Gonna perform my first acetone dip tonight on a 1856 seated quarter. The coin has green residue from a PVC filp I bought the coin in. Questions: Any suggestions on dipping from experienced dippers? I'm planning to dip for about 20 seconds and immediatly rince in tap water and air dry.
As long as you are dipping it in pure acetone, the coin shouldn't react much if at all with the acetone. You should dip it for as long as it takes to remove the residue. Also, air drying is best, and it is good to rinse in water, I'd personally use distilled water.
Either that or deionized water. Either one will greatly reduce the risk of new contamination. If your tap water has gone through a salt-based water softener you definitely don't want to use it.
Don't know how bad the PVC is on the coin. I usually let it soak for a while. Whether a long or short time, I rinse it in new clean acetone after removing it from the first bath. Make sure the area is well ventilated.
Well, I did the dip and everything looks great. All the green residue is gone. I dipped three times about first 20 secs, then 45 secs, and last was about 30 secs. Finally al traces of green gone. It dosn't look like there was any damage done. Question: Is dipping in Acetone considered "cleaning". I mean to say, that if I sent this coin off to PCGS would they mark the holder as such?
If the PVC did not damage the coin, then your coin should get slabbed. However, it may have caused corrosion, which would cause PCGS to body bag the coin.
You have to pay a minimum of 50 dollars to join, and then 18-50 plus shipping to get it graded. I would recommend getting it graded by anacs, because they will grade it, even if it has been damaged, and will indicate as such on the holder, and they are much much cheaper.
I had some coins I bought off a guy that didn't know anything about coins...the problem was the guy that he bought them from DID know and put all of the key dates in flips...with PVC....well after talking up and down the price I got them and had to dip a few...they were sent to ANACS and one came back great...the other one came back corroded <sp?> Yes---Acetone is a type of cleaning...but like some dipping...even experts miss it. Speedy
I too recommend rinse with distilled water and blow dry. However, pending the condition of the coin it may not be worth having it slabbed. To many people are going slab happy lately. At coin shows I see many coins that are worth less than the price someone paid for slabbing.
