Acetone Soak For 7 Days?

Here's a couple of pics of this California Counter Token I bought a couple of weeks ago. I've soaked it in distilled water for 24 hours and then acetone for 24 hours as well. Then I tried, MS70 big mistake but it will be alright, I even soaked it in Xylol for 24 hours as well and I'm not having very good results. After all that I tried Goo Gone overnight, nothing changed, I mean the appearance changed a little but no cigar! Yeah, I'm very impatient and that's not good, I even ruined a Token once, maybe even twice! How long to soak in Acetone, is 5 to 7 days okay or should I just stop already!!?

 

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Maybe I'm crazy but I think it looks awesome the way it is ! I would leave it alone .

 

Now you know how "talked-up" these solvents are. You've the experience. No one can tell you different, now.

On the acetone, after all that you already did, save it or your nail polish.

 

What are you trying to do? Acetone won't remove the dark coloring. You will need to dip it, or get out a Q-tip and rub it - neither of which I would recommend.

 

looks pretty nice now... I would have like to see step by step photos of the changes as you progressed thru each cleaning.... did you take a pic of the original, uncleaned coin? would like to see it if possible

 

Something like that, you might try "pocket carrying" it for a week with a bunch of clad coinage.

I did that with this one . . . . .

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Which turned it into this one . . . . . . .

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Z

 

imho, she looks much improved to me

 

Yeah, I'm pretty sure I've soaked other tokens for a few days that came out looking better, don't want to chance it with this one tho'. Think I'll carry this one around for awhile and see what happens, that's actually what I've been doing since yesterday and then @ZoidMeister showed his Peace Dollar so I'll go along with that idea. Here's a pic, original sellers pics!

 

Solvents like acetone and xylene only work on organics stuck to the surface. It does nothing to the toning/discoloration of the metal surface. I don't think I ever soaked a coin in acetone for more than a few hours. If it doesn't start loosening the residue by then, it's not going to do anything.

FWIW, whatever is remaining on the token looks like corrosion pitting. The original metal on the surface has reacted and some of it is gone. Short of grinding it off, there is nothing you can do.

 

does soaking it for days really matter, instead of a few hours?

 

I agree. What is left is corrosion. I would stop working on it.

 

only wear could really lose the corrosion and have it look natural still. finger rubbing and playing with it, in and out of the pocket, just good honest wear and it will wear off what it can wear off, any other work done to it will just be doing damage, but wear is wear and it's honest at least.

 

But, then it is not. It is fudging/cheating. It is a poor substitute for the real thing. Yes, it does wear off, afterward, but it does not satisfy like the real thing does. Plus, if done constantly, the pocket gets a hole in it.

 

What exactly did the MS70 do that was a mistake?

This video from CoinHELPu panel of 3 dealers all say to not do much more to copper than the distilled water & acetone. i also have some dirty tokens i would like to see if the acetone helps.

 

That coin looks great, STOP, while you are ahead. Nice result, thanks for sharing. Good luck.

 

For old copper xylene would have been my first choice. For a coin in this condition a seven day soak in xylene and a gentle swabbing with a Q tip soaked in xylene every day or two would have been my course of action.
Find a pre ‘83 cent in similar condition and try different techniques to find what works before attempting preservation on the target coin. Remember patience is needed.

 

Well, if you're the "defender of old coins" then defend them as they are and don't try to erase 150 years or whatever it is...you already indicated destroying one or two. Based on the sellers photo, I wouldn't have touched it...looks pretty good to me. @SensibleSal66, I'm not crazy, either

You're not...or if you are, so am I.

 

Brightening copper coins undetectably is HARD… I wonder if treatment with sodium sulfite would help…

 

Well, you obviously aren't concerned with damaging the coin to improve the appearance to your liking, so put it in a rock tumbler with styrofoam pellets and leave it for an hour and then check it. Repeat as necessary to get the appearance you like. Speeds up pocket carry for sure.