8 hours in acetone and the PVC residue is still there...

So I have low-MS 1921 Morgan that had been in PVC since the late 70s. I finally rescued it a couple of years ago, but never cleaned off the residue.

Acetone should work for removing it, but 8 hours of soaking later, the green is still heavily present.

What else can I do? Is this a lost cause?

This particular coin isn't worth very much, but I have a beautiful 1904-O with a PL obverse that has a spot of this on the reverse that I'd like to remove. I'm basically using this one as a guinea pig.

 

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maybe soak longer ? wait for more experienced answers

 

Did it remove any of it? (Do you have a before pic?)

What kind of acetone are you using, and what process are you using to do the soak?

 

(What else can I do? Is this a lost cause?)

Calling @Insider

 

Unfortunately I didn't take a before pic, but it was about fully covered with a thin film of gunk. The acetone took of that minor layer, but this severe stuff is putting up a fight.

I use SuperNail Pure Acetone. I know I'm not supposed to use nail polish remover, but this claims no additives and the ingredients list solely "acetone".
I have the coin in a shot glass with a concave bottom so the acetone can surround the coin entirely.

Would I have better results with industrial-grade acetone? Perhaps that's what I'm doing wrong.

 

You're rinsing the coin and changing the solution daily, right? And "working" at the worst of it with toothpick and/or thorn? The worst infestations I've ever cleared took no longer than that, although I've continued the soaking process for far longer periods to confirm the long term safety of acetone.

 

I've done this 3 times so far, the first 2 being hour long soaks and the most recent one being about 8 hours.

Good point with a toothpick. Would you recommend a plastic or wooden one?

 

We posted simultaneously.

That stuff is as good as you need; it'll be pure acetone with only Denatonium Benzoate added for the offensive taste.

I use only wood and other organic instruments (no rose bush is safe around me ) to ensure whatever I'm attacking the coin with is softer than the metal surface. That doesn't completely alleviate the chance of scratching the coin, but my aim is not so much to forcibly remove the contamination - although that happens - as it is to separate and break it up a bit.

It's like soaking a dirty coin in water - the water loosens the dirt, but doesn't necessarily remove it.

 

Wow, perhaps try alcohol, soak in some Vodka...can't hurt it, then try some 91% isopropyl alcohol, then acetone again.

 

Thanks!! Here's hoping for the best

 

Finally, some use for that foul $12 Military Special handle...

 

I guarantee that Brillo will get it off.

 

Where's that dislike button...

 

But, But! It WILL work!

 

Same with how scalping gets hair off too

 

Whoa you're supposed to be drinking that!

 

I do have a research paper due tomorrow that I'm just now starting on. Time for some liquid inspiration. Bottoms up!

 

Haha good luck!

 

Buy a bottle of MS-70. It takes PVC off in seconds. Do not rub the coin.

BTW, the large spot on the neck appears to have "eaten" into the surface already.

 

Snerk.

I'm really kind of surprised that this one hasn't answered your efforts in this long; even in the worst areas it should be seen to have at least diminished the periphery of the larger spots.

Are you keeping the coin tilted so the acetone can reach every square millimeter? Shouldn't matter if - for instance - you only need to worry about the obverse and lay it flat with the obverse pointing up, but it can't hurt to maximize the accuracy of the procedure. It's why I use round-bottomed shot glasses which don't allow the coin to lay flat, for my soaks.

And, oh, I read your initial post as 8 days, not 8 hours. My first soak for a coin like this is 24 uninterrupted hours without touching it....