar. But at a minimum of $20 per coin (if I'm reading their prices correctly), it obviously doesn't make sense to send low-value coins to NCS.

Considering that three of the albums were BU sets of Franklin halves, Washington quarters, and Roosevelt dimes, many (or most) of these coins aren't even worth $20. What are some suggestions for these coins? I realize I could try to remove the PVC residue myself, but I don't really trust myself around the chemicals needed to do this. Are there cheaper alternatives for bulk PVC removal services? Or should I just remove the coins from the album and hope for the best (do nothing else)?

GDJMSP

It's pretty easy to do yourself and not expensive. But it does take some time.

First, go to the hardware store and get yourself some pure acetone. depending on the size of your collection, you might need a couple quarts. And a couple gallons of distilled water.

Then get 3 clean glass dishes, shallow bowls will work. Put 1/4" or so of acetone in 3 of the bowls. Place a coin in the first bowl, let it soak for a couple hours. Then remove it and place it in the second bowl, 15 minutes should do. Then place it in the 3rd bowl, 10 seconds will work here. Then rinse the coin thoroughly with the distilled water, holding the coin only by the edges and moving your fingers at least once to rinse the area covered by your fingers the first time. Then stand the coin on soft towel, on edge against the counter backsplash or something and let it air dry. When dry, put it in your new holder. Do the same thing with every coin.

Now, remember this - do not re-use the acetone. Once used pour it in a bucket or something. DO NOT pour it down the sink drain as it can disolve some plumbing (plastic pipes). Then take the bucket of used stuff to a paint store, some will take it and some won't. Call around.

And make sure to do this in a well ventilated area, acetone evaporates quickly and the fumes are explosive. And they can make you quite dizzy.

And - I would not use acetone on any copper coin. Send those to NCS.

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Just Carl

Basically already said. If you remember things like plaques, the one sure thing was to burn everything. I'm not suggesting you burn everything involved with your coins, but if I were you just to play safe, I'd start by getting rid of a lot of really old plastics. Way back no one really knew to much about the possible problems with some plastics and/or the additives in them. For example way back Asbestos was also included in some plastics to make them more heat resistant. Cutting such materials was not a problem back them but now??? Way back to make a watch glow in the dark people in factories used to dip a brush in radioactive materials and paint the hands. They would also, wet those brushes in thier mouths. Guess what?
Now as to your coin holders. It might take some time as already noted but it's much better to be safe than sorry. Start with the flips, then the albums. Slowly just change to new products.

Conder101

Something Doug didn't mention. You will have to keep the bowls of acetone covered orelse in a fw minutes you will have a bowl with a coin in it and no acetone. Acetone evaporates VERY quickly.

A couple of personaly comments/opinions. I don't think long soaks are needed. acetone tends to works very fast, but for heavy deposits I think agitation works better than soaking. In a soak the solution close to the coin becomes saturated and then it stops working. I prefer to swish my coins around in the acetone so it is constantly being exposed to "fresh" solution and the contaminates are carried away from the coin. I also prefer a quick rinse with fresh acetone before putting the coin into the next bowl. Prevents contamination from one bowl to the next. Unless deposits are extrmely heave usually all you will need is 10 to 15 seconds swishing per bowl. As for disposal of the acetone, I just let it evaporate. On thing Doug didn't mention was to only do this in a WELL ventilated area with no ignition sources. Acetone is VERY flammable and it's high evaporation rate makes it easy to reach explosive atmospheres.

As for drying the coin after rinsing, you can use Doug's method or I prefer to do a quick rinse with fresh acetone. The water will dissolve into the acetone and either be flushed away with the rinse or carried off when the acetone evaporates in a few seconds. No chance for water spots.

As for the "PVC residue" itself. It might not be at all. They don't check to see if it is, any oily film or residue is called PVC residue. PVC flips leach out the oily plasticizer so when they see oil they call it PVC residue no matter where it might have come from. I have seen coins come straight from government proof and mint sets get bagged for PVC residue because they had too much of the oil they use to keep the planchets from sticking in the press feeder mechanisms on them.

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