cleaning/conserving coins from circulation

Okay, I'm ready to do some conservation.



I found this Kennedy proof at the bank yesterday. "Hey, this one looks different..." is a great thing to hear from a teller, but not while she's putting her fingers all over both sides of a proof. I'd like to remove the fingerprints before I put this one in a holder. I'm leaning toward gentle detergent in an ultrasonic cleaner, with a distilled-water rinse; I'm thinking an acetone soak probably isn't the right approach. Ideas?



This IHC came in a small batch of other coins, and is by far the finest IHC I've ever had. The diamonds are clearer in-hand than in this picture. I'd like to try to remove the soft green verdigris (if that's what it is), but I'm nervous. How much would I be risking by doing the ultrasonic-bath treatment here?

In either case, I'd be resting the coin on soft cotton or something similar.

Ideas? Counter-suggestions?

 

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Yuo could probably experiment with the proof Kennedy, as a circulated froof isn't really ever going to be worth anything. But, I don't know if there is such a thing as a "gentle detergent" when it comes to preserving coins. I'm thinking that cotton swabs and acetone may be more gentle, but on a proof surface it may still show. As for the IHC, an ultrasonic bath is what I would use to remove the green crud.

 

Hope your willing to accept the possibility of destroying both those coins .

 

Ultrasonic bath in plain water, distilled, or with detergent (something like Dawn) added?

 

I would not used the Ultrasonic. A quick dip in acetone for the franklin will remove the oils from fingerprint if done soon. On the IHC I would use either VERDI-CARE™ or Coin Care. IMHO

 

If you do a quick search within the forum you will see that there has been quite a bit of discussion on coin cleaning. Here is a few links:
http://www.cointalk.com/t147479/
http://www.cointalk.com/t137333/
http://www.cointalk.com/t128774/

 

Good advice!!

Thanks for the sage advice, as from my experience your directions have proven to generally provide the best results.

One needs to be very careful with the IHC, as adverse results with this type coin can be quite unacceptable.

Rich :thumb:

 

First one: yes, I found and read the thread. I've known since my days as a YN that cleaning coins is generally a bad idea, and that you don't wipe proofs. I started this thread to ask for more specific advice, in a situation where leaving the coins untouched is likely to lead to further deterioration.

Second: yes, I found and read the thread. I'm not planning on sending a circulated Kennedy proof or a 1907 IHC to NCS. I understand something about the physics of ultrasonic cleaning and cavitation damage; I don't think my ultrasonic cleaner is beefy enough to easily cause that kind of damage, but I'd certainly try it on low-value coins first. (If you consider an XF/AU 1907 IHC "higher value" in the first place.)

Third: I found this thread soon after I joined the site. I particularly enjoyed the "bleach and ammonia" bit. I see talk about Verdi-Care, but without knowing exactly what chemicals are involved, I'm uneasy about using a product that claims to "permanently bond" to the coin's surface.

Here's where I'm coming from. I was an avid collector in childhood, decades ago, and I've internalized most of the lessons one teaches YNs -- don't clean, don't handle by surfaces, etc. I've got a pretty strong background in chemistry and general lab technique. I've also got some physics background, including handling optics that are considerably more fragile than coin surfaces. I don't have specific experience conserving coins -- as I said, the lesson I learned early on was "just don't" -- but as I look at what's wrong with the examples above, it seems like it would be possible to fix the problems. I'm looking for advice from people who've done it successfully. And, even better, from people who've attempted it UNsuccessfully. It's good to learn from your mistakes, but it's better to learn from other people's mistakes.

 

And so, in the very next phase of searching after my last post, I found this thread (via Google, actually):

http://www.cointalk.com/t104174-3/

BadThad's "conservation ladder" makes eminent sense to me. I think I'll try a distilled-water soak for the IHC first, and see where that gets me.

 

That IHC is an ideal coin for conservation with VERDI-CARE™. It will remove 100% of that light verdigris without damaging the coin. The ReAcT2™ is invisable and only molecules thick, do not fear the metallic bonding process as it will protect the coin from future corrosion and you'll never know it's there. Take a few minutes and read the documentation.

edited

 

Ditto....ultrasonic cleaners are far too harsh on most coins IMO. NEVER use detergents/soaps on coins.

