An Acetone question?

joeykoins

I recently found an older Jefferson while roll searching and found an interesting one. I decided to dip it. I've dipped many before but this never happened. After I left coin dipped for awhile (maybe 1 hour) took a q-tip to it, then washed afterwards in warm soapy water. Can someone explain to me what I maybe done wrong? Thanks guy's! Good thing it wasn't a significant coin. Before I dipped it, it didn't have the pinkish appearance. Here is the outcome;

bsshog40

I never dip a coin in acetone for more than a minute or so at a time.

Sonorandesertrat

The nickel composition is an alloy, actually mostly copper. Copper is known to react with acetone, given a light source and some time, to produce acetic acid. I assume you used a commercial (out of a metal can; i.e., full of impurities--who knows what) grade of acetone, which is not something I would do. Take a few drops of your acetone and put them on a clear piece of glass, and let them dry. Is there any residue? If so, don't use that acetone on coins.

Also, don't make a habit of using Q-tips on coins (if you must use them, gently roll the Q-tips over a surface, don't swab)--you can generate faint hairlines. And use distilled water for any rinse step.

joeykoins

@bsshog40 said:
I never dip a coin in acetone for more than a minute or so at a time.

Oh! Thanks for this info.

joeykoins

@Sonorandesertrat said:

And use distilled water for any rinse step.

Really? Don't use tap water?

TurtleCat

Honestly, I’ve used tap water and haven’t had a problem. Of course everyone has different tap water and minerals/contaminants. So mileage will vary. Distilled is the safest, though.

bsshog40

Agree, I've always rinsed with luke warm water. Acetone dries soo quickly that it probably doesn't mater, but distilled water is the safest. I usually don't worry about it unless I'm using ez-zest. I use acetone to clean my damascus knife blades and have never rinsed them off. Never hurt them.

Sonorandesertrat

@joeykoins said:

@Sonorandesertrat said:

And use distilled water for any rinse step.

Really? Don't use tap water?

Really (I am a chemist by training). Tap water can be quite hard (i.e., lots of dissolved salts)---it certainly is at my house.

BStrauss3

I have a Morgan dollar that was pad printed with a colorful overlay. It's been in Acetone for three months... is that too long? Most of the junk is still adhering to the surface.

Insider2

@BStrauss3 said:
I have a Morgan dollar that was pad printed with a colorful overlay. It's been in Acetone for three months... is that too long? Most of the junk is still adhering to the surface.

Can you imagine how a conservation service could stay in business if they needed to spend a month, a week, even a day on one coin? Try paint remover or Turpentine. You can try Goo Gone first then use acetone to remove it. No rubbing!

BStrauss3

The front lifted off after a couple of weeks and the coin was sanded from 2:00 to 8:00 and 4:00 to 10:00 ... But I knew it was a cull when I started. If I carry it as a pocket piece for 15 years and wear it down to a G4 it might grade.

Right now it's a battle of wills, me vs. the pad printing and the pad printing has kicked my butt to the kerb. If I think back, it's probably been more like FIVE months. i.e. pre-COVID-19...

Insider2

If you give up, send it to me.

Reminds me of something I've always wanted to do...

Guy sends in a corroded Indian cent (common date, Unc details) and requests conservation. I go out and buy a $30 brown Indian cent of the same date and send it to the customer. He is thrilled and calls me "The Man." He asks how I did it and the chemicals I used. I tell him it is proprietary info.

PerryHall

@BStrauss3 said:
The front lifted off after a couple of weeks and the coin was sanded from 2:00 to 8:00 and 4:00 to 10:00 ... But I knew it was a cull when I started. If I carry it as a pocket piece for 15 years and wear it down to a G4 it might grade.

Right now it's a battle of wills, me vs. the pad printing and the pad printing has kicked my butt to the kerb. If I think back, it's probably been more like FIVE months. i.e. pre-COVID-19...

Since it's already been sanded, there's no real harm trying rubbing it with a paste of baking soda and a little water. It can't hurt the value any.

ricko

I have soaked many a coin in acetone and have not had a nickel - or other coin - turn pink like that... Not sure if there was some contaminant on the surface, or a reaction with your Q-tip (prior use?)... Get the pure acetone and try again...or use Ezest.....or Coinsolve.... That coin will be good to experiment on... Let us know what happens... Cheers, RickO

shorecoll

I would guess a contaminant in the acetone. If you soak a coin in acetone for a month and something doesn't come off, that just means whatever it is isn't going to come off with acetone.

