Fingerprints on Proof Coins, and How I avoid them on mine..without cotton gloves

Do you hate coins that look like this one?


ALL other defects in this coin aside, there is a defect on the 3:00 postion where I polished out an ugly brown colored fingerprint. If I truly cared about the piece having more than just bullion value, I probably would have sent it back to the guy in CA.

But here is a tip that I've been using for about three years. At first I wore acid free cotton gloves to push proofs into my Dansco album. It caused some mishandling "butter fingers" issues that really miffed me at the time

SO:

Now I do something totally unconventional, that could actually help criminals get away with murder.

Proofs bought in the raw are always the toughest to handle. I don't like wearing gloves, in fact, it made me drop a coin once. So before I work with proofs out of a 2X2, I thoroughly wash my hands with Technu, a poison ivy cure, that removes plant oils and all other oils from your hands. I tried using GOOP, the stuff for grease and motor oil, but it still seems to leave oil on my hands. Before that, I used Dawn on my hands.

Nothing Ive tried works as good as Technu, and it stays on you for a long time.

I discovered this while tending to the bees one early May day. I was in the wooded area behind the house and was at a distance from the other hives putting the finishing touches on the metal reflective tops for cooling the hives off. No fingerprints visible for the first time on the top of the hive. Didn't really notice this, until I was suited up and moving number 5 into its spot, and then it became evident. This one was not like the others... and well, lots of thoughts go through one's mind while managing bee hives and I thought it must've been the technu, and I had to try it out on in the evening with some bulk proof Kennedy's. Sure enough, I had them all inside the Dansco pages in about 5 minutes, even pushing them down barehanded, something I didn't care much about at the time cause they were all 71-79 proofs {minus the silver 76's). Not a fingerprint on any of them to this day.

Pretty soon I got brave enough to try it with 69S Proof Kennedy's. This time I applied the stuff again and decided to see if it was going to leave any trace on the 1st coin. I aggressively pushed my finger several times onto to its mostly mirror-like surfaces, Put some coffee filters on top of the tin foil I had it sitting out on. The next day I came home and checked that thing with every spectrum of lighting I had available to see if it left any markings. Not a thing. Still nothing, on that test coin to this very Day. I'll see if I can find it tomorrow after work to show you evidence of Technu's impressive prophylactic effects.

One thing with that stuff,... a drawback. With the scrib applied and washed off, as I usually apply it....it is extremely difficult to turn the pages of the Cherry Pickers Guide.

BTW- If any criminals are seeing this post....Nothin to see here...move along

 

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Any raw proof coins I handle and photo .
I always take a clean cotton ball and wipe it down .

Just to make sure nothing was left on it ...

 

Cotton won't leave hairline scratches?

 

None that I've ever wiped with a cotton ball ..

 

Good to know.
&
Its probably safer health-wise than what Ive been up to. Not to mention more economical.

 

Oh, I forgot to mention that this method also works very well with handling paper or polymer currency. I know, though reading about criminalistics, The only way your fingerprints can be lifted from paper is usually by the use of anhydrion.

 

I've wiped lots of proof Ike, with cotton balls .
After taking images of the devices and the side of my fingers hitting the coin from turning it to take images .

 

It might be worth a try if you never want to have to wipe down an imaged coin again. Here's the exact stuff I use.

 

Well I gotta get going on the morning drive, but I've been getting back into cons and paper money lately so I'll check back, throughout the day, to see if anyone else does anything usual like me to make things easier.

 

Somewhere @Insider is either smiling, face palming, or running to the store for tecnu to experiment from this tread

 

I recommend using powder-free latex gloves.

 

I would be very hesitant to put anything on a coin short of acetone or xylene, unless I knew exactly what chemicals were in it and how those specific chemicals react with coinage metals. At least with dips, you know what's in them and how the chemicals will react, so you can decide if you want to proceed. I would be very wary about the long term interactions between this stuff and the coin, until I heard from a knowledgeable chemist.

Just my opinion

 

Guys, April 1 isn't for another couple months. You're jumping the gun a bit!

 

Good opinion. I've used acetone a few times, and it works on the coin's themselves. I''m ok with that. But I usually don't use the technu for anytging other than washing my hands like a surgeon, and then rinsing it completely off my hands with warm water, finally drying thoroughly, I ImI then are then good for handling proofs.

Just for the sake of warning others. I'm sure that washing your hands with pure acetone would hurt you. It may even give you a chemical burn.

 

Its probably in the clearance isles of Walmart right now. Good time to get it. Its like 17 to 20 bucks in regular poison Ivy season

 

If you want to put a coin in a Dansco book, put your hand in a sandwich bag and push down on the rims that way. It won't put finger prints on the coin, and if you do need to push on the surface, you won't get any skin oils on it either. Just don't rub because it could still mar the surface.

 

My protocol for handling coins at home:

Use lint-free nylon woven gloves (type used in clean rooms) and keep lips sealed or wear mask when handling AU, MS or PR coins. Handle coins only by edges regardless of condition. Work over thick velvet cloth that is covered with polyethylene bag that is new for each work session. If coin is dropped, velvet cushions it and keeps it from rolling. Polyethylene is inert, won't leave residue on coin, and is soft enough not to scratch coins assuming you don't slide them back and forth repeatedly. In session, start with best condition coins and finish with worst condition coins.

Cal

 

TheFinn, posted: "If you want to put a coin in a Dansco book, put your hand in a sandwich bag and push down on the rims that way. It won't put finger prints on the coin, and if you do need to push on the surface, you won't get any skin oils on it either. Just don't rub because it could still mar the surface."

Thank you for posting this! See, it is not rocket science. A non-PVC flip works too. As Doug posted DON'T TOUCH THE COIN!

 

That's the oft repeated mantra. However, try it for yourself. I've used cotton swab (Q-Tips) on proof Kennedy's and Sacagaweas, with absolutely zero traces left. I bought a super cheap common proof Kennedy for the purpose of testing, and I pressed pretty hard - no traces left.

If properly and gently applied, cotton swabs are perfectly safe on any coin.