Cleaning Coins --- Just when does it start to hurt?

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by EdwardJ, Dec 4, 2009.

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  1. diocletian

    diocletian Senior Member

    Hi GD,

    "And thank you for the direct quote from Bowers that further proves what I have been saying all along."



    Any one who collects coins especially morgans should read Bowers. As far as the sulphur in the canvas, well that is something that came from a friend who sold morgans and played the crack out game for a long time?
     
    diocletian, Dec 16, 2009
    #61 + Quote Reply
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  3. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    Fair enough, and I didn't interpret any of your comments to mean your you were being a wise guy. Hopefully mine are construed in the same way. Now let me throw one more wrench into the works. Take a coin, minted in pure gold, that has toned/changed color. It doesn't matter what type of light is used to view it, but when viewed next to a freshly minted coin the color is definitely different.

    Now here's the wrench - take that toned pure gold coin and dip it. Then place it next to a freshly minted coin of the same fineness - and voila ! They are the same color again.

    However - doing the same process with distilled water or acetone - the color change remains the same.

    Now maybe these are not scientic experiments with all of the molecular structure & chemical analysis to go along with it. But I know this much, when it comes to chemistry and physics - simple often provides the most profound of truths. I like simple and I tend to believe what my eyes see before me.

    My conclusion, if it walks like a duck, looks like a duck, and sounds like a duck - it's probably a duck.
     
    GDJMSP, Dec 17, 2009
    #62 + Quote Reply
  4. desertgem

    desertgem Senior Errer Collecktor Supporter



    I have not done it myself, but I have no doubts this would occur because of this.

    By using the dip to change the state of any surrounding molecules back to the original, Gold atoms which aren't affected by the dip themselves can change color back to their original gold color due to the change in the surrounding atoms( caused by the dip effects).

    But I see your point, and I agree the gold can change color, but there is no chemical bond ( covalent, etc) occurring between the gold atom and another such as sulfur, oxygen, etc., so the color change is not caused by the same reactions that cause toning in other coin metal.

    It is also most likely that with the mix of gold and other metals in coins that most of the visible color change is with the other metals than gold in the mix, so that any copper or silver with the gold changes and our eyes see the blended color as it is at the atomic level.

    Since it has commonly been called toning, I will use that word also, and not be like the "cent-penny" fanatics.

    Nah Doug, who would ever think that of you :hug:

    Jim


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    desertgem, Dec 17, 2009
    #63 + Quote Reply
  5. DoK U Mint

    DoK U Mint In Odd we Trust

    If I loan a gold coin to CERN~Labs~

    Will it come back CLEANED by being spin in circles (really fast)??
     
    DoK U Mint, Dec 17, 2009
    #64 + Quote Reply
  6. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    No, but if they get it going fast enough it'll probably melt - so ya won't have to worry about it ;)
     
    GDJMSP, Dec 18, 2009
    #65 + Quote Reply
  7. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    I call 'em pennies when I'm not on here :secret:
     
    GDJMSP, Dec 18, 2009
    #66 + Quote Reply
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