Cleaning Spots

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by cplradar, Apr 11, 2021.

  1. cplradar

    cplradar Talmud Chuchum

    How can one clean the water spot on MS coins like this beautiful IKE

    1973_ike_r.spots.jpg 1973_ike_o.spots.jpg
     
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  3. Lueds

    Lueds Well-Known Member

    Short answer: We don't clean coins.
     
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  4. dwhiz

    dwhiz Collector Supporter

    Don't try this but one time I took my trusty "White Pearl" eraser to a proof silver coin to try it on the water marks. It worked.
    I only did it once, and it stayed nice for years but I finally sold it.
     
  5. Robert Ransom

    Robert Ransom Well-Known Member

    No toques, compadre.
     
  6. ldhair

    ldhair Clean Supporter

    You could try a bath in water, no rubbing.
    Next, an acetone bath, no rubbing.
    MS70 might even work.
     
  7. -jeffB

    -jeffB Greshams LEO Supporter

    I'm guessing that neither you nor the buyer looked at it under light from the right angle after the eraser treatment. It's hard for me to imagine rubbing a proof coin's mirrored surface with an eraser and not leaving hairlines -- even an eraser that doesn't have an abrasive as part of its formulation.
     
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  8. Inspector43

    Inspector43 Celebrating 75 Years Active Collecting Supporter

    If you do anything please report the results. I am guessing that the vast majority of collectors have similar issues.
     
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  9. dwhiz

    dwhiz Collector Supporter

    @jeffB
    Funny you should mention that, I did look at it under a Dinolight & my loop at many angles and it looked fine. I wish I still had the images but I did delete them.
    Like I said don't try it at home.
     
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  10. cplradar

    cplradar Talmud Chuchum

    I am not using an eraser on it but OTOH this coin is not proof :)
     
  11. cplradar

    cplradar Talmud Chuchum

    throw it in the dishwasher? How do they clean the coins in the mint. I doubt they just stamp them and send them out without a wash.
     
  12. -jeffB

    -jeffB Greshams LEO Supporter

    They do exactly that. All washing takes place well before striking.
     
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  13. cplradar

    cplradar Talmud Chuchum


    that spot came from before the actual minting?
     
  14. Kashmir Pulaski

    Kashmir Pulaski Well-Known Member

    .


    The guy at a jewelry store down the street from me cleans coins with the same steam blaster he uses for cleaning diamond rings.
     
  15. cplradar

    cplradar Talmud Chuchum


    that doesn't damage them?
     
  16. -jeffB

    -jeffB Greshams LEO Supporter

    If I had to guess, I'd say that someone sneezed or coughed on it between the time it was struck and the time it was wrapped.
     
  17. cplradar

    cplradar Talmud Chuchum


    Clearly though, the first step is an acetone bath. In fact, that might benifit most of my coins. (that is a question not an answer). I can't really hurt them even leaving them in a bath fo hours.
     
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  18. Corn Man

    Corn Man Well-Known Member

    try dipping in acetone for about 15 seconds
     
  19. -jeffB

    -jeffB Greshams LEO Supporter

    I think I'd try distilled water before trying acetone, but acetone first won't hurt. You're right that it's harmless. (Don't leave them in bright light while they're soaking, though; there's a remote possibility of light-catalyzed reactions that can change the color of copper.)

    If the spot's been there for a long time, though, it's likely that some toning has happened, either under the spot or everywhere-but-under the spot. That's harder to fix, and requires a chemical approach.
     
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  20. Kashmir Pulaski

    Kashmir Pulaski Well-Known Member

    .
    It's steam. What could it do?
    I've since done it lots of times with coins for the "Coin Club"s at the schools I work. Now of course the coins I'm cleaning were never ever gonna be worth anything more than face value anyway unless the get scarce for some odd reason. They don't show for anything done to them except for looking clean of any garbage that may have been on them.


    cplradar "that doesn't damage them?"
     
  21. -jeffB

    -jeffB Greshams LEO Supporter

    It's steam under high pressure, right? What if there's abrasive material on the coin, and it gets blown across the coin's surface under pressure?
     
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