Concern About Oiling Rare Coins

Discussion in 'US Coins Forum' started by ronnie58, Jan 11, 2018.

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  1. ronnie58

    ronnie58 Active Member

    Got it.
    I have read about cases of high value coins for which acetone cleaning was not recommended. So I guess the unacceptable risk is in revealing that natural contrast (between newly and previously exposed surfaces) that might appear problematic.
     
    ronnie58, Jan 11, 2018
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  3. ronnie58

    ronnie58 Active Member

    So I am just learning about all of this. It sounds like you are saying there are acceptable uses of oil, which is surprising. This certainly could not be done while maintaining a claim of originality. So maybe you are referring to a style of collecting that is not concerned with eventual divestment?
     
    ronnie58, Jan 11, 2018
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  4. desertgem

    desertgem Senior Errer Collecktor Supporter

    I have such clock oil, as I have several mechanical clocks, but I do not use oil and would not purchase an oiled coin unless it was truly unique. Acetone is not the best solvent for oil but I digress. Oil or wax is not needed to maintain the surface if stored properly, so it is just one unknown surface cover.
     
    desertgem, Jan 11, 2018
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  5. ronnie58

    ronnie58 Active Member

    I see - I misread you there; thanks for clarifying.
     
    ronnie58, Jan 11, 2018
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  6. Mainebill

    Mainebill Bethany Danielle

    I have the same and about a dozen clocks here between my house and inventory and never thought of using it on coins. ive had a few that had some kind of oily residue and acetone removed it well. I could see a tpg not even holdering oiled coins like they won’t do for active pvc
     
    Mainebill, Jan 12, 2018
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  7. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    As long as it is not your listing - yes.

    As Jim mentioned, acetone is not the answer. Xylene does a better job on oils, and no it will not harm the coins.

    But to bring this back around to the OP's original post, yes, it may be that the coin was treated with some kind of oil. But, it is far more likely that it was treated with a commercial product like Blue Ribbon or Coin Care - both of which have an oil in them and are specifically designed to make coins look better than they really are. And both of which can and have gotten past the eyes of the TPGs (let alone collectors) so the coin gets a clean grade if and when the products are applied with skill by somebody who knows what they are doing.

    Many have been fooled with coins treated with these products for many, many years. And no doubt many more will be.
     
    GDJMSP, Jan 12, 2018
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  8. ronnie58

    ronnie58 Active Member

    So it follows to ask if the oils in CoinCare (sic!) and Blue Ribbon are synthetic. I will be trying to find out what this vendor uses in the meantime. desertgem's caveat about delayed damage due to oxidation of the applied compound is key testimony in the developing case. Stay tuned...
     
    ronnie58, Jan 12, 2018
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  9. Jaelus

    Jaelus The Hungarian Antiquarian Supporter

    If you use the right kind of oil and apply it properly, it protects the coin. It's even recommended for some metals. I have some gem WWI era iron issues and WWII era zinc issues and there is a near zero chance they survived in this condition without corroding without being kept oiled. If you want to remove oil from a coin you can do so by soaking in a solvent like acetone or xylene (better for oils).
     
    Jaelus, Jan 12, 2018
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  10. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    Yes it does, and that is the advertising pitch used to sell those products. But what they don't tell you is that it only protects them for a limited time. Once enough time has passed the oil degrades and becomes harmful. It must then be cleaned off the coin before damage is done.

    And thy also don't tell you that the products are commonly used by coin doctors and unscrupulous individuals so they can pass of a coin as being a higher grade than it really is.

    If you want to protect your coins, you can easily do that with proper storage methods. There is no need to put anything on a coin !
     
    GDJMSP, Jan 12, 2018
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  11. ronnie58

    ronnie58 Active Member


    Yes, and thanks for emphasizing this point.
    In this case the seller is not claiming an inflated grade. Please see

    https://www.ebay.com/itm/1827-CAPPE...895662?hash=item213698aaee:g:dnUAAOSwRLZaU-HS

    for the dime in question. It is priced at less than 1/2 of even the PCGS XF40 value, so the seller apparently admits it is a problem coin. Close inspection on the screen reveals that some hairlines from a wipe are probably being masked by the coating. Maybe that is his methodology for achieving the high volume sales.
    I notice that the seller was the subject of a CoinTalk chat back in 2005.
     
    ronnie58, Jan 12, 2018
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