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Should I rinse this new V75 ASE in 100% Acetone?
SenateSaloon
Posts: 114 ✭✭✭
Hi folks, I received my new 20XF 2020 V75 Silver Eagle. Spectacular coin. Mirror surfaces and deep cameo is amazing. But . . .
There is a pretty serious smudge of what may be organic material or oils on the reverse. Unfortunately it’s on the coin and not on the plastic. See photos. I plan to keep this coin for my collection, and not have it slabbed. I’m not interested in using anything other than 100% acetone to see if it will remove the smudge. Anyone have experience doing this who could share perspective tips or warnings? Will acetone ruin the mirror finish? My thought is that if the material is organic, better to try and remove it now rather than wait for it to damage the metal. Thanks for the input. 
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Tough call. Might have scratches under it. If you rolled it on carefully, you might be able to get it off.
rolled? no rolling
acetone will not hurt the mirror. soak well. swirl some.
I think you can return it for a new one. Call the US Mint and ask them if it can be replaced. That would be best.
Otherwise, if the fingerprint is not that old, it can be removed with acetone. Acetone will not damage silver proof in any way shape or form, but your handling of the coin is where the risk comes in.
Here is the summary procedure to give you an idea:
Wear nitrile gloves (not rubber) and a mask so you do not breath on the coin, rinse gloved hands to get rid of impurities with distilled water, once dry, open capsule, grab coin by brim, dip in acetone while swishing around (the longer the better, acetone cannot harm silver), careful not to drop coin (especially if the container is glass), lastly, use a chemistry squirt bottle to rinse with acetone once again. Acetone evaporates very quickly, so using a towel is not necessary as it can scratch the coin or deposit impurities on it (you do not know how clean the towel is). Only put the coin in the capsule once its dry, any sooner and you risk getting acetone on the capsule (it will eat away acrylic plastic). Like I said, acetone does evaporate within seconds and using a blow dryer can accelerate it too to be sure. However, make sure the blow dryer's filter is clean as you do not want to blow impurities on the coin.
Even when the procedure is followed perfectly, there may be microscopic damage left on the coin from the fingerprints. The acetone rinse will prevent any future damage, but it cannot correct any scars the coin suffered.
After describing all this, you can see why I would rather just return the coin to the US Mint. It should not be a problem at all.
BST: Tennessebanker, Downtown1974, LarkinCollector, nendee
Thanks for the detailed response. Very helpful. I hadn’t thought of simply asking the Mint for a replacement. Given the coin is no longer available I wonder if they would have one in stock?
I don't think the mint will replace it because the website shows the coin as Currently Unavailable.
Collector
91 Positive BST transactions buying and selling with 56 members and counting!
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Another option is to send to PCGS for restoration, of course the cost will be up.
It does not matter if the coin is no longer available, the US Mint expects some coins to be returned, so they destroy those and have new ones to take their place. That is how they maintain their mintage numbers. So, they would have replacements in stock, but those would never be sold, just used for replacements. Once the return period ends for this particular coin, they melt down the left overs.
I once asked them by phone what they do with the returned coins and if they are repacked and sold again? They told me they do not sell customer returns, but just melt them down again.
BST: Tennessebanker, Downtown1974, LarkinCollector, nendee
Tough call if you are considering returning to the US Mint for 'replacement'. My guess is you will be given a refund instead of another coin... and then you will not have an example. But that's just my opinion and I'm no expert. If you're feeling lucky give it a shot.
But... that really sucks regarding the coin you received. I'd probably use a swirl in acetone and hope for the best. At least you got one, even though defective.
dip it, post the results.
No Way Out: Stimulus and Money Printing Are the Only Path Left
do not blow dry.
it will air dry very quickly
Soak in acetone, agitate the acetone (100% acetone), do not rub the coin at all. If just organic material, it should disappear...if finger print/oil...it may have etched the mirror surface, and you will be left with that part. Good luck, let us know what you do and the results. Cheers, RickO
i haven't used acetone to get rid of that what i call mint grease but i have used ezest diluted.
i'd go acetone to see if it will remove. if not, ezest diluted 50/50 with water which will pull it off 99% then rise and back into acetone for final step, no water rinse after acetone.
please feel free to comment.
I would be extremely cautious returning it to the mint. Personally, I wouldn’t risk getting a refund instead of a replacement.
Yes, acetone. Available at any hardware store.
Thanks for all the input (and keep it coming). I now have 100% acetone and nitrile gloves in hand. Before dipping the ASE I plan to give the Mint a call tomorrow to see if they can guarantee replacement (certainly don’t want a refund). I will report back here on the Mint’s response and whether I try the acetone route. Thanks again.
Agree you should call before taking any action. I believe also that they can/will exchange. Shame that after all you had to put up with to get that coin, you get one that looks like that... Good luck! Joe
dip it, post the results.> @MsMorrisine said:
I always follow up with a distilled water rinse that I do blow dry. Odds are there are impurities in the acetone.
No Way Out: Stimulus and Money Printing Are the Only Path Left
I would return it as you will never be happy with it.
If you mess with it - you own it.
“In matters of style, swim with the current; in matters of principle, stand like a rock." - Thomas Jefferson
My digital cameo album 1950-64 Cameos - take a look!
Regardless of condition it remains a low mintage ASE. There are not many low mintage ASEs.
No Way Out: Stimulus and Money Printing Are the Only Path Left
Update: I spoke with the Mint about exchanges. They were very nice. But reported that due to local Covid requirements every return had to be quarantined for 4-6 weeks before it could be processed. Thereafter, if coins were still available, they would make an exchange. With that in mind, she said they couldn’t guarantee an exchange and suggested I might want to keep it. Sooo, I’m still thinking but will likely attempt the acetone route. I will report back to this thread.
A return has to be quarantined for 4-6 weeks? What?? How strange. That would make me hesitate to return it
That said acetone may help as others have mentioned, just be very careful with the coin.
Based on Mint history w limited mintage fast sell out coins i don't think you'll ever get it replaced.
Good luck!!
Please let us know what u do and how it turns out.
She also said they only have about 20 workers in the warehouse instead of the usual 100. And that labor shortages (due to distancing requirements) made wait times much longer than usual.
Interesting that the mint quarantines returns for 4-6 weeks. And my parents thought I was crazy for quarantining the ASE box and COA for 2 weeks while I wiped the capsule of the coin because I can't wait 2 weeks before I can examine and enjoy the coin.
Collector
91 Positive BST transactions buying and selling with 56 members and counting!
instagram.com/klnumismatics
4-6 weeks is far beyond what is necessary to quarantine. Just ridiculous.
My guess is the quarantine is not 4-6 weeks. I think I misinterpreted what she said. Instead, the quarantine in combination with low staff numbers in the warehouse likely meant it could take 4-6 weeks before they logged my return and looked for an exchange.
ah.
for me:
return received by them on 10/23
"Your return has been processed" -- today
How did this one turn out? Did you bathe her or kick her out?
DON'T RETURN IT FOR A REPLACEMENT.
The Mint doesn't do that with an item that is "unavailable". they handle it as two separate transactions.
At least the Mint was honest that they could not guarantee a replacement. The acetone route is the only safe option left.
Let us know how it went.
BST: Tennessebanker, Downtown1974, LarkinCollector, nendee