electrolytic deoxidation examples

The graphite is an inert anode, use of iron or carbon steel contaminates the solution quickly, Don't use stainless it creates a toxin.

 

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Found me a 47s whilst playing wit ma wheaties! 1 of 99,000,000

 

The positive end goes to the cathode, nail,carbon steel,graphite whichever you use and sits in the water away from the coin. the coin just sits on top of your wire coil, which will be the anode. For a battery being discharged the current goes only one direction, from neg to pos or from coin (anode) to graphite (cathode). Avoid touching neg to pos, it will short and burn. anode means "out" cathode means "in" does not always mean pos and neg. but since were discharging the battery in this case cathode is pos and anode is neg.

 

FYI if you reverse the poles doing this you will essentially be contaminating your coin instead of cleaning it. That is how electroplating is done. Thats not what you want.

 

I think I'm a bit addicted.

 

Proof

 

thats nice

 

Well for the pennies I think the results speak for themselves. I think the cleaned ones are more appealing and show the coins hidden beneath the brown oxide. Not considering value or grading. Just simply being able to enjoy your uglies. The silver on the other hand is not my thing although some people like it. I think "if its a truly non invasive method" then why not have a coin look the way you prefer. This is of course at your own risk.

 

I'm not sure what you mean by noninvasive. Toning on copper and silver coins is formed when the metal atoms at/near the surface of the coin react with other elements in the environment to form sulfides, oxides, etc. Cleaning methods like electrolysis and chemical dips remove that material, which in actuality, is removing part of the original coin. Cleaned coins are considered to be damaged, and with a little experience they aren't difficult to recognize

There is nothing wrong with experimenting on low value coins. Just be aware that coins like your proof dime will have a diminished value and less desirable to other collectors

 

You might think they are more appealing, but the vast majority of collectors now see a stripped, ugly, raw pink copper coin. This is incredibly unappealing, and I would not even consider adding anything like that to my collection. The brown, dirty, original coin is vastly more appealing.

Please stop ruining coins.

 

Your a bit extreme Pfan. I had my fun. Were making sense here. Thanks for your overwhelming majority rules deision. I got plenty more ugly brownies, the world is full of them. And your welcome for being given the opportunity to express your firm standards on cleaned coins. Thats what it's all about. Good chat.

 

Some may argue that the original surface of the coin has already been destroyed by oxidation. Whatever is under it is all thats left. Now maybe we can stop talking about cleaning and move on to preserving. So how can oxidation be avoided? I wonder where those beautiful 40s and 50s ms 68 silvers come from. What conditions were they kept to survive in such phenominal condition?

 

Coin Talk gets visits from numerous new collectors. While you are entitled to your opinion and free to do whatever you want with your coins, I think it's important to let the new collectors know that your ideas run counter to the overwhelming majority of hobbyists.

I 've been collecting for almost 50 years and was taught early that cleaned coins are damaged coins. It's irresponsible to imply that cleaning is OK. Conservation can be done where it isn't detectable, but that's by experienced people with knowledge of chemistry and metallurgy. what you're doing isn't conservation, and new collectors need to know that it isn't an acceptable alternative

 

You should see what I do to my stamps.

J/K
It's fine, I agree with the majority. But I still like my clean pennies. They hold a special place in my heart. I will love them 4ever.... or until they turn brown again.

 

relatively worthless coins, the owner is having fun, and enjoying it.

 

1. My concern is that he is describing them as "more appealing" than the original coins. The reason he's wrong needs to be explained to beginners.

2. My second concern is that he'll decide he likes the look, and starts altering more expensive coins.

Sure, have fun and experiment on coins worth a penny or two, but let's not fool ourselves into thinking cleaned coins like this are attractive.

 

For those who read Gurney's book on Counterfeit 8's after Sheffield Plating electroplating in a cyanide bath was used to silver electroplate many of the Cap and Rays (i.e., circa 1840 or later). These are unusual - the silver electrodeposited counterfeits normally have pure silver deposited on them so the surface Ag readings are generally ~99% by XRF ... rememering this analysis reads only the top 20-40 microns of the surface making them very dangerous at times in UNC grades. Interesting experiment using this process to remove surface contaminants. Perhaps an effective method moving forward in removing carbon spots from UNC coins? Do you have the nerve?
John Lorenzo Numismatist United States

 

As usual GD the Moderator is spot on ... this method would/could? remove carbon spots but you would likely kill the natural copper reddish tone and cartwheel effect on UNC spotted coins ... that being a thin sensitive layer although on silver coins you may have some benefits - cartwheel effects? JPL