What happened here???
Coinscratch
Posts: 8,712 ✭✭✭✭✭
About a year ago when I was still vigorously rummaging through $25 boxes of Cents. I came across a very lustrous purple and yellow/orange 1960 large date (my avatar). Then another and another and about 50 in the box. So I went back to the bank for more and there they were again. This lasted for four boxes by the fifth they were gone and the bank teller had enough of me already.
What is the purple substance? Is it something that happened at the mint or PMD? Should I try acetone or something else? The luster shines through the ones with all purple substance.
0
Comments
Looks organic stored in high moisture or humidity a warm summer in a dark moist box and yuk
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/quarters/washington-quarters-major-sets/washington-quarters-date-set-circulation-strikes-1932-present/publishedset/209923
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/quarters/washington-quarters-major-sets/washington-quarters-date-set-circulation-strikes-1932-present/album/209923
So the acetone couldn't hurt? I haven't tried acetone yet is it a quick soak or leave it in there for a while?
Agree looks like environmental impact. Heat and or moisture
I baked some Sac $ in the oven once to see what would happen and the upper side turned beautiful shades of blue and purple.
I actually like the one in your avatar. Copper coins have to be stored properly to keep this from happening.
I found a bunch of similar cents at the bottom of a Ammo can that was filled with greasy old wrenches and such. Ruined them but the silver walkers cleaned up nicely with acetone!
It was the best looking one for toning. I'm going back through all my first year saves and finding a lot not worth saving. Now that I have a better idea of what a 65 looks like. Looks good but its a far cry from 67.
Someone's lunch. That's why we use napkins.
Someone probably had some original rolls that were involved in a flood. Rather than dealing with them they just deposited them at the bank upon seeing their condition. That'd be my guess.
Collector, occasional seller
Got to have patience, a steady hand and a bit of OCD to lay them out like that.
Probably someone who gave up, seeing as there was virtually no market for them, and sent them on their way as rolled change. I periodically send 1959 - 1969 BU's into the wild. I picked up a boatload of rolls cheap years ago, and a few rolls were attacked by a littler of collie puppys, and rather than reroll, they are released to the wild.
@hemispherical. Yes, and the whole time I was placing them from darkest to lightest all I could think about was surely with almost 200 of them I couldn't possibly be labeled a troll. Or the worst kind of troll, yikes!
Unfortunately, you have a bunch of ruined coins. Nevertheless, you may be able to salvage a few like the "Target" 1960. I'm afraid acetone will not do much at all. Let's practice on the ruined ones ONLY.
There is a product called Coin Care. Start with the bottom coin since you cannot hurt it or lower its value, ROLL a Q-tip soaked in care on both sides. Let it sit for awhile. then rinse in very hot soapy water. NO RUBBING. Blow dry and put acetone on it. Show us the results.
While you are doing that, take the top coin and let it soak in MS-70. After a while, remove it and ROLL a Q-tip saturated with MS-70 over both sides. Rinse in very hot soapy water, then acetone. Post an image for us.
These are some of the basic things folks do.
Re that oils give a copper coin luster, soaps and acetone dull it. There is a middle ground to seek.
They were either stored in a damp environment or someone sneezed all over them. The associated boogers would account for the organic matter.
@Insider2... Thanks, i will do exactly that and post back. Patience as I will have to order the supplies. I did try acetone on one of the middle coins already and like you said it only dulled it.
Acetone removes organic matter.... does not affect the metal. Those cents do look contaminated.. though I cannot hazard a guess as to what it may be. You have enough of them to experiment... try different methods... take notes and let us know what happens. Cheers, RickO