Does MS70 harm coins?

When you say there are better things to use on coins other than proof coins besides MS70 what do you mean by that? Are there other things I would get better results from? There are many uncirculated coins I have used MS70 on and gotten really good results. If MS70 is safe for silver coins why not use it? MS70 seems to do a much better job of taking off stuff from coins and it is also easier to use and is not as time-consuming. I could see why using MS70 on a circulated coin may not be good since it may uncover a lot of scars on the coin.

 

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I never wipe coins. I will dab them to get excess moisture off but I will never wipe them. Would it be safe to dab a coin with a microfiber cloth or a cotton face cloth?

As far as never touching a coin on the surface with my fingers that is a basic rule I learned a long time ago.

 

I always wash my hands before handling coins.

 

...and after, if they are in the "junk" box. A water filter, up to and including reverse osmosis can never give you 100% (or close to it) water. No matter how much you filter water, the truly dissolved materials will remain. With that being said, you are perfectly justified using tap water for all but the final rinse(s). Patting a coin to dry it removes the water before it can evaporate and deposit any dissolved material.

 

I think your confusion comes from trying to find a “one size fits all” answer. When it comes to coin cleaning, there ain’t one.


Your initial question is like asking “there’s funny noise coming from my car, can you help me fix it”, but not providing any details. Then you’re getting frustrated when members don’t provide you with a “Fixing Funny Noises” repair manual to verify their responses.


What Doug and others are trying to point out is that you need to have a basic understanding of how each cleaning method will react to the coin surface and to the substance you want to remove. It’s a pretty complex subject. Doug’s recent responses do a good job of covering some basics without getting hung up in the chemistry. If they’re not making sense, you really should consider stepping away from coin cleaning until you become more comfortable with the basics.

 

Is it okay to use a blow dryer to finish the drying process after rinsing a coin with distilled water?

 

I appreciate your help. Will acetone get paint thinner off of coins or do I have to use xylene to get off the paint thinner since paint thinner is oily? I just used the acetone to get off the paint thinner on some of my coins. I have the coins lying in a kointain half but they are not lying perfectly flat. I also have a fan blowing on them.

 

I have tried using acetone to get the green stuff off of coins but it doesn't seem to work for me but when I use the MS70 it gets it off. Does the acetone have to be left on for a long time and is not working for me because I am not allowing it enough time to work? What would I use to get green stuff off of coins? I think most of the time when I treat coins there is something green on the coin. How do you tell what is the green stuff on a coin so you know how to treat it?

If I use xylene how would I dispose of it after I use it? Is it combustible like acetone? Would I have to take it to a hardware store?

 

Treat it like gasoline. In fact, you can use it like gasoline -- by itself, it's got an octane rating of 115 or so, so you could dump it into your car's tank as an octane booster. Of course, depending on what's dissolved in it from your coin, this might not be a good idea. But if you think about how much dirt was on your coin, and how much dirt is on the typical filling-station nozzle...

(Disclaimer: I know a bit about chemistry, but I'm no car expert. Don't risk your engine based on my advice!)

 

I'm sorry, I don't think I was clear enough that I had first rinsed off the acetone with distilled water before I had set the coins down and put the fan on them to dry off. I would think there would be no problem with an explosion if the coins are first rinsed off?

 

What type of container would you suggest to use if a coin has to be treated with acetone so a lot of it doesn't evaporate?

 

I'd use a glass container or stainless steel.

 

Any clean glass jar with flat surface top. Glass or porcelain tile on top, galzed side down works great.

 

I probably wouldn't. Blow dryers blow unfiltered air, so they're slinging any dust in the air against your coin. Since the coin's damp, the dust is likely to stick. And, of course, you don't want to heat the coin.

 

I like these. The lid has a PTFE liner that is resistant to most solvents (alcohol, acetone, xylene, aromatic hydrocarbons, and most mild acids) They are wide mouthed for easy access.

 

Hmm... very cool, but I'd be completely in the doghouse if I brought 24 more containers into the house.