Acetone bath

Discussion in 'US Coins Forum' started by Seattlite86, Dec 11, 2018.

  1. Seattlite86

    Seattlite86 Outspoken Member

    I have a few buffalo nickels soaking in pure acetone before I put them in 2x2s. That’s about 12 hours facing up, now 12 hours facing down. They’ll go into distilled water next. Should I gently use a q-tip on the nicer ones with little gunk on them, or just leave on whatever the acetone doesn’t eat off? Some of them felt a touch slimy when I was flipping them over (into a new bath of acetone). I’ll post final photos when I pull them out for good.

    8F73E7F5-F385-4301-8B32-8F148FF6ACF0.jpeg 873D4748-6933-44C9-B087-B951DD6C67E4.jpeg
     
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  3. paddyman98

    paddyman98 I'm a professional expert in specializing! Supporter

    Looks like a V Nickel snuck in there also :watching:
     
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  4. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    For whatever it's worth acetone typically does a poor job of removing ordinary dirt and grime - which is what is found on most circulated coins. Long soaks in distilled water usually does a better job.

    And though I would usually advise against it as a general rule, given the the condition of the coins in question you're not really going to hurt anything by using a Q-tip to help remove gunk.
     
  5. Amos 811

    Amos 811 DisMember

    I also use a wet tooth pick, wet so its soft.
     
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  6. halfcent1793

    halfcent1793 Well-Known Member

    Acetone dissolves grease and so helps remove dirt. Unfortunately, it leaves the surface of the coin completely open to the atmosphere, your breath when you exhale, dust specks, etc. Unless you protect the coins with some kind of oil after the soak, they WILL corrode.
     
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  7. bear32211

    bear32211 Always Learning

    A long soak, please define "long soak" ?
     
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  8. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    Whatever it takes to do the job. Even if ya leave a coin in water for a week it's not gonna hurt anything. But, it may help a lot.
     
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  9. bear32211

    bear32211 Always Learning

    I'm always concerned about any type of damage to any coin when this is done for a period of time.
     
  10. Seattlite86

    Seattlite86 Outspoken Member

    I meant to start with distilled water but for over zealous. I’ll probably do water acetone water again to do it right. Also, some coins are looking UNC to me, and some have a variety on them. I’ll be extra careful with those. The pictures below are two different coins. Note the feathers on the 1916.
    65CCE92A-F605-40F8-B34C-63CFEA21519A.jpeg 6A3C9FB5-96F4-4AA7-993E-63F2C25144ED.jpeg
     
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  11. V. Kurt Bellman

    V. Kurt Bellman Yes, I'm blunt! Get over your "feeeeelings".

    This is prima facie evidence something is coming off those coins and you're having an effect.

    I'm curious about that 1920 in the top picture with a greenish tint to the crud in the recesses. Was that one slimy? The one two coins to the right of the 1907 Liberty?
     
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  12. V. Kurt Bellman

    V. Kurt Bellman Yes, I'm blunt! Get over your "feeeeelings".

    I've heard of guys literally soaking them for MONTHS. They do rinse and resoak. No sense letting loose stuff re-adhere due to evaporation. TRUST ME ON THIS - the U.S.S. Central America shipwreck coins are soaking for months, and not just in distilled water, either.
     
  13. EdThelorax

    EdThelorax Well-Known Member

    Nice, if I ever do use a Qtip, I gently roll it back and forth over the surface as opposed to actually rubbing it. A good rince with distilled water after helps keep things from resettling as the solvent evaporates. Then there is always Verdi-care to prevent recurring issues,
     
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  14. bear32211

    bear32211 Always Learning

    I looked at the 1920 also with the green tint. Environmental damage ?
     
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  15. PlanoSteve

    PlanoSteve Well-Known Member

    Yeah, that sure looks like a "2 feathers"! Is that the reverse in the same post?
     
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  16. Seattlite86

    Seattlite86 Outspoken Member

    What should I use that wouldn’t details the coin?
     
  17. Seattlite86

    Seattlite86 Outspoken Member

    That one was definitely slimy, but oddly enough, so were a couple of the ones that seemed to just had minor circulation grime. The ones in the middle there were a bit slimy. Tonight they go into distilled water.
     
  18. Seattlite86

    Seattlite86 Outspoken Member

    Sorry, two different coins. I just wanted to show a coin that looked UNC to me as well.
     
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  19. bear32211

    bear32211 Always Learning

    While we are talking about these Buffaloes, the 1919 which is very dark, row three, opinions on what caused the almost black color. I've got a couple like that, wouldn't the acetone assist in reviving the coin ?
     
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  20. Seattlite86

    Seattlite86 Outspoken Member

    I guess we’ll see! I took a q-tip to that one; didn’t have much of an effect. There’s a LOT of crud on that.
     
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  21. bear32211

    bear32211 Always Learning

    It's almost like an oil. I tried acetone on mine with no results.
     
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