Does MS70 harm coins?

I'm considering trying to buy this coin because I like odd mercury dimes and like the die clash and break, but the haze on the obverse is really distracting and unattractive. It looks like a fingerprint on the obv. For those with experience with MS70, do you think it would get rid of the haze on this coin, and also would it disturb the toning? Thanks!

 

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If it's a fingerprint then it's not haze. If it were raw, you could try the MS70 as a spot treatment (because it likely would disturb that toning), and it might lessen the appearance of the haze a bit. That might be good enough, but you'd most likely have to use a dip to get rid of the fingerprint.

 

That's a bummer, the toning is appealing on this coin and is a nice feature. I really like this coin, but the fingerprint just kills me.

 

Yeah. Really, MS70 works miracles on hazy proofs. For other coins your mileage may vary. The safe bet here is that you'd need to dip it, and the fingerprint may still be there somewhat by the time the coin can't take another dip.

If you like the coin for the die state, it may be good enough to just make the fingerprint less of a distraction. I would bet the coin can be safely improved a bit. Is that good enough for you?

 

I'd hate to dip it because of the reverse. Which I find decently attractive:


I've been looking at this coin for awhile and love the die state but the surfaces are a real conundrum for me on making a reasonable offer.

 

Yeah I see. You can't dip this then. Best you could do is a soak in acetone and then an MS70 spot treatment for the obverse. My gut tells me you'd probably get a bit of improvement, but it's not going to work miracles. I'd make an offer based on that, and if you don't get it then move on.

 

It looks like it could be helped some but I don't feel MS70 or acetone is going to remove it all. I also think a dip would kill the coin.
It's a fun coin just the way it is. Nice toning, clash and cracks.

 

I have a good one. The whole set looked like this, they were heavily hazed coins and have started to tone, and yes the haze has turned into toning. Bought the set this advanced in 2017.
I will post a few interpretations of the coin to better help the diagnosis. What do you think? MS70? or leave it as is?

 

I don't think MS70 would hurt it.

 

Yes, but do you feel that there is anything on the coin that says it is corroded and not just aged. Original patina is highly sought after.

 

I actually posted the coin from an educational stance. And I got the answer that I was after. Simply that if you don't know the history and you don't know why the coin looks like it does then leave it alone.
Even though MS70 can be perfectly acceptable to use, and pass the grading process.
If one does not use the product on the right candidate coin. It may come out looking like a cleaned coin, instead of a restored coin.

You make it clear in the above quote that some attempts to restore a coin can make the coin look worse. Not knowing what made the coin look the way it does, can make it a crap shoot, on the proper process, or product to use.

In this instance, the Washington came out of a flat pack, all of the coins have an odd funky toning, improper storage and conditions is what I attribute to the toning and look of the surfaces. In this case any attempt to restore the surfaces will most likely add to a worse looking coin.

The furthest I would go on this coin is a simple soak or rinse in distilled water.
My point was that if you are not ready to fail when trying a home remedy/application of a so called cleaning or restoration product then don't try it all leave the coin for the experts. Most attempts at restoration result in failure.

Not every coin is a candidate for restoration.

 

I have a pretty sketchy method.

I use a double-sized shot glass (wide enough for Morgan dollars and under). To cover it, I invert the plastic acetone bottle into the mouth of the glass to give it a reasonable seal. Works well for me

 

I was under the impression that the first and second rules of Fight Club... er, uhm, the Coin Club was, do not clean a coin and do not clean a coin. I’m sure next y’all be telling me that polishing a coin with a rag doesn’t produce microscopic scratches neither. Crazy coiners!

 

If you have to ask, “Can I clean my coins?”, then the answer is no, you shouldn’t. Cleaning/restoring a coin “correctly” requires a lot of experience (and even the term correctly, can vary from coin to coin). Each coin is different and what works for one may not work for others. It helps if you have some basic knowledge of chemistry and metallurgy to understand what has happening to coin surface and the deposits you are trying to remove.


You can think of it like doing body work on your car. If you have a little mechanical background and watch some youtube, you can probably patch a rust hole or fix a dent in your 15 year old Honda. It will work, but chances are that people will be able to see the repair. If you have some experience, you might be able to replace fenders, welding the seams, matching paint, etc. If you need to fix your classic Ferrari, you go to an expert.


Cleaning your junk silver or wheat pennies is like fixing a dent. Not a big deal if it doesn’t look perfect. Restoring a 6 figure proof coin is like fixing a Ferrari. You need to be an expert before tackling that. You can’t explain in a forum post, how to rebuild a transmission to a person with limited mechanical experience. You say “don’t try it yourself”. Same with cleaning coins. Since there are so many ways to screw up a coin when cleaning, and since it isn’t practical to explain all of the advanced details to a beginner, the best answer is “DON’T CLEAN YOUR COINS”

 

I guess an analogy in life could be: "do you use Charmin or do you use sandpaper?"

 

I just tried using the Xyline but I noticed in the ingredients right after I put the coin in it that there is another ingredient called ethylbenzene mixed with it. Is this still OK to use on the coin? I took the coin out of it after a couple of minutes and tried rinsing it off and soaking it in acetone to try to get it off of the coin but the coin still has a greasy feeling to it when I hold it in my fingers.

Also is there an easy way to pour the xylene out of the container with spilling it and making a smelly mess on the ground? Can I use just a natural cleaner such as 7th Generation to clean it up?