Milk Spots- Are They Such a Big Deal?

Hey guys, first thread in a while. I was just wondering what you all thought about milk spot removal. Obviously they are distracting, but they can be removed easily and harmlessly if you know what you're doing. I use a microfiber cloth (which doesn't scratch surfaces) and gently rub the haze off of coins. I tested it first on a non accent hair Kennedy proof with severe milk spots, and the spots were dramatically reduced. I looked at the rubbed portions under a x20 loupe and saw no hairlines. So, any thoughts?

 

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I hate milk spots. My understanding is that any type of cleaning is bad for coins. but someone with more knowledge about this will have to confirm/deny.

 

You will leave lines.

 

Check the coin in a day or two and see if some hairlines pop. I'm sure you won't be disappointed..........

 

A microfiber cloth is engineered just so that the cloth fibers will not scratch the surface it makes contact with. I too thought that it would scratch the coin, but even under 20x magnification, I see none.

 

If it does, I won't be disappointed, it was a cheap '64 Kennedy proof.

 

"the NBA proposed the use of a microfiber ball for the 2006–07 season. The ball, which is manufactured by Spalding, does not require a "break-in" period of use as leather balls do, and has the ability to absorb water and oils, meaning that sweat from players touching the ball is better absorbed, making the ball less slippery. Over the course of the season, the league received many complaints from players who found that the ball bounced differently from leather balls, and that it left cuts on their hands.

On January 1, 2007, the league scrapped the use of all microfiber balls and returned to leather basketballs."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microfiber

The balls are still available and used in amateur sports. I guess millionaire's hands are more important.

 

What exactly ARE milk spots? A chemical deposit on the surface? If so, what is the chemical? Is it merely a discoloration? Are they tiny abrasions on a proof surface?

One of the few terms I've never read anything about.

 

You may not see the hairlines under a 20X loupe but they will show under a stereo microscope.

 

They also may show up in photographs. It depends on the angle of your lighting.

 

Let's say for arguements sake that microfibre cloth doesn't scratch the coins surface . But I'm sure the cloth will pick up any # of contaminants or debris that when pushed with the cloth sure will . Better not to wipe a coin with anything . Though I don't see anything wrong with experimenting with any '64 MS or proof coin as it's a great way to learn the effect of different agents on coins .

 

If you need a microscope to see the scratches, they are not "there" as the tpg graders would consider it. According to PCGS, and I quote directly, "(the PCGS grading standard for MS-70 requires “flawless surfaces under 5x magnification”). By the tpg standards, if I wiped a 70 proof and it didn't cause any scratches visible under 5x magnification, it would still be a 70.

 

You don't need to see individual scratches to prove that the coin is ruined. You just have to see that the luster has been disturbed. That's a simple matter of turning the coin under directional light, and requires no magnification at all.

 

I use a 30X loupe as my field magnifier so I don't miss anything like overdates/ect and it makes the "hairlines" really stand out. A plus is you can almost read Buffaloes'dates quite a few times.

 

The milk spots on ASEs and other bullion coins like Maple Leaves do not wipe off with a micro fiber cloth. But if you've found one that does, I think PCGS has a standing offer of 10 or 15 grand for a solution to the milk spotting. You should tell them you've figured it out but don't tell them what it is until you hash out the payment details. Get with your accountant first, cash may be best so you don't get bumped into a higher tax bracket.

 

If this forever remains a conservation issue affecting the saleability of coins with such spots, should one ever discover a remedy to the perceived problem spots, then rather than taking a cash payout like that from a company that would soon capitalize on the procedure of removing the spots themselves, one would be better to keep the solution a secret, build a case of examples of successfully removing spots and helping collectors and dealers realize a return on the value of coins once hurt in value by these spots, and establish a service that requires anyone (individuals, dealers, mints, marketers, TPGs...) who wish to remove the spots, to submit their coins to your service for a fee similar to grading tiers for the coins based on values and risks associated with cleaning and handling others' valuable objects. Such a service is worth FAR more than a nominal $25,000.

 

Thanks - surprisingly, I had never heard the term until I joined CT.

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Would someone please post an image of a really atrocious and despicable example of milk spots (preferably not a cellphone photo)?