I like Cleaned Coins and you should to thread

I placed the coin in a baking soda solution with some aluminum foil. The reaction is electrochemical, but it is not electrolysis (no current was applied). The reaction that occurs results in breaking of the sulfer-oxygen bonds in silver oxide and formation of aluminum oxide. As far as the coin surface goes, the result brought about by dip solutions is exactly the same.

 

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Actually, what I meant was that there was a shift in collector sensibilities as far as coin grading, with worn coins being more acceptable and collector in the past being less interested in high grade coins.

 

What?

 

Anyone here have any guesses on what methods PCGS uses to "conserve" coins? I would think it would not be that hard for a person that is knowledgeable in chemistry to figure out what the best methods are? Also i would think that archaeologists would use slimier method's to clean artifacts and might not be as secretive about them.

 

I thought is was NCG that converses coins.

 

It is.

Through NCS

 

Oh NCS, isn't that a Branch of the Mint?

 

No.

NCS=Numismatic Conservation Services

They're a member of the Certified Collectibles Group.

 

Acetone can be an extremely damaging solvent depending on the composition of the thing it's be used as a solvent on. Nickle, silver, gold, copper, zinc and on and on all react different to solvents, you guys talk in this thread as if all coins are made of the same metals..Damage still hasn't been definded, I would think damage would go much further than the naked eye also damage could take many years to manifest.

 

NCS represents the ultimate numismatic hypocrisy. We ALL want nice looking coins, which is the motivation behind cleaning coins in the first place. But collectors become so engrained into the no cleaning establishment that they effectively brainwash themselves into have an appreciation for dingy coins. They take pride in their rustbucket coin because they can send it to a TPG and get back a slab without details. Deep down they know that the coin is ugly, but hey, it's not about ugly right? It's about what the coin is WORTH!

So coin collectors have had to stand around jerking eachother's chains about how beautiful and original their uncleaned coins are, and how un-natural and hideous those worthless cleaned coins are. But hey, wait a second, an established TPG offers a coin "conservation" service. Strangely, when they send their coins in and pay for this service, their coins magically come back looking BETTER! Not only that, but the coin is in a slab without details! It's amazing!

It's not amazing people, it is a service that allows payment to get CLEANED coins into slabs without details! Call it what you want (conservation, restoration) but it is cleaning plain and simple. What makes it different? Is it because the cleaning is done by "professionals"? Because it was paid for? Is my car less likely to make it down the road because I replace own alternator as opposed to taking it to a mechanic? No. Well why then would a "conserved" coin be graded, but a coin that had received the exact same treatment in my basement come back with details? I can't abide by those that harp on coin cleaning, but then send their coins to NCS for conservation. It's hypocritical BS!

 

No kidding! When I take a zinc cent and focus sunlight on it from my 15"x20" Fresnel lens, the zinc not only melts, but boils out of the coin.

If you keep heat under control, light itself won't damage a coin at all. All you need to do is make sure the coin is suspended in a hard vacuum, so it isn't touching any gases, liquids or solids that might react with it more quickly under the influence of light.

 

I agree with you that 80% of older coins have been cleaned at one time at least once. I mentioned in another thread about how many seated coins have been cleaned on Ebay and someone commented that those cleaned coins on Ebay someone's trying to get rid of. Aren't any coin that is for sale anywhere a coin that someone wanted to get rid of? Someone could have inherited it and didn't want it but that is the only case. Also a coin can appeared cleaned just by being in someone's pocket I here since dirt and grit comes off inside your pocket. Sun can also lighten some coins. Don't you think some "cleaned" coins are misdiagnosed as cleaned but just had dirt come of them by being carried around in someone's pocket? Of course many modern coins may have not been cleaned but the majority of older coins have been.

 

Well that's strange because the people in these forums are collectors, and I've seen "Don't clean coins" repeated a thousand times in here.

I know that you are making reference to your "clean" verses "harshly cleaned" delineation, but terminology is getting in the way. When I say cleaned (and typically when the word is used in these forums) I am not talking about knocking the dirt and grease off of a coin. I'm also not talking about soaking in an inert solvent. I'm talking about a process that alters the surface of the coin to improve appearance. This type of process would fall under the "harsh" side of your classification, and these represent some of the processes that are used by organizations such as NCS.

They are secretive about it because they do not want you to know that they are using the same processes that earn "improperly cleaned" designations for other coins. I assure you that the primary consultations when organizing these services were not with chemists, they were with people that have extensive experience with cleaning coins.

 

Shiny ancients ....electrolytically cleaned :devil:

Don't think this method is advisable for modern ones
Here are 4 Romans brought to the light from something like small "stones"



2 Clavdivs, 1 Constantivs II and 1 Gallienvs
Have a few others to feed this thread or another

 

Has anyone carried a coin in their pocket to get rid of grit and dirt? From what I have heard grit and dirt are removed when coins are carried in your pocket.

 

You are correct. That is because the majority here are not experienced or knowledgeable enough in cleaning coins without causing harm.

One member uses a rock tumbler to clean his coins.

Need I say more about experience and knowledge?