Actually, I thought I was using your advise. After neutralizing it in distilled water, I softly dab it with a very soft cotton cloth. No rubbing!
For the very few coins I dip, this is what I do. I will dip the coin, hold it under hot running water, then swish it around in a bowl of clean warm soapy water then rinse it again under hot running water. Then I lay it on a cotton towel and gently pat it dry. Occasionally I will add a step and rinse it in some MS-70 in between the hot water rinse and soap and water rinse.
My last step is to swish the coin around in clean acetone. It will dry on it's own in about 2 seconds.
After you dip a coin what is the best way to neutralize the dip? I have never felt that just water or soap and water would fully neutralize it.
pop it in a toaster ? I was told after the dip was neutralized, then distilled water wash to dab it with a soft towel then a hair dryer.
Yup. Water and acetone are miscible in all proportions. This is a common technique in research labs to dry glassware, metals and certain types of plastics (e.g. polypropylene, Teflon) in a hurry. Has the added benefit of degreasing the object as well. Remember though acetone is very flammable as is its vapor. Cal
I've never been a fan of "patting" a coin dry - not with anything. The first rule of coin collecting is that you do not touch the surface of the coin - not ever, and not with anything. And that includes all situations, and toothpicks, and Q-tips, and rose thorns, and fingers, and any cloths of any kind - not anything means NOT ANYTHING ! As for the question of how to dry a coin ? My recommended method has never changed. The final step after any type of proper cleaning is to rinse the coin in distilled water. Then place a towel of soft cloth on a counter top, stand the coin on edge on the cloth, and lean it up against the back splash. Then just let it dry overnight. By standing it on edge all the water runs off and the coin dries spot free. I have done this more times than I can count, and there is never a problem. With any and all other methods I have also tried, there sometimes, stress sometimes, is a problem. Now rather obviously others disagree with these comments. And that's fine, they are welcome to their own opinions. But that's mine.
Usually when we say "dip" it refers to an acid. Baking soda and distilled water will neutralize it. Then remove the neutralizer with distilled water and acetone. Only if you did not hairline your coin.
I'll need to try that letting the coin dry on edge. We'll see if it spots under the scope. I'm going to use hot distilled water as it may dry faster w/less chance of spotting (if that is the case). Just had a funny thought. A conservation service has a desk along a long wall with hundreds of coins drying overnight.
It's been proven many times over the centuries, the simplest things are quite often the best solutions
So if a coin goes thru the above steps and it's subsequently submited to a TPG will it be marked "cleaned" "details" etc.?
So acetone completely drys with no film finish? Just asking because I've put several drops of acetone on a clean piece of glass and watched it dry. I see film.
Stuff it into a potato and bake at 450° for 2 hr (Sarcasm) Or what I really do if a coin must be dipped distilled water rinse with a acetone chaser