Your opinion please.

Hot soapy water should be ok, use a soft brush. However, the coin has lots of abrasions, which would stand out even more if you gently cleaned her up. As for me this coin only seems to have bullion value. Why not spend a few more dollars and get a coin with numismatic value?

 

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I buy some coins for collection and some as close to silver melt as I can. I guess I have a two prong approach to my coins. This particular coin was close to melt value.

 

This is why every raw coin I buy gets an acetone bath. There are a lot of smokers in this hobby.

 

Nicotine residue is an organic compound. Soak the coin in acetone to remove it. Do NOT, as someone else suggested, use a brush. Soaking alone will do the job if, in fact, there is actually nicotine residue on the coin. Oh, and acetone won't have any effect on the coin itself. It doesn't interact with the metal.

P.S. Give the coin three soakings, each time with clean acetone.

 

But it doesn't disprove it either.

I've been in the homes of deceased lifelong smokers where the wallpaper is yellowed and the carpet is sticky from years of nicotine accumulation.

Not suggesting that the OP's coin is contaminated with nicotine residue, and I don't think Randy was either. Just that it's always a possibility, because we don't know what kind of environment a coin was in before we buy it. Which is one of several reasons why a raw coin should always get an acetone bath, just in case.

 

Of course! And, I'm sure that this coin was carefully turned over the years to give it an even coating of nicotine on both sides.

Chris

 

For $14 I think you did well. I don't think the toning is natural, though.

 

Please do not give collectible copper an acetone bath. One could be disappointed with the frequent resulting muddy pink color. ☹️

 

My thoughts exactly.

 

At $14.00 if it's genuine, who really cares about the toning?

In the future, if you decide to sell it, that's when the toning might play a factor.

For now, you got yourself a great deal.

 

I think its a very nice coin and I believe the toning is legit. I'd buy it.

 

Agreed - $13.30 melt value + 5% premium is outstanding for silver dollars (I'm happy to buy circulated half dollars for melt+5%)

 

Yeah, I'm not a big fan of toning but I am a very big fan of 90% Silver coins at or near melt.

 

I’d try the acetone on it but the toning of it’s not crud looks legit too. Good buy

 

The OP's coin is silver, which is why I didn't mention possible issues with acetone and copper/bronze.

Although "frequent" might be overstating the risk. In years of using acetone on copper/bronze coins, I only experienced this effect once (on a British India 1/4 anna). Once was enough, however, and now I mostly use xylene on copper/bronze.

 

Thanks for the input folks. Have a great, Blessed Christmas.

 

I concede, Chris. You win the internet today!

But allow me to repeat:

My comment was a general one about nicotine contamination, and offered as a reminder to less experienced collectors who might be reading our posts.

The intended take-away was, when a collector buys a raw coin, he/she often has no idea how the coin has been stored and what environmental contaminants (nicotine or otherwise) might be lurking invisibly on the coin's surface. A "just in case" soak in acetone or xylene is never a bad idea with raw coins.

 

I know! I know! I was just yanking yours and @Randy Abercrombie 's chains. You guys are such easy pushovers!

Happy holidays to both of you.

Chris

 

Ooohhh.... The karma will come get ya! And a blessed holiday to you and yours too.

 

People have used a boiled egg (crushed) and placed in a bowl and covered with seran wrap whilst standing the silver coin on its edge and leaving it. The sulfur content in the egg reacts with the silver and leaves it golden toned, it is another method that I've seen to artificially tone a silver Morgan/Peace dollar. It is the same theory as the bag toning found on many coins that were stored for years and the old cardboard type holders, the manufacturing of cardboard and bags used sulfur in the process. It is highly unlikely that your coin is toned by "nicotine" and is artificially toned.