Hi folks, I have a few copper coins that have that weird purple toning most likely caused by heat. I know you can remove silver toning with some baking soda and tin foil, or even dipping if you know how to do it, but I've never heard of anyway to do it with copper. I don't want to dip, re-colour, or alter the coins in anyway... I just want the weird colours gone! Also, would NCS be able to fix this sort of thing? Thoughts?
It would likely depend on the cause as to whether or not you could clean them up. But I have never seen any copper cleaned and still look natural.
I'm with Kirkuleez on this . Copper is highly reactive and the only 2 ways to remove toning , (which is part of the coins surface) is to remove the top layer of the coins surface . Dipping will result in a color that is nothing like it was predipped . Also abrasives work , but then you will remove all the luster and have a dead looking coin with scratches . It's best to leave it alone . You can try NCS , but they might look at your coin decide there is nothing they can do and then you're out your conservation fee . That's a choice only you can make . A lot of people like the look of colorful toned copper me included . If you really don't like them , you can try to sell them . I hope you're wrong that the toning was done with heat because if it was they have lost a lot of their value .
Any attempt to remove toning from copper will ruin the coin. If you don't like it, buy a replacement.
I have a (what I thought) was a very nicely toned Jersey 1/13 shilling proof that was sent to PCGS for grading, but it came back as genuine because of the colour. Here are some phone pics... not the best, but will give you an idea: http://www3.nf.sympatico.ca/aslan/coins/20130324_155203.jpg http://www3.nf.sympatico.ca/aslan/coins/20130324_155229.jpg I would send this coin to NCS if I thought they could do something with it.
Yeah, I don't want to do any sort of cleaning that could damage a coin... Besides the proof coin I posted here, I also have a number of modern cents that look like they may have been exposed to heat, giving them an unnatural purple tone. I was hoping it could be easily reversed like silver toning. Oh well.
Please do not alter the surfaces....... If you do not like the coin simply sell it and buy one that has the colors you want.
funny u mention this, i was watching that show American Restoration where rick showed how to clean copper by sticking a penny in a pile of ketchup for a few minutes then wiping it off and presto! the copper looked new. but i would never try this with any coin of value.
I see nothing unnatural about the color in your pictures. I would send the coin to NGC for conservation (if they can do anything they will, if they can't they won't). I think PCGS blew this one. Besides, NGC is the more trusted world coin certification company. By the way, the coin is absolutely stunning. The young bust of Vickie is amazing!!!
I've seen videos of that on YouTube... turns the copper pink. Horrid. I'm afraid to ask what sort of coin he demonstrated this on... lol.
So do I!!! I was a little put out that PCGS said it was ungradable because of the colour. I thought it was a perfect candidate for slabbing (and protection), but what do I know... these things are fairly rare and it's not like I have another one to compare it to, sadly.