 

The comments I provided you is base on my own experiences, both my successes and failures.
On silver or clads, using a ultra sonic cleaner has ruined a few coins for me. I noticed little areas left on the coins where the holes in the basket became noticeable on the coins, giving the coins a checker board effect. I have use E-Z-est™ coin cleaner, jewel lust, the jewelry cleaner that came with the sonic cleaner, distilled water, and tap water but I have never had no personal success using a ultra sonic cleaner on coins. I have not try using dish washing soap mostly because most dish washing soaps appear to have ingredients contained within them that appears to be harmful or the type of ingredients, I am trying to remove.

In using pure acetone I have been successful in removing oils, newly made fingerprints, glue and pvc residue. I usually let the coin sit for a few minutes, rinse with distilled water and blow dry.

On coppers, I have used MS 70™, olive oil, E-Z-est™ coin cleaner, jewel lust, the jewelry cleaner that came with the sonic cleaner, Blue Ribbon™, Coin Care™ and tap water. Using these I have had various degrees of success in cleaning copper coins but none remove verdigris to my satisfaction. Blue Ribbon™ which is no longer produced, was my preferred method of cleaning coppers. I now use Coin Care™ which is a similar product for general light cleaning if needed. Since VERDI-CARE™ became available I have used it for removal of light to moderate verdigris successfully, Blue Ribbon™ and Coin Care™ did not.

Please don't get me wrong I rarely clean my coins but I have experimented though the years and I generally recommend not to clean any valuable coins.

I provided you with a few general links so that you could do further research in what others have experienced on this forum concerning cleaning their coins and not depend on just my comments or opinion. This is a subject that appears to come up weekly in the forum and others have had difference experiences than me.

It is my opinion that they are your coins and do with them as you wish.

I wish you luck in conserving your coins.

Don

 

Thanks, Farstaff; I do appreciate the guidance and links. I'll likely try acetone on the proof, try distilled water (or nothing at all) on the IHC, and leave the ultrasonic cleaner on its shelf for now.

 

Oh, one quick,simple question about the acetone soak: how do you get the coin in and out? I don't want to get my fingers into the acetone, because then it'll pick up skin oils, some of which will be deposited on the coin. I don't want to use anything rubber-tipped. I think I've still got some tongs that could pick up a coin by the edges, but I'm a little nervous about dropping/scratching. Maybe I can find a way to fasten some cotton around the ends...

 

I have use the plastic coin tongs and have drop a few. I mostly use cotton gloves when handling any raw coins. I simply place the coin in a bowl wearing gloves and pour the acetone into the bowl. After a few minutes I remove the coin holding the coin on it edges and wearing the gloves. Then I rinse with distilled water and air dry. After it is dry and wearing a new set of cotton gloves, I store according to my prefer method which depending on the type and grade of coin is either an airtite, cardboard holder, plastic flip or album.

Again others may do it different or have difference opinions on how to handle coins but I prefer wearing cotton gloves when I handle raw coins and always grasp by the edges between my thumb and finger.

 

Experiment on common coins from circulation FIRST! Then think before doing anything to a real nice coin. What you do to a coin now may/will destroy the collectable value of the coin in the future. Best advice: Don't clean your coins unless they are just worth face value. They maybe only worth that AFTER you've messed them up.

 

That's my plan. The Kennedy proof, of course, is from circulation, but I'll see if I can find a glossy business-strike with fingerprints first. (This latest batch included two bicentennial halves, P and D, that appear to have been chrome-plated -- they should take fingerprints pretty well.)

I've got some gunked-up Memorial cents that I'll experiment on before I do anything to the IHC.

 

I would like to see your results after you are done.
Thank you

 

Proof coins can take NO abrasion without consequences. IF you dip these in any substance, then pat dry, do not rub. The mirror finish with be ruined.

 

Better yet, I just got a bag of nasty wheaties -- black gunk on my fingers after sorting through them. No, I'm not going to send them off to that hotel's coin washer -- even though they're all commons -- but I will pick a couple of the nastiest to be my experimental subjects. And, yes, I'll post before-and-afters.