Hey everyone -- first time poster here (and hopefully here to stay, look's like a great forum). I recently purchased a few coins from an online seller. 3 uncirculated mercury dimes (common dates) and an uncirculated morgan dollar that would likely grade out MS63/64 and be worth ~$250. My problem is that the morgan has a fingerprint on the front that was not in the picture and must have happened when the seller was packaging the item. My guess is that he/she was selling the coins on behalf of someone else since the coins were handled improperly and sent in a paper envelope without any protection and allowed to rub with each other. I don't care too much about the mercury dimes but I was planning on sending the morgan to PCGS. My question is: What is the best way to remove the fingerprint without ruining an otherwise great coin? I really appreciate your help!
I wouldn't touch it to be honest. I've seen high grading slabbed coins with fingerprints on them. It's unattractive but the details are what matters. I would leave it alone especially if you plan on sending it in, because if you do something wrong it could come back "cleaned" which will make your efforts useless. There are ways you can do it, but I won't say because I personally wouldn't risk it. I'll let others say what they think though.
Good point evilkidsmeal. That's what I'm most worried about -- completely devaluing the coin in the eyes of the TPGs. The tough part is I plan on adding the coin to my collection and oh man that finger (thumb I think!) print would make me go crazy. Thanks for the response... might just return the coins so I don't take any unnecessary risks.
That's probably the safest way to go , If it drives you crazy now , you'll always hate it . From what I've heard once a fingerprint is on a coin the acid from the oils on the fingers kinda etch the fingerprints ton the coin . There are ways to take it off but chances are it will reapear later on . rzage
The thing you have to realize about fingerprints is this - after a few days a fingerprint cannot be removed with simple means because the a fingerprint actually etches the metal. But - if a fingerprint is fresh, less than few days old, it can be safely removed by dipping the coin in acetone. But this is for non-copper coins only. Acetone can sometimes turn copper weird colors so it is no trecommended to use acetone on copper coins. That said, even old fingerprints can be removed from coins by using a coin dip - an acid. This works because the acid removes the top layer of metal (and the fingerprint) from the coin. But the problem is it may also damage the coin to the point that it becomes a problem coin depending on how deeply the fingerprint has etched the metal. Dip it long enough to completely remove the fingerprint and you may also strip away any and all luster from the coin. For this reason, once a coin has a fingerprint on it, most people just leave it alone. They prefer to avoid the risk.
Yup, return the coins. I've had ebay sellers tape the raw coin I purchased to the invoice, and once even had a seller place multiple modern proof cents in a tiny coin envelope to where they banged and rubbed together during transit. Like someone else pointed out, if you're not happy with the coin now, your dissatisfaction will only increase as time goes by. If you want to totally eliminate the risk of submitting a problem coin or receiving an unsatisfactory TPG grade, just spend a little more and buy an already graded coin that appeals to you. -LTB
doesnt it bother you that you are the last word on most things as far as google and coin collecting are concerned and a times you could be wrong. not saying you are wrong here but you get what i am saying? one wrong preach from you and you could spawn an entire generation of coin collectors doing the wrong thing.
Sometimes years of experience is looked over by those that learned it all before they have grown up. Please continue JDJMSP while others close their ears there ares still many that want to learn.
strange appeal for me. I have an '09vbd in ms64rd with one clear fingerprint on the obverse. for some reason I like it. just thinking that it was from the person who most likely got the coin new is kinda neat. but if a print bothers you then as others have said send it back or sell it.
Dip it in MS70 coin cleaner or acetone. I friggin' cannot stand fingerprints on coins. Certainly do not slab it with the print on it. I've heard 'do not dip anything for any reason' blah-blah-blah but this seems to be a perfect case of preventing permanent damage.
This thread is 2+ years old fellas, the fingerprint should be the least of our worries! lol at the Gravediggers who find this stuff
I understand your thinking, but once a fingerprint has been on a coin for more than a few days - the damage already is permanent. And at that point the print can only be removed by using an acid dip that literally removes the metal to a point beyond that of the etching into the metal caused by the fingerprint. And if you remove that much metal then in most cases you will have made your problem worse than it was before. You will in all probability have taken a gradeable coin (coins with fingerprints are gradeable) and turned it into an ungradeable coin. edit - and spock, no it doesn't bother me at all. First of all I try very hard to not make mistakes, be wrong, when I post something. But I am far from perfect, nobody is, and I do make mistakes. And when that happens, almost inevitably somebody will be sure to point it out. They seem to take great joy in doing that. But ya know what ? So do I. I take great joy in having somebody, anybody, show me that I was wrong about something. And I do that because all I care about is people having the right information. So if I make a mistake, please point it out. And I will be the first one to step up and say thank you for that
Righto Doug! Except for the acetone copper thing. I will concede to you a little with copper and acetone. I recently got a token from the 60's that my brother had from my grandfather. Before putting it into a 2x2 I did my usual acetone rinse.....it hazed the copper token! I was very surprized but the token did feel strange before I rinsed it. It was apparently coated with something thin and transparent. I simply put in acetone for 24 hours, removed it and the haze was gone and the token looked great. Obviously, it had something organic on it.
I have never, ever claimed that acetone affects copper all of the time Thad. Only that it does so some of the time. Question is, how much of that sometime is too much ? I know for a fact it happens often that I would never risk it on any coin that mattered. And the only time I would do it at all is on a copper coin where it had to done to prevent further damage, like with PVC. If you, meaning anybody, absolutely feel like you have to rinse a copper coin, the use xylene and forget the acetone. It'll do the same thing the acetone will, with no risk. Seems like a no brainer to me.
Xylene won't do the "same thing". Acetone has the ability to remove somewhat polar residues and xylene does not. I agree with you though, xylene is much better on copper than acetone for removing residue.
don't worry I have shown you were not updated many a time but unfortunately I get no joy in it. if you were here I would show you how to remove fingerprints on coins and not damage them but alas an ocean keeps us away.
do tell me my dear gd which metal do you have in mind when you say this. we may be close to another eureka moment
