Active PVC contamination

I have a proof type coin that was returned by a TPG company body bagged with an explanation that it was suffering from active PVC contamination. After a quick e-mail to them they said that it could be removed with acetone and a q-tip. My first question is who else has done this? Second question is do you need to neutralize the acetone or just rinse it off? And lastly if I resubmit it will it come back as cleaned?

 

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1) Thousands of us. 2) Many collectors say pure acetone dries cleanly and there's no need for a rinse. Others say rinse in water with a final one in distilled water. I think there are other opinions too. 3) I don't like rubbing with a cotton swab. If you are even a little aggressive it will cause hairlines and BB the coin. Try a long soak. If that doesn't work, be gentle with a swab.
Lance.

 

First off, no q-tips. Did they know it was a proof when they said that? A few baths in acetone will remove it without any contact with the coin. You don't need to neutralize or rinse off acetone. Only done this about a thousand times. A search on this site will give you some ideas about the right way to go about this.

 

Thanks guys!

 

Lighter fluid works well.

 

And if that doesn't work, before you try a Q-tip, don't be afraid of the acetone, take a hold of the coin by the edges and swish (agitate) it back and forth in a bowl of acetone. Let the moving liquid work at it. With a soak it just sits there, some of the stuff disolves into the acetone and saturates the acetone close to the coin. eventually no more can go into solution close to the coin.

 

NEVER rinse acetone with water, that is the dumbest thing you can do IMO. Rinse acetone with fresh acetone if anything. Water is corrosive and sticks like glue to a coin surface....water is the enemy with all coins. Acetone completely dehydrates metallic surfaces making a coin ready for long-term storage. Almost every single coin I own gets rinsed with acetone before going into a holder. It's one of the best protective measures a collector can take.

 

Conder my friend, I rarely disagree with you...but...unless you're only using a single drop of acetone, there's no way you can saturate several milliters of acetone with a tiny spot of PVC residue. Diffusion/equilibrium will evenly disperse the residue given enough time.....which isn't very long. However, of course, swishing is still a good idea to speed it along.

 

Well at least your consist two post saying the same thing that is wrong. Not ment as a attack but want to make it know that "Ligher Fluid" is not a acceptable item to clean coins.

 

True, but a "tiny spot of PVC residue" doesn't need an extended soak either. If you have enough residue on the coins that it can't be removed with a quick rinse or swish and needs and extended soaking, you probably have enough to saturate the acetone next to the coin while it just sits there during the soaking. Swishing constantly exposes "fresh" acetone to the residue to help dissolve it quickly.

And personally I agree with the final acetone rinse.

 

If a white residue formed it was because the acetone dehydrated exisiting corrosion revealing it. The water simply rehydrated it, reactivated it and made it "disappear" to the eye. Water is THE ROOT of all coin evil, the prime catalyst for destruction.

 

Lighter fluid on circulated copper coins does no such thing. It works quite nicely.

 

No offense. It does work well on circulated copper, if you use it correctly.

 

It has no ill effects is what I meant, but actually the trace elements portion of your statement is correct. A distilled water dip afterwards is appropriate. Thank you for your correction and I assure you I don't use Brillo pads.

 

What good would rinsing with an immiscible solvent do?

 

I think Tom is still hung up on HAARP and nanothermite.

 

Isn't that a fancy way of saying oil and water don't mix???????