Lacquered 1911 D- with hundreds of hours of xylene in the sun

Speaking of that I get very concerned about cancerous effects, inhalation, absorbtion through skin. Gloves get dissolved and get on the coin so I don't know the solution?

 

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Anything you'd be working with would be non-carcinogenic. I rarely worry about carcinogenicity of any solvents. I worry much more about my liver as a chemist.

When working with solvents you need to simply minimize your exposure. You really shouldn't be getting it all over your skin, so gloves shouldn't be needed. Simply put the coin into a glass container, use a transfer pipet (like the one supplied with VERDI-GONE™), add your solvent and cap.

 

Kind of late to this thread although I have poked in at times over the last cpl days.

No matter what you started with, you now have a coin that looks " worked" . Best case scenario is a little blue ribbon and a quick sale, or keep it as a tuition piece, you will laugh about this a decade from now.

Acetone it, MS-70 it, blueribbon it, coincare it, olive oil it. No matter what happens now the coin has been worked.

IMO, the best way to treat problem coins is with a 10 foot pole. Avoid them.

 

Boss, I hope you didn't take that the wrong way. I was referring to lighter fluid (I thought you remembered that fiasco). Seriously, try it on a lesser coin, or two if it makes you feel better, and that is..shot glass filled with the "F", soak it several minutes, rinse with warm water and gingerly move it around between your thumb and forefinger while rinsing in warm water.. Examine it and repeat as/if needed. I think you'll find that the laquer will begin to dissolve, you'll feel it on your fingertips. It may take several "treatments" but I think you'll agree the substance will come off with no negative results. Far as peroxide making your coins black, maybe you're exposing carbon spots or something cause I've not had that happen, and has proven safe as well. It did remove verdigris and expose "black" on a large cent, but that black was deeply and embedded completely through (both sides) the coin, and the coin was already looking bad so I had nothing to lose. It did however remove all of the surface stuff that could have been removed from the surface and it did look better IMHO.(I have tried other things with much less success). I trust those two methods. Peroxide is especially good on copper. I've not experimented much with silver but I plan to. Contrary to popular apprehension or lack of experience using it, the lighter fluid does work great (especially on removing foreign substances). On the disappoint part? I just figured you were a little more "gamier" (is that a word?) than most here. No offense. :smile Peace brother!

 

Gotcha Tom. That's what I hate about online talk. I am actually quite sarcastic in person, but sarcasm in print is hard to interpret (literal vs inunedo). I'm quite the goof ball in real life.

As far as lighter fluid, I know people have used WD40 which is probably about the same, and similar to the gasoline or mineral spirits suggestion of Thad. My only hesitation with the L is that you are the only person I have ever heard of use it. Maybe Thad or Jim could speculate as to the different effects. I know nonpure acetone is problematic, I believe because of the Toulene in it?
Conclusion: SOrry Doug and RLM: to my 1911 D i say: "I JUST CAN'T QUIT YOU"

 

Glad to clear the confusion Boss. Agree about online print, though I am usually sarcastic by default but wasn't meaning to be towards you there.
Hey, I understand your apprehension about my method here. I guess if you really wanted to test this way, varnish a trash wheatie, bake it on to accelerate/simulate time and recoat it again if you like. You ought to get close enough to your 1911 condition, then try that one. I never looked too closely at the WD-40, so not sure of the comparison but you could be right. It looks good to me and I know that's not enough reason to try but, as I said originally during the fiasco..my childhood best bud is the one who first told me about it whose coin knowledge I'd pit against probably anybody in here. The guy can spot tiny trinkets of gold in piles of junk trays flea markets without ever looking at it up close or picking it up. He's the same w/coins..has been into it heavy even when I was a kid some 40 plus years ago, and what he knew even then was ridiculous. Point is between him and my own experiences (though mine is admittedly comparatively limited), I'm comfortable with my conclusions.
Anyway Boss...obviously your decision and very easy to understand your hesitation, but simply because it's not an "accepted" (whatever that means ) practice shared by the masses, doesn't mean it isn't worthy. Somebody might someday tell me that grasshopper urine works great, and unless I definitely know different, hey, he might be right. I'd like to think I have an open mind and anything is possible until it is disproven, and, it ain't been disproven to me yet.
Stay sarcastic brother and peace out!

 

Good stuff Tom and good points! Will try the Light Fluid on some old wheats and see just for fun

 

wow..

 

I don't want any lacquer on any of my coins. It's not about the money. I won't sell dishonestly as was done to me and if I sell saying, "Hey buy my wonderful lacquered coin" how much will I get for it. I paid CH AU money for this coin so its a loss, but if this coin can have the lacquer removed and retone naturally over time why would I not do that?? Just because I don't know the way to improve the coin doesn't mean there isn't one. Now that I posted, I attained the benefit of more knowledgeable collectors with their ideas. If I get all the lacquer off the coin and it's beat up so be it. I think I actually got most of it off anyway. I just needed a more appropriate method.
Preaching about not buying problem coins is of no value in these situations. Naturally I know now what I didn't know 2 years ago. I still own these coins now. I want them to be a natural as possible. WE all know that problem coins retone and look more normal over the years (if placed in a toning type environment). Lacquered coins will not change virtually at all. I will let the scratches tone and in time it will be a prettier coin. This isn't about a mistake for me, but about learning how to restore this coin to it's most natural state.

