Copper conservation help needed

I think, stress think, there's some confusion on this part of your comment. I believe it was Thad's original product, Verdi-Gone, that he claimed could not be detected by the sniffer. That's because Verdi-Gone did not leave a coating on the coin. That said, PCGS claimed Verdi-Gone could be detected by the sniffer in a video they made and put out on the subject. Who's right ? I don't know, I guess it depends on which one you want to believe. But if Thad's right and it leaves nothing behind, then I'd be inclined to believe him. But that's me.

As for Verdi-Care, the sniffer can and will detect any foreign substance on a coin, including the coating left behind by Verdi-Care.

Regarding the question of will a coin treated with Verdi-Care straight grade ? The answer is it depends - it might straight grade and it might not.

Why, and on what does it depend ? Two things, 1, if the sniffer is used or not. IF the sniffer is used the coin will not straight grade. BUT, the only coins on which the sniffer is used are those coins submitted under the Secure Plus grading tier. The sniffer is not used on any other coins that are submitted under of the other grading tiers. So if you submit the coin under any of the other grading tiers - it has a chance of being straight graded - but just a chance.

That brings us to 2 - because it still depends on whether or not one of the group of graders grading the coin happens to notice the coating with his eyes. If one notices it, the coin will not straight grade. If one does not notice it, it will straight grade.

So how likely are they to notice ? That also depends on the individual graders, some are better than others at detecting things like that. There are other products that also leave a coating on the coins, for example Coin Care or Blue Ribbon to name a couple. And there have been many coins treated these products that did not straight grade because somebody noticed, and at the same time others that did straight grade because nobody noticed.

What makes it so subjective ? A couple of things really, including the condition of the coin. Here's why. When you put a coating on a coin it changes the appearance of that coin, if quite often makes the coin look better than it really is, particularly the surfaces. If the coin is MS, that's not much of a big deal really. But if the coin is not MS, depending on how much wear it does have, graders get used to coins in various conditions having a certain look. So if the coin is a XX, and it looks better than a XX should look - then it makes the grader suspicious. And once a grader gets suspicious, you're pretty well shot down. And then there's the quantity factor. In other words, the more of the product, whichever one it is, that you use on the coin, the more of it there is that will be left behind. And if more is left behind it is easier to see.

Bottom line it's a crap shoot.

All of this also applies to NGC because they have the exact same policies in place.

 

Yeah, tried it many years ago, and over the years I've seen a few others express and discuss the idea. It works quite well in some cases. In others, not so much. In that regard it's like all other forms of proper cleaning methods - some things work on some things and others they don't. Figuring out which is which is the hard part.

 

We'll see if he replies. But, in the meantime, maybe I can help you out with that.

 

In the interest of promoting a better understanding I think some additional comments about verdigris might be in order. It seems that some think that the mere presence of verdigris, the green stuff, on a coin is going to hurt or harm the coin. But this is not true, verdigris is not some harmful substance that will continue to eat away at the coin if left in place. Verdigris isn't like PVC residue, that if left on the coin will continue to eat away at the coin. Verdigris itself is basically harmless.

Nor will verdigris on a coin prevent that coin from being slabbed and cleanly graded. There are millions of coins, copper, silver, and gold, that have verdigris on them, in varying quantities, and those coins have been slabbed and cleanly graded.

So why is it that people want to remove it ? Two basic reasons, they are unaware of that I said above and think that verdigris is a harmful substance, or they think that removing it will make the coin "look better". And from all I've read over the years, it seems the latter is the primary reason they want to remove it. In other words, it is for their own personal satisfaction that they want it gone. And I can understand that, nor is there anything wrong with that.

But here's the thing that it seems some don't understand. And although I've said it before I think it bears repeating. If a coin has verdigris on it, you can simply leave it alone. For as long as you store the coin properly nothing will change for the worse. That verdigris will stay just as it is, doing no further damage to the coin.

The primary enemy of coins is the very air we breathe. This is because the air is what contains all the contaminants and the moisture that cause corrosion. So if you wish to protect your coins to the best of your ability, then you must protect your coins from the air to the best of your ability. Cut off the flow of air to your coins and corrosion will not occur. It's just that simple.