Getting rid of the green damage on copper coins

Sounds to me like you need to use some CLR.

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

I am going to stay away form it. I am not from US and never used it, but it seems it contains some chemicals that might be extra "unhealthy" for coins even in my case.

Will use my own mixture/process, i think its a bit safer.

 

I would never use CLR on a coin that I thought had any numismatic value. He plainly stated he wanted the stuff off and didn't care about "numismatic value after cleaning" and that he wanted them to look "new and shiny". That's what CLR would do. I knew I was in for a lecture when I posted that and completely understand that something like CLR can and will literally change the chemical composition of a coin by eating away some of the metal. Like I said before, I won't even use the stuff on my greasy rusty tools without diluting it.
*EDIT- I probably should have stated this from the beginning, I only use it on halves if I can't see the year due to corrosion. And even then, it is simply to see if it is worth keeping as junk silver.

 

It is some harsh stuff and it'll make your coins look new and shiny. But, you can destroy a coin (or just about anything else) completely too if you aren't very careful with it.

 

A lot of people think that the green stuff just magically comes off and the coin under it isn't harmed. Green is BAD... it's active corrosion and it's bad news for your coins. If a coin is green odds are that whatever you do to it... it's never going to look like it did before the corrosion set in. Thad's product does a good job in stopping the corrosion and removing light and sometimes even moderate verdigris but most of the time the damage is already done under the verdigris and their isn't a cure for it. There is a point at which the coin is "south of cheese" and it can't be brought back.

 

Exactly!

There's no point to removing heavy verdigris as any experienced collector knows. All you're left with is a brighty, nasty, pitted coin that you might as well spend. This is why VC is only designed to remove light to moderate verdigris. Anything else is pointless.

 

Hey guys what about brasso?

 

Bad news as well...

 

Wiki:

.

Different in foreign markets. The acid removes corrosion, and the silica powder is an abrasive which will leave tiny scratches. In recent years in US, it has been packaged in a plastic bottle without the traditional wadding used to polish with.

 

Brasso is very, very bad for coins.....probably one of the worst with silica powder included as an abrasive.

Interesting formula Jim, the in-situ formation of ammonium oxalate with some reserve alkalinity from the excess ammonia.

 

I thought I would try to embed a link to my 1st time results using Verdi-Care.
I hope this link thing works.


http://cid-786c6e222da07385.office.live.com/self.aspx/Verdi-Care Tests/final test.pdf

 

Why does that link take me to my Windows Live sign in page? Does that happen for anyone else?

 

I am still trying to figure out the sharing and permissions on the Windows Live Skydrive folders. I used to see an option to either require a person to sign-in or not when a folder or file has been shared out to them. But I am no longer seeing that option. So I guess Microsoft wants everyone to have to sign into their own Windows Live account when they are accessing publicly shared files in someone else's Skydrive folder. I don't know, maybe I am not seeing some options because I am using FireFox and not Internet Explorer.

 

Can you just post the results here? I'd like to see how you did and hear your opinions. Thanks

 

before treatment

[FONT=&quot]Verdi-Care Test # 001[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]Started with (2) coins[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot](1) 1988-D Lincoln Cent[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot](1) 1926-P Lincoln Wheat Cent[/FONT]​

 

distlled water soak & rinse

[FONT=&quot]Soaked both coins in distilled water for 5 mins each side & then rinsed with distilled water using a Waterpick on super gentle cycle.[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]Leaned coins on edge and allowed to air dry for 2 mins each side.
[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot](forgot to take picture of 1926 reverse in this step)[/FONT]​

 

acetone time

[FONT=&quot]Put on powder free nitrile examination gloves.[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]Soaked both coins (together) in technician grade acetone in gently covered glass container for 2 mins each side.[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]Removed coins from 1st acetone soak.[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]Soaked both coins together in technician grade acetone in 2nd gently covered glass container for 2 mins each side.[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]Removed coins and leaned coins on edge and allowed to air dry for 2 mins each side.[/FONT]​

 

verdi-care time

[FONT=&quot]Poured a Nickel sized potion of Verdi-Care on a micro-fibre cloth and placed 1 coin in the center and rotated clockwise for about 20 turns and then counter clockwise for about 20 turns.[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]Added a little more Verdi-Care to the same spot on the cloth and repeated the turning steps on the reverse of the coin and then patted both sides of coin and leaned on edge to dry.[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]Performed the preceeding steps on the 2nd coin. [/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]Let air dry over night.[/FONT]​

[FONT=&quot]END RESULT PHOTOS[/FONT]​

 

Thanks

Honestly, those were not the best test subjects. Try to find some coins with verdigris and surface residue. The 88D is completely zinc rotted and the 1926 had previous corrosion that was removed (pitted surfaces). Keep on practicing!