Don't get me wrong. Not upset, despite my tone. I think I react to the "why bother" philosophy. Problem coins are not WORTHLESS, just Worth LESS than nonproblem coins. I am a believer in coin Rehab. Let's all pull out the sobriety chips. I'm at 360 days :secret::secret:

 

All you do by attempting to improve it is throw even more money into the coin and waste time that could be better spent in the pursuit of your hobby.


Respectfully....whether or not a coin has been "improved" is a matter of opinion sometimes depends what you're starting with. I believe what Boss further means is that to him, this IS a part of the hobby that he enjoys, so to him, it's not a waste of time, and this is part of the pursuit of his hobby that he obviously enjoys. To you.,it's a waste of time. One could argue that this whole forum and its' posting thoughts and opinions is a waste of time, but again obviously, many enjoy it.



if after 100 years of trying nobody has been able to find a way to improve a problem coin - why bother trying .

So, cancer research should be given up. After all it's been a long time and noone has cured it yet. They have improved it, but not cured it, so, waste of time. The guy on here that sells "Verdigone". He should have never even tried to invent it, using your logic, since it had never been accomplished before and "problem coins are still problem coins", so don't bother with trying to use it, just move on I guess. Actually, why bother to put coins in Danscos, flips, or anything else? Protection? You could achieve protection in an airtight sealed container without see thru plastic. Why not do that exclusively then? Answer is obviously so one can LOOK at it, so therefore by default, looks must be of some value. Eye appeal and all that. I read in here somewhere that most all coins are "problem coins", so none of those coins looks should never have anything in the way of "look" improvement ever done. So why bother with EZest, Verdigone, or the like?


Now I know with a certainty that you personally would never try to fool anybody, that you would practice full disclosure in any case. But what about the person who buys that worked on coin of yours ?

Shouldn't matter, cause, using your logic, worked coins are easily spotted, and true collectors are never fooled. That particular buyer might be fooled. Ok. Then perhaps they shouldn't be into collecting at all, since they can be fooled so easily.., or maybe they should be in there buying up all the "problem" coins, leaving all the genuine ones for the smart and saavy collectors such as yourself. Save you from "wasting" your time on even looking at the problem ones.

This never, ever touch coins except to admire them from a distance is just so absolutely ridiculous. I know I am just an uninformed novice, and I'll try to one day aspire to rise to your level of awareness, but my OPINION is that some coins are worth trying to improve, some are not, and some it would never matter regardless. Point is, doing so IS of value to Boss, and myself, and others, and since 90% of coins are all problematic anyway, why not take a shot sometimes? I don't think anyone doubts the Godly talents of the supreme purists, I just doubt their absolute judgement of the possibilities.

 

Doug, with all due respect, here's a picture of Boss I took when we met at the coin show last week. You're wasting your breath...

 

Hydrogen Peroxide will turn that black. Tried it on a 40% junk clad. Soaked it overnight. Can't even get that off now.

 

Yes I could easily believe that. Peroxide I have heard is best for pure copper.

Just curious..anybody heard of this process?

45g Sodium Bisulfite in 500ml water.
15g Copper Sulphate 5-hydrat in 500ml water.
Both to a boil...combine...immerse until desired effect is achieved. 15-20 seconds to two minutes.


This process is used by "professionals" and I know is taboo, but just curious if an actual honest discussion is ever possible, or if the Ostritch method comes in to play again. All the knowledgable folks in here, someone has to have heard of it.

 

Can't advise on that process, Tom, just a rookie chemist, here. Maybe Thad or Jim will chime in on that, they're our resident pros.

 

No chemist here..though I am wondering if I need to borrow Boss's mask.

Edit: umm.,nevermind. I don't think I'm ready to mess with this combination, (all though I'm sure some in here would like me to).

 

Hey, I'm just joking with him, he knows that. He is becoming quite adept at this, though. I'm actually proud to have given him a tip some time ago, even though, it seems, he's not following it anymore, probably because he learned better. Anyway, I thought he might like that as a avatar, too, that's another reason I posted it. What do you say, Boss?

 

Eddie-I might use that one for a while- PM it or I'll try and download it . I believe the end of all things is soon any way- so that would be very appropriate. Tom- you have excellent points and I agree with all, though I would have said it gentler to poor Doug whose getting the beat down but keeps coming back ("Yo Adriene, I did it for yous"- Rocky Balboa). Doug- I think Tom reacts that way because of prior discussion. Saying my effort is a waste of time is a matter of opinion. I enjoy trying to solve this problem. I believe I could get all the lacquer off and would be so happy if I did. Maybe, it won't look so bad underneath? Maybe it will be hideous? It's obvious from earlier pics that I got a lot off. Look at the first pics of the obv face (cheek) and the "D" which is much more prominant in the later photos. If the lacquer is removed the coin could start to tone in a flip or album and I am sure would look better in time.

 

Since xylene and acetone haven't worked try,

http://www.coppertonlane.com/coppercare.php

http://www.fantes.com/copper-lacquer-removal.html