Preparing to put coins in flips

I bought a couple of rolls of Walking liberty halves Fine to Very Fine and they are just commn dates. Most have been handled is there something I should do to the coins prior to putting them in 2 x 2 flips. As a way to remove finger prints before storage. Thanks for the help. Tim

 

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There's not much chance of a fingerprint showing up on a F/VF coin, so I wouldn't mess with them. Just make sure you know the composition of the flips you are using. Stay clear of PVC.

 

So a quick dip in alcohol is not needed? Ice

 

Nope

 

No way. Just put them straight in the flips and store them properly.

 

Not necessarily so. Fingerprints contain oils as well as acids. Some are more acidic than others. Some of the acids are different also. Some will start to slowly effect the coins and others will do nothing. All depends on the air present, moisture present, temperature in the areas.
I suggest if you plan on keeping those coins for a really long time you dip them in Acetone, then distilled water, carefully blot with a cotton cloth. After complete drying, then place in the 2x2's.
Usually seal the ends with a clear tape instead of the staple method. Helps keep out moisture.
for proper methods of the use of Acetone, use a search for Acetone on this or any coin forum.

 

I'm pretty sure tomorrow I am going to dip some of my peace dollars. They are really just dirty enough that they are bothering me .dd: Are Air-tites ok to use after the process you mentioned?

 

What is a good way to remove dirt? Ice

 

Usually going to the car wash and using the pressure washer works for me! :hammer:

 

Walkers in this grade should be left as they are. There is little if anything to gain by messing with them. I would just put them in a holder and enjoy them for what they are, a great piece of history.

My opinion might change if we were looking at a rare date.

 

Unless there is tape residue, glue, spilt soda pop, etc etc, you guys are only to going to harm your coins by messing with them. Dont get into the habit of trying to improve coins, they are what they are in almost all cases.

 

Which in part was a reply to me wanting to acetone my peace dollars. Maybe I wasn't specific enough. They are circulated and they are grimed up with gunk in the lettering and they have been handled with unclean hands etc. They have the look and feel of just unclean. Now it is time to store them away for years (in something viewable, like an air-tite holder from Littleton). It just feels to me like something should be done to them first but..I think I am about to walk a billion miles away from the cleaning posts. They are just all right down the middle, uncirculated or not. Back to Home Depot for a refund. I guess I will know what I should have done 50 years from now. Assuming I'm still around that is. :headbang:

P.S. How does one clean a Sacagawea Dollar???

 

On ebay this is called toning, and it sells for big bucks!

 

You forgot to mention the soap additives. Of course most places charge extra for that.

 

NO, don't even bother with a new one. The more people collect them the more the Mint will make.

 

Way back to the original questions. For one thing as already noted Acetone will not remove many things on coins. For one it will not remove corrosion, rust, toning, etc. or at least the common types. It will remove fingerprints if recent since it will disolve oils and acids to a degree. An after dip or rinse with distilled water will also remove some dirts or substances that are water soluable. The thing to remember here is many of what people think of as dirt is in reality a substance formed by the coins metal combining with other substances. Once this happens, any removal of the new compound will naturally remove some of the coin.
As to those original coins mentioned. A dip in Acetone and then distilled water will not effect the coin and may not end up looking different at all. However, any slight, acidic fingerprints there but not presently visable would or should be gone and have little to no effect in the future.
One thing also missed here is if you do go through all that and then use your fingers to put the coins in a 2x2, your back to where you started.

 

Their toning looks like they layed in dirt for about 50 years though, not the good toning.

 

Thanks I have some cotton inspection glove and also Nitril glove to handle the edges as I put them in the 2 X 2's