Removing Toning From Proof Coins

I'm really curious: (for all commenters, especially @GDJMSP) When encountering either organics or known plasticizer contamination on what otherwise would be a worthwhile coin (copper / bronze), is Xylene an effective substitute for acetone?

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Are you expecting disagreement here...

 

There are some substances that acetone can remove that will not be touched by xylene and vice-versa. For oily or liquid organics, either would be effective. If you have some reservations about damage from acetone, xylene is an alternative.

 

Cool, when I'm not turning off Siri today, I'm going through my box of miscellaneous coins in capsules looking for the proof cents I acetoned. Then I have to rig up some kind of camera. I'm going to include a "control coin", a very recent one that hasn't had a bath.

 

Who also, I believe, touched on the issue of "how hard do you have to rub"...

 

Ah, the experimentalist...

 

I've experienced discoloration of copper/bronze coins on two occasions using acetone. One was a British India 1/4 anna, and I don't recall the other.

Since then, if I buy a copper/bronze showing some gunk in the devices, it soaks in water first, then xylene, and for the most part that has been effective.

On a handful of occasions when that wasn't totally successful, I've put the coin in acetone for just a couple of minutes without any adverse effects, then rinse and back to xylene. I can't explain the chemistry of it, but that seems to help.

One caveat: I don't have a large enough experience sampling to draw any conclusions, but the two times I had a problem, it was with bronze coins. l've soaked old English coppers in acetone for longer durations without mishap. Conclude from that what you will, if anything.

 

On silver, gold, platinum proofs, and others sliver items or coins, I use a cup of hot water in a glass bowel never use a metal container, a piece of aluminum foil, that you ruff up with sand paper and cleaned of the residue, then a tea spoon of baking soda, then mix it in. Then place the item into the mix[coin, jewelry, etc.], just touching the aluminum. Watch. when it clears, remove and pat dry only, never rub. If your results are not obtained, then do it again till you like. Let us know if it works for you.

 

Do you think the water before the Xylene makes a material difference? Soften things up a bit? And what about PVC plasticizer contamination, as that is what I was facing on these particular Lincoln cent proofs?

 

As to cleaning coins- I know - the rule is do not clean coins- putting this rule behind me- I have some coins that need something, they are rare and get not sell them due to the years of glue and lacquer - being a retired Medical technologist I made slides all the time in histology that require dipping - just starting- I think I will use acetone for my subject coin in copper let it sit for a day or two, take it out rinse it very well and pat it dry, then a 3 second dip in EZ and again rinse well and pat dry-it is my hope that I do not remove much of the protective patina the coin naturally has and to avoid a slabing company sending me my experiment coin back to me in a body bag- anyone out there who can tell me if this has a chance to work- I will probably do this to each denomination of coins that are ugly but currently are high grade. You need a high grade I think to make this work- if you do this process on a low grade and it is all pretty, the authentication will say its dipped - take a look at this and give me your input - again- the rule never clean coins- acetone you can us safely with gold and silver-chuck

 

What is the need to use Acetone, if you are using ezest. The ezest is going to discolor and ruin your copper coin.
Not a good choice at all.

 

The same goes for using any type of degreaser to include simple-green ! The copper just doesn't like that harsh chemical treatment !

 

The blue color on the acetone-treated coins is the natural color of the toning. It got that way because you removed the oil on the surface. You can make it brown again by adding some oil, and you can turn it back by removing the oil. Adding and removing the oil have no effect on the coin itself, just the appearance of it. Unless, of course, you hairline the coin by brushing it.

Also, NEVER, NEVER dip a copper coin in silver dip. Silver dips dissolve the copper and leave it microporous.

 

EZ-est and TARN X will ruin your coins. Do NOT use them on copper or bronze coins.

 

no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no no

 

Does that include nose oil or ear oil?

 

I would send it to NCS for conservation. Any time I ever tried cleaning copper, it resulted in a coin with an unnatural pink hue.

 

I have used a product called MS70 on both Proof and Uncirculated coins and it has removed toning and gives the coin a nice natural looking luster. It should not be used on circulated coins, because it gives them an unnatural luster, I guess that's why it's called MS70, it's for coins that would grade 69 or 70. I've never tried it on a cent, so I'd use it on pocket change first to see how it reacts with the copper.
The bottle lists gold, silver, nickel, copper, bronze and brass. It doesn'the have any acid in it so it's not supposed to react with the coins metal, only the toning.