cleaning coins

Please at least use a smiley face if you are going to be sarcastic...is there really something called Brighto?

 

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While acetone is extremely flammable, I wouldn't call it dangerous when used with really basic common sense. Don't smoke or BBQ while using it, and you should be fine. Remember, nail polish remover is 99% acetone (or thereabouts), and if my 16 year old daughter can use nail polish remover without blowing herself up, I think anyone can use it.

I went down to WallyWorld, and picked up a 4-pack of these: https://www.walmart.com/ip/Anchor-Hocking-4-Piece-Custard-Cup-Set-2-Pack/50941726

The price online is a lot more then what I paid (I think it was $6 for 4), and I've found them to be really great for acetoning coins of all sizes. The lid also helps reduce evaporation, but I usually put something on top of it to seal it better.

 

So it is ok to use the acetone based nail polish remover? Elaborating a little, do you put a time limit on how long a coin should be in the acetone? And as @GDJMSP warns against touching anything but the edges of your coin, how are you lowering your coin into your Anchor-Hocking custard cups? What would you think of these coin tongs with red rubber tips?

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I'm a 'hands on' guy. The tongs are a good idea, though.

 

I just wonder if there would be some reaction between the rubber and the acetone.

 

Yeah, that thought arrived in my mind after I hit 'post reply'.

 

Anyone know if this stuff reacts with rubber? I've only used fingers, and I've still got 'em.

 

No! Nail polish remover has fragrances and other stuff that can be potentially harmful to your coins. You want to go to the hardware store and get pure acetone.

 

I just use my fingers. I don't trust tongs.

 

@LA_Geezer , I just either put the coin in the AH cup, then add the acetone, or, I just gentle place the coin in it if I already put the acetone in the cup. I also use my fingers. Again, nail polish remover is designed to go on the fingers, and while some will disagree, I don't see a problem with just my bare fingers. It does dry them out (removes the natural oils), but it's only very temporary.

 

Yes, it'll eventually eat it away, and likely deposit some of it on the coin.

If you keep the exposure brief, you'll prolong its' life. I handle my coins in the stuff with my fingers, so I don't know what the long-term effect would look like.

You never really know what additives are in nail polish remover; I don't know to what extent the law requires disclosure of that. Far better to use paint-grade, pure stuff, and it's cheaper in volume anyways. I buy it by the quart.

So far, the longest I've ever left a coin in a single soak is about a week. It really shouldn't matter either way.

 

https://www.fda.gov/cosmetics/productsingredients/products/ucm127068.htm#reg

 

Acetonitrile...I worked in a lab where one of our guys got cyanide poisoning from breathing that stuff...

Regarding fingernail polish remover, if it says 100% acetone, it is probably OK, but I would trust the stuff from a paint store more. Use your fingers...

 

Sorry to hear that. Just skimming the list it seemed like the nastiest stuff was in the fake nail removers?

I really only browsed it out of curiosity but it sounds as though the labels for them are expected to be correct

 

Thank you. Now I can't say that any more.

 

It won't hurt unless you have an open sore on your finger. If you do, you'll wish you'd just slammed your tongue in a door instead.

 

All right, here's one I never thought I'd see, beautiful, shiny AU Lincoln cents literally Scotch-taped to the page. Now I already know that acetone is great for removing that sticky tape residue, but will it have an effect on these coins? (Sorry for the camera flash.)

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