Copper Lovers: What is Your Opinion on the Use of Chemicals to Protect Old Copper?

Specifically I am referring to products like Coin Care and Blue Ribbon.

Whilst on my recent visit of the FUN show in Orlando I took the opportunity to discuss the preservation of our old coppers via use of the above products.
Both of the EAC dealers with whom I discussed the issue recommended the use of these products in order to preserve the surfaces of our sensitive coppers. This was very enlightening to me considering how averse U.S collectors are toward any sort of cleaning or surface treatment of coins.
Now, we all know that US Cents and Large cents are in a class of their own: copper will react much more readily with the atmosphere than will silver or gold, and there are cases where a layer of protective treatment is needed.
I also have some coins which had been previously lacquered, and removal of the lacquer leaves the surfaces of copper dull and lifeless. It was particularly with such coins in mind that I enquired the opinion of the experts. To recap, both of these very experienced collectors and dealers recommended the (careful) use of Blue Ribbon, or, as an alternative, (since Blue Ribbon apparently is no longer available), of the product Coin Care.

The picture shows the product which I purchased, as well as a camels' hair brush to carefully apply it.

So what do you all copper lovers think?

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

All I can say is that I've used it and I am satisfied with it. I still have a partial bottle of CARE left (This is old stuff that has been off the market for decades) and a hoard of six bottles of Blue Ribbon. The real trick is to not put too much on and leave the coin looking oily. Copper seems to attract it's own film of oil and if you use acetone on it it often leaves it with a dry dull look. The Blue ribbon provides a thin protective film of oil with a known composition.

I would try to avoid using it on MS copper or red copper and beginners can be too vigorous with the brushing. This should be avoided.

I actually use two brushes. One which is well used for applying the blue ribbon and one for removal of excess which is seldom used. Usually the applicator brush has enough BR in it that all the coin needs is a light brush and it picks up enough oil from the brush to do the job. If the brush has become to dry I wash and dry my hands, open the bottle, put my finger over the opening. turn the bottle over and then back up right. This leaves a layer of BR on my finger and I dry that off with the applicator brush. That is enough to recharge my used brush.

 

I'll stir the pot, how does Verdicare fit in?

 

I have never used CARE, and blue ribbon was off the market before I started to collect, but I would have no qualms using either. I have used verdi-care for similiar purposes before, and I have the same camel hair brush. As Conder point out I would be hesitant to use these on mint state coins but for lower grade coins I use it.

Specifically, for late date large cent attribution it is often essential to use a solvent like xylol to remove build up dirt and grim from the coin. If the coins are not cleaned first, the attribution points are often hidden from view underneath the grim. But, once you have used the solven, the coin's surface has been striped to it's bare metal and is more likely to react with the surounding atmosphere, so a light brushing with one of these oils helps to protect the surface.

Just a thought if you are concerned, but you can use this on some test coins, new small cents and see what it does.

As an aside, I brought a coin to one of the aforementioned copper dealers to check it's authenticity and was actually shocked at the vigours brushing he gave my coin, after I gave him permission of course, needless to say the coin showed no hairlines or other damage. Be careful with the brush, but they are very soft.

 

I occasionally use CARE, my bottle is so old the price sticker says $1.75. The advice to use very sparingly is the best advice I can offer.

Verdicare is a different product with different uses.

 

Will grading companys notice the cleaning with these cleaning products? Anybody ever try to pass one off successfully?

 

Metal corrosion requires two key things, oxygen and moisture. Impurities like chloride ions enhance the process, like living close to the ocean. Removing the moisture prevents corrosion. What I do, use a air tight container that you buy at the supermarket, fill the borrom with with a layer of silica gel commenly used in keeping pills dry. Store the coins in the container. You can also use a product called drierite that turn from blue to pink when staturated. You can recycle it by putting it in the oven at 200 degrees celcius until it turns blue again. The drierite is so effective that the moisture is removed within seconds. So you can open the container as often as you like. Have tested this using moisture sensors monitoring the rate of moisture uptake in the container.

 

I still have the same bottle I bought 30 something years ago and it's almost full. I found it useful for copper that had to have an acetone bath. A fraction of a drop was enough to treat about a dozen coins. It brought back a more natural look after the acetone. Today those same coins look very natural but some have the dry look again.

With that said, I agree with Doug. Most coins should not be messed with.

 

I have no problem with it Eduard as long as you know what you are doing - so that means not me.

 

thanks for the detailed comments here and all your knowledge you have shared in this thread ...

 

CoinCare is nothing but mineral oil with an added odorant. I really hate using any oil on coins period because the problems it creates are many fold and it has been discussed on CT a lot in the past. It is a barrier layer that will degrade and it contains trace impurities of chlorine, sulfur and phosphorus which actually act to damage metal with time. I agree with Doug in that it's nothing but an illusion. If you put enough makeup on an ugly chick, she will look okay, but she's still ugly.

Blue Ribbon was discontinued a few years ago...because it contains a known carcinogenic chemical. I strongly caution anyone with old product to be extremely careful handling it.

The best way to protect your copper is to eliminate exposure to air and humidity. END OF STORY. Multiple layers of protection and good desiccation will keep your copper looking good for decades.

 

Yep, you're crazy when it comes to acetone and copper. LOL As you know, I've used it for decades without a single problem. Rehydrating surfaces after an acetone rinse is just a bad idea as corrosion is catalyzed by water. I primarily use acetone on copper to dehydrate the surfaces prior to storage. It's not very good at removing surface residues. In general, xylene is a much better choice for that.

 

I live in a humid and salty and chemically diverse environment (ie around petrochemical plants). Right or wrong, I have used both xylene to dissolve organic matter and blue ribbon to reduce atmospheric contact with the raw surfaces. I figure that the blue ribbon, while not perfect, is better than the atmosphere here.

Since Blue Ribbon is no longer sold, I think Verdi-care is as good or better at serving this purpose and it can help with stabilizing mild corrosion, the bain of copper collectors.

 

I am not a fan of chemicals. I prefer to simply try and control the micro-environment around the coin, rather than use chemicals. I also don't like the glossy look of an oiled coin. That said, I have both raw and slabbed coins with oil, and I tend to just leave them alone, although I can see a time when a decision will need to be made to either clean the coins of their oil or re-oil them. Not sure what I'll decide when that time comes, but I suspect I'll de-oil them with acetone if they are raw. Slabbed examples present a bit more of a conundrum...Mike

 

So after I clean a coin with xylol, if I give it a final rinse in distilled water and let it dry as you say it will not have that dull look? Great to know.

 

You seem to forget, air is loaded with water. By rinsing it with water you've saturated the surfaces. Leaving it out in air simply allows it to come to equilibrium, e.g. ambiently water saturated. When I use actone, I rinse and immediately put it into a holder which minimizes the reabsorbtion of water on the surfaces.

 

Keep in mind that oil is NOT soluble in acetone. Try mixing CoinCare (or other oil) with acetone in a clear, glass container to see for yourself. Xylene is the best household solvent for removing oil since they are completely miscible.