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Tape residue Noooooooooo!

Hello all it’s my first post! I recently bought a framed history of US coins display from the 70’s ! It’s fricken awesome displays everything from barber dime to Eisenhower dollar! Usually the Coins in those things are mediocre at best and some of these were as well! But the Morgan,peace,walking liberty,Franklin,Kennedy and a few more are all uncirculated and the most amazing rainbow toned I’ve ever seen but they all to varying degrees have 50+ year old hardened tape residue on their reverse, that’s how they were secured in the display! My question is is the pcgs restoration service the way to go? I’ve been a member for just about a year now and I’ve never submitted any coins because I’ve never had any like these before! I’m positive there worth grading the tape just sucks! The 64 jfk is clean though and amazing so if nothing else! Thanks for any advice!

Comments

  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 45,296 ✭✭✭✭✭

    An acetone soak is your best bet. When you are done, rinse it with fresh acetone which will quickly evaporate. Do it in a well-ventilated area.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.

  • TomBTomB Posts: 20,697 ✭✭✭✭✭

    They may or may not have great toning and be MS, but my experience with these sets is that nearly every silver coin was polished prior to being secured in the frame. Over time these polished coins often take on great secondary toning, but the will always be polished. Your coins may be just fine, but without images I would be concerned.

    Thomas Bush Numismatics & Numismatic Photography

    In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson

    image
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @tonedtothebone... Welcome aboard. Acetone soaks will remove the tape residue, and far cheaper than the restoration service. We will need good pictures to help you further, but it is unlikely that the Morgan, peace, walking liberty, Franklin, Kennedy coins are uncirculated. Cheers, RickO

  • AlanSkiAlanSki Posts: 1,777 ✭✭✭✭✭

    We need photos. 90% of the time those 1970’s type sets are polished and re-tone in the old frames.

  • Soak in acetone and lightly caress the surfaces with an acetone soaked q-tip.

  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 45,296 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @bignubnumismatics1 said:
    Soak in acetone and lightly caress the surfaces with an acetone soaked q-tip.

    Use a Q-tip with a wooden stick and not the ones with a plastic stick which will dissolve if exposed to acetone.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.

  • kazkaz Posts: 9,052 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Welcome to the forum! I agree with the acetone soak. If you haven't used acetone before, be very careful of the fumes and its highly inflammable nature.

  • OnastoneOnastone Posts: 3,765 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Acetone soak. What kind of acetone, is fingernail polish remover ok to use or is this something to get at a hardware store or print shop?? I've never tried removing adhesive or crud from coins and want to give this a try. Also, how long do you soak? Ten minutes, half an hour, one hour?? Then I see to rinse once more with more acetone so it evaporates cleanly...is it not a good idea to rinse with water?

  • MasonGMasonG Posts: 6,268 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Don't use fingernail polish remover, it has stuff in it that's not acetone. Go to the hardware store and get a can. Don't freak out over warnings about its danger- if you can handle a gas can for your lawnmower, you'll be okay. Just be careful and don't do anything with the acetone you wouldn't do with the gas- it's not like there are reports in the news all the time about women killing themselves when they paint their nails.

  • OldhoopsterOldhoopster Posts: 2,930 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Be aware that Acetone will damage many countertop and tabletop finishes as well as plastic pipes. Treat it as you would gasoline

    Member of the ANA since 1982
  • kazkaz Posts: 9,052 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @Onastone said:
    Acetone soak. What kind of acetone, is fingernail polish remover ok to use or is this something to get at a hardware store or print shop?? I've never tried removing adhesive or crud from coins and want to give this a try. Also, how long do you soak? Ten minutes, half an hour, one hour?? Then I see to rinse once more with more acetone so it evaporates cleanly...is it not a good idea to rinse with water?

    acetone from the hardware store is fine. I put the coin in a small glass bowl, pour on the acetone, and then cover with a small glass dish. Give it a swirl every now and then. can soak for a couple of hours or overnight. For a lot of residue may have to change the acetone a few times. I just toss the used acetone out the back door (after removing the coin, LOL). The fumes are explosive and the stuff will degrease your skin very quickly so I touch it as little as possible.

  • Omg why am I just coming here?? Thanks alot everyone for the help super appreciated! I’m adding a couple pics as requested. The peace dollar has heavy residue on the eagles back and a couple little spots to the left,it’s the worst affected. The pics of the 56 quarter and 64 Kennedy are more directed to the polishing comments and hoped to get an opinion on if they seemed polished. Some of the coins


    are definitely polished and I guess ignorantly I thought they just hit select ones to pretty up the display! Hope the pics are ok I swear I just suck at it! Oh 1 last question I’ve used acetone a bunch but I thought it removed toning is that wrong? Thank You again for the help !

  • AlanSkiAlanSki Posts: 1,777 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Acetone will not remove toning, it can though make it not as appealing once whatever on top of it is removed.

  • AlanSkiAlanSki Posts: 1,777 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The half is polished. Leads me to believe the quarter is as well. Look on the reverse. See the slight haziness on the devices? That is from the polishing as it’s hard to get really close to them.

  • davewesendavewesen Posts: 5,759 ✭✭✭✭✭

    The only toning I have seen acetone remove was PVC contamination causing the color

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