BStrauss3

@PerryHall good idea except is means the decal/pad printed enamel, whatever it is wins. :-(
@shorecoll oh, I know that... the top side started to flake off after a day or so. I just don't want to admit I lost

Aotearoa

Reading this thread reminded me that I had a 1923 Peace Dollar soaking in acetone out in the garage. It had been there at least two months. Completely forgotten... Anyway, I fished it out, rinsed it off and... absolutely no improvement! Oh well...

Hclio79

Was the acetone fresh or had other coins been soaking in it before or with this one? Yucky stuff from other coins may have gotten on this coin while it was soaking in the contaminated acetone.

I’ve also had issues using soapy water after acetone. You shouldn’t need to rinse acetone off as it evaporates very quickly. Swish the coin as you’re removing it from the acetone and then let it air dry. If the acetone is 100% pure and hasn’t been used before, there shouldn’t be any contaminants and the coin should dry without any spots.

joeykoins

yes, it was a fresh amount but I have to admit, the can of acetone is old! Maybe, 3 years? Could this be my whole problem?

Inditonka

Had a really worn out 1921 Peace that had green haze all over it (PVC). Soaked it in acetone for a couple of days which took it all off, then sent it in and came back with a straight grade of PO01.

ldhair

Was the coin pink before you washed it with soap?

derryb

@BStrauss3 said:
I have a Morgan dollar that was pad printed with a colorful overlay. It's been in Acetone for three months... is that too long? Most of the junk is still adhering to the surface.

give it another 12 months. By then all of the metal will be removed from the overlay.

derryb

@ldhair said:
Was the coin pink before you washed it with soap?

acetone tends to turn copper pink. You should see a cent after the bath.

joeykoins

@ldhair said:
Was the coin pink before you washed it with soap?

No, it wasn't. It actually looked a whole lot better! LoL.

50cCOMMEMGUY

@Sonorandesertrat said:
I assume you used a commercial (out of a metal can; i.e., full of impurities--who knows what) grade of acetone, which is not something I would do.

Out of curiosity where might one procure a more purified acetone? TBH I’ve always used the can stuff without issues.

And that was good advice on the q-tips. I often see folks mention using them but without the further information of not being aggressive with them. It should be a no brainer, but........

Azurescens

@joeykoins said:

@Sonorandesertrat said:

And use distilled water for any rinse step.

Really? Don't use tap water?

I'm not a coin master or whichever, but I work with solutions and chemicals for a living, and you absolutely wanna use distilled water if you're working with acetone. Or honestly don't bother. I know in practice it's probably fine for many in many applications, but why worry about mitigating any risk when you can remove it completely. Besides, it's good to have around, is good for home science experiments or medical, and is 29 cents a gallon.

davewesen

do it again and skip the warm soapy water

Namvet69

I dip in pure acetone using a small clear glass jar. I inspect the acetone and notice it only takes a few dipped coins to see debris and cloudiness present in the formerly clear acetone. It works but it gets dirty quick. Peace Roy

Oldhoopster

@derryb said:

@ldhair said:
Was the coin pink before you washed it with soap?

acetone tends to turn copper pink. You should see a cent after the bath.

Acetone is safe to use on copper. There was one paper published that found if copper and acetone are exposed to light and moisture, AND the acetone is allowed to evaporate, blue copper acetate crystals can form on the copper. Based on that study, as long as you don't soak your copper coins for multiple hous, don't let the acetone evaporate, and then rinse the coin well when finshed, there shouldn't be a problem

I'm haven't found any other papers on the subject (chemistry guys, post a link if you know of any).

https://www.stonybrook.edu/vescalab/research/research7.html

PerryHall

I've read that if you clean a coin with acetone, it's not necessary to rinse it with water. Just rinse it in fresh acetone and let it evaporate. Anyone do this?

joeykoins

Could this be the culprit? Pretty old.

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PerryHall

@Kirk222 said:
Is it wise to use Acetone on spelter?

Are any coins made of spelter?

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joeykoins

LoL. Spelter???

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PerryHall

@Kirk222 said:

@joeykoins said:
LoL. Spelter???

Yes spelter. You know zinc.

There's also a small percentage of lead. If in doubt, you can always test a small spot with a drop of acetone to see what happens.

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