Coin conditioner

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by Steven Shaw, Jul 28, 2021.

  1. Steven Shaw

    Steven Shaw Well-Known Member

    Anyone use this on their coins? I used to use Blue Ribbon.
     
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  3. Matthew Kruse

    Matthew Kruse Young Numismatist

  4. Collecting Nut

    Collecting Nut Borderline Hoarder

    What’s this?
     
  5. Steven Shaw

    Steven Shaw Well-Known Member

  6. charley

    charley Well-Known Member


    Beer.
     
  7. desertgem

    desertgem Senior Errer Collecktor

    Most of those "cleaners" used CFC 113 ( freon compound) which is banned or requires a certification for most common uses as a solvent. It worked well on coin's but it could be dangerous for common use ( To my memory they didn't mention any severe ) warnings on the old cleaners using it
     
  8. Mountain Man

    Mountain Man Supporter! Supporter

    Wonder if constant users would get like "Mad Hatters" disease? LOL
     
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  9. CamaroDMD

    CamaroDMD [Insert Clever Title] Supporter

    I seem to remember a popular copper coin product that was sold by a member here that suddenly was unavailable. Is this why?
     
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  10. expat

    expat Remember you are unique, just like everyone else Supporter

    Yes, it was for the removal of verdigris and worked very well
     
  11. desertgem

    desertgem Senior Errer Collecktor

    Thad ( BadThad) is a great chemist with some super equipment to play with. Last I heard he was quite involved in his real job and life. I treasure my tiny remnants of the solution. He has posted on here a couple of times during the last few years, so you might search for his posts, or search for Verdigone - Desertgem, be warned , they go back to 2009. Jim
     
  12. serafino

    serafino Well-Known Member

    I still have some left and use it sparingly. I hope Thad or somebody else makes it again
     
  13. Conder101

    Conder101 Numismatist

    If Thad isn't going to make it himself, he should license someone else to produce it. It would make it available and he would get "royalites" without the headache of making it himself.
     
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  14. desertgem

    desertgem Senior Errer Collecktor

    It may require the ocular humor of a rare Florida newt or something like that. He does read the forum occasionally so I am sure he will spot this thread.
     
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  15. ldhair

    ldhair Clean Supporter

    I still have a bottle of Blue Ribbon but have not used it in probably 30 years. It was actually a solvent but it left the coin with a layer of some type of oil.
     
  16. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    Which is exactly why it should not be used.

    Collectors learned the hard way over the course of decades that coating your coins with anything is a bad, bad, idea. And over those decades just about everything that can be thought of, has been thought of, and tried. It always turned out bad.
     
  17. John Burgess

    John Burgess Well-Known Member

    there's different camps on this topic, like all topics. if it's early coppers, large cents half cents, colonials, You'd be hard pressed to find uncirculated conditioned collector coins that haven't been treated with Blue Ribbon or Olive oil (but be mindful of the pH of any type of oil used) or something to try to maintain the surfaces and color over the years because copper is pretty reactive and those coins predate mylar, PVC, the coin slabbing companies, airtites, Whitman publishing, yada, yada yada
    I wouldn't say to use it on all copper, but I would say this method is a method of conserving the surface conditions and color of early coppers that's been in practice a really long time. This technique and method puts a slight layer on the coin that keeps dust and contaminants from making direct contact with the copper.
    it's really not so much a cleaning as it is putting on and reapplying a fine protective layer of oil to stop contaminants from making contact with the surface of the coin that may tone, spot or stain the surface. it's more maintaining and slowing the effects of time on the copper.

    And Yeah, people say "never clean coins" and yet everyone dips to remove ugly toning, or uses acetone, or a hundred other things as they "conserve", the grading companies "conserve".

    there's a right way and a wrong way to do things and "never clean coins" is a way to tell a novice that message, that unless they are confident in what they are doing, leave it up to an expert so as not to damage the coin. But mark my words just about everyone saying "never clean a coin" has done some cleaning and maybe still doing some cleaning to boot.

    Starting to stray off the topic. I don't see anything wrong with the practice but practice the technique on common coins of low value of the same composition is what I'd tell you and in the end, they are your coins, you can do whatever you want with them.
     
  18. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    Yep, they always say that. But there is a problem with what they say - the problem is - that isn't really what they mean. And some don't even realize it isn't what they mean - due to a lack of knowledge.

    And some do mean it, but for those folks it's typically because they believe any and all forms of cleaning are bad.

    I'm saying this for very simple reasons. For example, rinsing a coin in distilled water is cleaning the coin. Rinsing a coin acetone is cleaning the coin. Rinsing a coin in xylene is cleaning the coin. And, using coin dip on a coin is cleaning the coin. They are ALL cleaning the coin ! But, when done properly, not a single one of them will harm the coin in any way. And every single one of them is perfectly acceptable in the numismatic community, and has been for over 200 years !

    So, if that's true, and it is, then what are these people talking about when they say "never clean coins" ? What they are talking about is to never harshly or improperly clean coins. And on that count they are correct - it is always bad !

    But they don't say it that way when they are talking or writing. Instead they use the contraction of the correct terminology and say "clean/cleaning" when what they really mean is "harsh or improper clean/cleaning".

    It is a habit that was started decades ago and continues to this day. Thus misinforming and miseducating thousands of collectors !

    The proper cleaning of coins is a good thing, a very good thing ! It has protected and saved more coins for us than can be counted ! If it were not for proper cleaning then there would be tens of millions of coins that none of us could enjoy today ! The vast majority of all coins graded and slabbed by the TPGs have been properly cleaned ! And the TPGs themselves will even do it for you.

    So to say - "never clean coins" - that's just about the worst, and most incorrect thing anybody could ever say !
     
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