Clouding on Proof Silver Coins

I want to start buying the blue and brown IKE silver dollars. I notice many of the proofs I see are kind of cloudy-looking.

To those of you who know a lot about collecting proofs, should I avoid a coin if, everything else being fine, it appears kind of cloudy? Does that damage the coin over time? Is it already damaged if it is cloudy?

I do not know how to clean/dip and them, nor do I ever want to do it to any of mine. So, just wondering if I should avoid them. I don't plan to sell these until after I retire. Please be honest. I provided a hypothetical example below (I know there are other marks on this one; please limit your decision to just the issue of it being cloudy and if I should avoid similar examples).

 

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I am anxious to hear what others think about these. I have tried a thiourea-based dip and it hasn't TOUCHED this stuff. At one course, I was told to try a solution of "soapy Ammonia" to remove this (no wiping or rubbing of course), but I haven't yet gotten around to trying it.

 

It's not really damage, but it is unattractive and something that does impact the value and liquidity.

Probably yes. If you don't want to clean them up spend a touch more and find one that looks nice.

I've had some success with the old MS 70. I haven't tried it since they likely changed the formula. Maybe @Insider will spill the secret to getting that off.

 

The problem I find is that I actually like having them in the original packaging with all the COAs and boxes and stuff. I normally only see them shiny in TPG slabs, probably because they were dipped. I guess this is a lost cause to have a nice shiny set of silver IKEs in the original packages...

 

Yes and no. A lot of the packaging is the problem with them. You can remove the haze and put it back in the packaging but you will probably have to do that every few years

 

Yes, this. While I understand the appeal of original packaging as a rule, these particular coins came in a plastic packaging that was literally injurious to the product. This presents a conundrum to the purist. There are no great answers, only less than ideal answers to choose from. This paradox has led ME personally to choose an alternative storage for this series - the Eagle brand 2x2 system that had its zenith popularity in the late 1990's, but they're still around.

 

I tried the original packaging with them too but quickly gave it up. I just immediately remove them now before they haze over

 

I've said it before, and I'll say it again, like dissolves like, and when you get PVC hazing you need a solvent with chlorine in it. Methylene chloride is here only thing I have found to get this off. Anything water-based will roll off of it like water off of a duck's back. PVC is like a wax, so you need something to cut through it.

 

Here's an article by Walter Breen back in 1977 that talks about the procedure for tarnish removal for proofs - not sure how that translates for cloudy coins. Breen mentions (clear or cloudy) ammonia followed by MEK for nickels and gold coins, and typically MEK by itself for silver proof coins. I haven't tried either, so I can't attest to whether or not they'll remove the clouding on your proofs. But, maybe others can speak to Breen's claims.

https://www.pcgs.com/books/breen-proofs/ToTheReader-002.aspx

 

I guess I will collect them in slabs. Sounds like a pain to have to get them cleaned. Can't always be a purist and I'm okay with that

 

What ELSE is methyl ethyl ketone used for? They don't sell it for coins. What is it sold to do?

 

Has the Mint realized this? Is there new packaging to fix this? (Why do I get the feeling I am going to be laughed out of this thread by asking?)

 

Oh they became all too aware of it. I believe they very quickly got rid of this particular hard case product. I'm not aware of seeing this type of hazing on anything post-1974. My question is the GSA coins . The packaging LOOKS the same.

 

Overall the GSA packaging has been much less damaging. Plenty of coins that have been sealed in it for a long time look perfectly fine. Either the morgans have a force field or some difference exists

 

Lack of a mirror? Maybe it takes a flat mirror to notice it.

 

I assume the proof finish does make the Ikes more vulnerable and/or the morgans developed some sort of protection sitting in their bags forever

 

Significantly different alloy, too.

 

Ahh, the cloudy blue haze on Ike Silver proofs. I got very frustrated with these a few months back. I dipped a 71 in eZest and the blue haze came right off (only did it for less than a second). It still looks good but it hasn't been longer than a year so who knows what will happen over time. My next route to avoid blue haze was to search for ones without it. Good luck there, I found none. So then I settled for nicely Toned blue haze. Still not happy so I gave up on my Ike collection. I only need three more coins for the 35 coin set but I am pretty much done for awhile.

 

That has NOT been my experince, Doug. My favorite dip doesn't touch Ike haze even in the slightest. An hour or two in the Kodak-based dip and NOTHING. I don't own EZest. The VERY SAME stuff I use can evade detection by ANYONE from silver de-toning use.