Experiment with Verdigone (tm) on copper cents

Hi, The scientist has been in me too long to disappear, and I am open minded enough to admit if I have had a misconception. I have used Verdigone(tm) experimentally on many cents I would have tossed or figured as a fraction of value. I have been happy with it and didn't feel it changed unduly the patina or surface that wasn't affected by the verdigris. Sometimes what lies beneath the verdigris is frightening, but that is not the fault of the chemical.
I took some to the lab today and the Ph was approx 9, alkaline solution, not acidic.

For my experiment, I need someone(s) to choose the subjects closest to being identical for comparisons. Then the one wihout the verdigris will be immersed in distilled water, and the one with verdigris in Verdigone. I will remove after various periods of time and photograph both for everyone to see.

Here are 4 1945s Lincolns, the one with out the number bottom center has verdigris under the shoulder of bust 8-9 c'clock. Pick the number you feel is closest in color and patina to this cent. The top cent has a "2" on it,hard to see.




Here are 4 uncirculated 1960-D. I want to see if the surface of an uncirulated coin is affected by similar immersion. Pick the 2 closest please.



After I get some agreement, I will start the experiment. Suggestions welcome. All photos will be taken same conditions. I have no financial connection with the product or the inventor, except I buy it from him

Jim

 

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I would agree #3, and numbers 2 and 3.

 

Jim...the pH range you describe is indeed more basic..however, that makes it more of a caustic solution....I would still question its use on coins as a cleaning agent. Should be an interesting experimet to say the least. DO you have the ability to photograph with a microscope the see if the surface detail really changes or not?

What disipline in Science?
I work in small scale process development cultures.

RickieB

 

Richie, that is the reason for the experiment, to see if it does produce undesirable after effects on the patina of the coin or the surface of an unc. A pH of 9 is 100x more alkaline than pure water, and I am ordering a container of dip to see what the acidic level is for comparison. Actually I hope I am not testing it as a cleaning solution , but as the inventor says a "conservation" solution that removes verdigris, but does not have any effect on any other areas.

Anyway, that is what I want to see

I am a retired Microbiologist and Human Anatomy teacher.

Jim

 

I think those are good choices. I will use #3 in the water in both cases

so the verdigris one goes in verdigone ( full strength, even though I prefer dilute)
# 3 of the 1945S goes into distilled water

#2 uncirc. goes in verdigone full strength
#3 uncirc. goes into distilled water

I will update along the way.:eating:

Jim

 

hi im cracked new to the club and coins im 41 years old. i had a papper route from age 10 to 15 years of age and just 5 days ago i decided to take all my saved 1970's and earlier coins and some books i bought to see what they would be worth now im hooked i think; i cant retire but man im sure glad i started as a pack rat at that age. my wife cant believe how much in wheat pennies alone we might have.some were very unadentafible do to almost 30 years of crrieing all these coins around so i tried ez dip on about 30 of them then decided to leave the rest alone for new at this i did not want to harm them.does anyone know how to have these coins proofed or registered or what my next step should be?

 

welcome, cracked!

 

My thoughts as well

 

Kinda thought something like that. Took Micro and pathogenic micro in 1988. Loved plating bacteria on the agar and playing with the gram stain. Had that "crystal violet" spotting on my hands throughout the course.

"In the first #3 is the closest. In the second #2 and #3." I'll third or fourth that.

 

Ahhhh. A true experiment. Wonderful.

 

For reference, here are close ups of
1945s control coin #3 ( water) on left, verdigris coin (verdigone) on right.


and the 1960d controls #2 will go in verdigone and #3 in distilled water.




I am looking for (1) effect of verdigone on the verdigris and (2) Are there damaging effects on the surface/patina and (3) Verdigone is not recommended for UNCs or proofs, but want to see effects on uncs.

Any comments before I start the experiment

Thanks
Jim

 

Wait! Don't do it!
Just kidding

 

Temperature of solutions and room temp. may cause some differences.

 

All containers and solutions are at same temperature, same amount of ambient light, same old time rock and roll Mexican radio station.

Here is photo of time 0 start at 9:30 pm pacific.



:eating:

Jim

 

Just for grins, do the instructions say anything about how long the coins are supposed to be immersed?

 

This is so awesome. Watch and learn. I'm back in school. Thanks professor

 

My thoughts were more along the lines of different temp of the V-gone may cause different results.

 

Yep, I agree. It's what I picked before I scrolled down and saw others' responses. Verdigone is advertised to not be used on BU cents so I'll be curious what it does. This is a great post! Very curious how this comes out.

 

The directions say that the coins should be observed every hour, but from experience, I knew it would be longer. Typical time is given as 1 hr to 5 days depending on the amount to be removed. It does say once the verdigris is removed, to stop the process and wash with distilled water.

I did take a photo at 11pm, here it is "wet", so color isn't comparable, but it appears that the verdigris started in a depression. It appears the size is smaller.




JIm