Can this bullion piece be saved?

This piece has some tarnish that I'm wondering if there is a way to safely remove it. It is .999 silver. Thanks

 

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Ouch... what happened? And no

 

DarkRage666, posted: "...And no."

Why don't you think tarnish cannot be removed?

 

Without ruining the coin? I would assume not.

 

The tarnish can be removed chemically. I'm not sure what the mirror surface will look like after it's gone -- that's not very deep tarnish, but mirror surfaces are kind of delicate. I'd guess they'd be more or less intact.

There isn't anything to be done about the scratches, though, short of melting the coin and re-striking it.

 

DarkRage666, posted: "Without ruining the coin? I would assume not."

Have you ever heard what they say about assumptions? Have all those scratches ruined it already?

 

Ruining the coin more so than it already is

 

i do not understand why do so for the copy piece. is a replacement that much more expensive, than conservation by a tpg service?

i would not attempt a dip myself, but certainly not for a replica copy. i don't question that it may be worth doing so for you.

 

Coin dip to remove tarnish if you want it gone. Good chance that will clear up, but if you overdip it will lose mirror finish and still have the scratches. All suggested with the caveat I admit I could be completely wrong if @Insider posts differently. He is more expert than I.

 

There really isn't much special about this piece. Just wondered if an acetone dip would make a bit more appealing to the eye. I understand it really is just bullion.

 

I use eZest but have never used it on a (bullion) coin with mirror surfaces. Good news is it will still be worth it's weight in silver..

 

I realize the scratches aren't going nowhere just would like to remove the tarnish.

 

Acetone won't touch tarnish. You'd need something like a thiourea dip, or the old aluminum-foil-and-baking-soda-in-water trick.

 

I would try a quick dip and a complete and through rinse. Do not rub dry. If you overdip it will take away the luster.

 

charley, posted: "i do not understand why do so for the copy piece. is a replacement that much more expensive, than conservation by a tpg service?

i would not attempt a dip myself, but certainly not for a replica copy. i don't question that it may be worth doing so for you."

Actually, CLEANING silver bullion rounds and bars is a great way to learn conservation and experiment with different methods and chemicals. It is very hard to do anything that would affect their value!

 

Btw @Jeffjay we are not talking about acetone "dip" but dip that specifically removed toning/tarnish.

 

Suggestion for all of you to try. Many impaired silver Proofs can be found in junk silver. Put one in a dish of dip. See what takes place over time and how long it takes to hurt the mirror surface.

 

...scratches don't dip out.

 

I know this is a stupid question but what exactly is a "dip" is that some special mixture of acetone and such? Is there some widely accepted kind of dip or dips that people use for cleaning?

 

i understand now. thanks.

the minor scratches don't bother me at all.

in the spirit of offering an alternative that may be useful (probably not since i don't know much) then i would start with a common store branded jar of nail polish remover at the cvs/walgreens, etc. (don't use the dollar store stuff!). have a dish of distilled water next to the container of remover, and a 100% cotton cloth (no color). wear white coin handling gloves. start with 5 second dip, 5 second rinse, fold over pat dry. move to 10 seconds, then 20 seconds, etc. you would know quick enough.

if you are comfortable handling acetone, then buy a gallon from the local paint store, or if you really know your stuff, mek.

maybe practice on some pieces that have tarnish and are not of any concern for mirrored surface. i personally would not use ezest, but everyone is different.