Hello everyone! I was wondering how to prep a coin for submission? If submitting a circulated coin should you wipe it down with a soft cloth to take off any contaminants that will cause more tarnishing once slabbed? Also, if submitting MS coins should they be submitted untouched and hope they have no contaminants on them? I worry that oils or other unseen contaminants will do their work once slabbed. Thank you for your expertise.
Welcome to the forum. First of all, you should never wipe your coins. Under magnification, the wipe marks will be visible and the coin will probably be body-bagged as cleaned and ungradeable. Here some links to the top 4 grading companies that may help: ANACS http://www.anacs.com/products.html#kit NGC http://ngccoin.com/services/submitting.asp PCGS http://www.pcgs.com/submission_center.chtml I would recommend contacting ICG for their submission info here: http://www.icgcoin.com/contact.htm Hope this helps.
As a matter of fact I'm getting ready this week to mail out coins to ANACS for slabbing and so I know how you feel. No! Don't wipe or rub any of the coins...just leave then like they are and they should be fine. A few of the coins I'm sending off have been dipped in Acetone and I don't know what will happen to them...they should be slabbed as that's not conisdered cleaning but I don't know. Speedy
I'm pretty sure that they will be slabbed as long as you didn't wipe them, unless they were cleaned prior to your ownership and it is detected by the TPG.
This is an interesting subject and one that I have seen all sorts of advice; and its not all the same. Here's what I have done: While coins should never be cleaned, I believe that copper coins in particular can be soaked in olive oil for a little while, then very gently brushed with a soft toothbrush to work the oil into the crevases. I'm only talking circulated grades (XF or less). I've even used a green holly thorn to gently remove some dirt on the surface of the coin that's stuck in between a letter or numeral or around the rim. A brown rose or holly thorn could scratch the surface: it must be a green one. Then wash the coin off under warm water and pat it dry. Let it air out overnight or so. Old time coin collectors have done this for years. I've done it with some old Lincoln cents of mine with very nice results. I can say that even under a 10X loop, there's no scratches or evidence of cleaning or abrasions (remember, in circulated grades) if this is done carefully. While some have told me that using acetone, ammonia, or other chemicals on a coin will not "affect" it, I don't agree. Olive oil (and perhaps a green thorn) is pretty natural stuff. Using chemicals is just asking for trouble, in my estimation. Indeed, I would not touch an AU or better coin with anything. I confess that I have never submitted a coin to be slabbed that got the olive oil treatment. Anyone else have any opinions on this? Houston_ray
What on earth do you think gives olive oil an ability to clean metallic things? The answer is, that it's acidic. It's very weak, so it takes a long time to work, but it does contain a very dilute acid. For that matter, all physical objects (including people) are composed entirely of things found on the periodic table of elements, i.e. chemicals. Claims that "natural products" are inherently safer than "chemicals" for anything is just plain nonsense. That said, a glass of olive oil is obviously safer for a coin than a glass of sulfuric acid, but the safety comes from dilution, not "naturalness".
Hold your breath! Water vapors from exhaling will also do a number on coins (especially) proof. The last thing you want to see are black blemishes on your coins. It's all over if you cough or sneeze. Load up on Actifed before you handle your coins! OK, I am just kidding about the Actifed, but seriously, water vapor from exhaling on your coins "can" really ruin a nice coin in a proof state or high MS state!
All good conversation going on this thread! Please note the different opinions and reasoning behind those opinions. That's what makes this hobby so much fun. As I am a product of the scientific community, I have to agree with some of the comments made above. However, taken to an extreme, AIR chemically reacts with the copper in a penny, just like olive oil. The air in my hometown of Houston is lot different than the air in Denver, and therefore over time will tend to affect coins differently. Intensity and duration is a key for any chemical reaction. I'm in the camp where soaking a coin in olive oil for a few hours won't hurt a thing. I've seen it improve a number of coins, some dramatically. Never seen a downside. Unless you try to "rub up" the coin, or grind on it with a stiff toothbrush. That being said, olive oil is not used to clean the coin, but really to clean "off" caked dirt or stuff stuck in the numerals and letters. It will even help remove and retard early stage or superficial corrosion (verdigris). Old-timers have known this for years on copper coins. In no way should olive oil be used as a polishing agent. Furthermore, an oil residue appears to remain (even after the coins is washed off) and tends to preserve the finish of a coin. Maybe a bit of an air-block. It's better than silicon, which I consider more of a "chemical agent." A toothbrush is generally ok for circulated coins (as noted earlier, NOT AU or better coins) if its got soft bristles and used gently versus trying to scour the coin. Recommend taking an old penny that's only worth a penny and practicing. There should be no change in the color of the coin; after a day or so drying out, some coins will have a better appearance. Good luck to all! Houston_Ray
