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2016 Standing Liberty Quarter Dollar disaster. Can PCGS Restoration repair the damage
MtW124
Posts: 300 ✭✭✭✭
I don’t know if restoration is even possible. I bought this from the Mint when it came out and just put it away. I recently decided to open the packages and this is what I saw. It’s horrible! Someone inserting the coin in its encapsulation must have cut themselves and a droplet of blood dripped on the eagles right wing on the reverse. Can Restoration repair this or am I just stuck with a damaged coin now. Thanks
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Looks like an impurity in the gold to me.
A dip in acetone may remove that "blood" color. Acetone certainly won't hurt the coin. If that doesn't work, try eZest coin dip. Be sure to rinse your coin well. Let us know how it turns out.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
Thanks Manorcourtman and PerryHall for your input. I have some Acetone so I will try that first. I will let you know if I am successful.
I will trade you even up you cover shipping and I will take that "damaged" coin from you and give you one without copper spots.
I had a similar red spot on my gold 2014 JFK. It is copper oxidized and is not "spillage" as it is a part of the metal alloy with local increased copper.
The best way to remove and what I did was with ammonia: rinse coin with even tap water, tamp dry with high nap white cotton towel, immerse in ammonia for at least 5 to 10 minutes and check progress.
You will see some to most of the red gone. If not put it back in the ammonia (white or undyed) for another 5-10 minutes and repeat until the red is gone.
When done with this, then rinse with water, dish soap and water, rinse thoroughly, tamp dry.
If you search it, I believe I posted on this before...
Hit me with questions on PM if you like.
Well, just Love coins, period.
It's not blood. Some of these, and some gold Buffaloes as well, are known to have these red spots on them directly from the Mint.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
It is called a copper spot and it can be easily removed. I STRONGLY SUGGEST YOU PUT THE COIN BACK INTO ITS CAPSUL so you eliminate the chance of ruining it! If it bothers you that much, send it to PCGS for conservation.
What’s the black spot under Y in Liberty?
The red spot on the eagle’s wing can easily be restored/removed
Keep in mind that both T’s in the word States have hits on them, so it’s probably not worth sinking money into this 69 coin. Sell it and buy a nice 70 example if you like the coin.
Doubt if it is a copper spot - it is 24 kt gold, not .900 like pre-1933 gold
A very generous offer but why would you want the OP's coin with that ugly spot on the reverse?
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
I will go ahead and vote for copper spot as this has been checked by others already. This is how copper oxidizes and not gold; furthermore it responds to the treatments mentioned as copper would.
It is NOT an organic topical contaminant such as blood, chocolate, etc.
Well, just Love coins, period.
Where did the copper come from? There's no copper alloy in 24K pure gold.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
Thank you for all of your comments on this coin.
As you know there are trace amounts of copper and why it is that the buffs will also pop spots & the Chinese. I also posted a Singapore Singold of "pure" gold coin with the red spot that I restored....
Well, just Love coins, period.
A spot is one thing but the OP's coin shows discoloration over the whole edge of the eagle's right wing. I would dip it and see what happens. If that didn't work, I would try the ammonia treatment that you suggested earlier in this thread. If done carefully, it can't hurt this coin.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
MtW124 - what part of the country are you (and the coin) from?
Wondercoin
There are impurities in "pure" gold.
PS There are two basic kinds of copper spots. One is a copper colored spot. The other is a copper colored spot surrounding a tiny black speck. I suspect the hard black speck is caused by debris in the press. Elongated impurities that can also have copper colored reaction rings happened in the rolling mill.
Upper Midwest
Sorry to be so scrupulous but I enjoy looking it details. It's still a beautiful coin!
Disclaimer: I'm not a dealer, trader, grader, investor or professional numismatist. I'm just a hobbyist. (To protect me but mostly you! 🤣 )
It is truly a Beautiful coin OAKSTAR.
I looked at the coin images in CoinFacts and found that two of the three coins pictured have the red spots ( one is significantly spotted). They are all listed as MS70’s. I did not expect that.
LOL. Subjective is the word.....However, this is usually easily remedied. If you were in DC metro area I could help you.
Well, just Love coins, period.
7Jaguars, Subjective yes. I personally would pass on a 70 in a slab if it had any issue. I might give your method a try since I would never slab it the way it looks now. I have another one with spots as well that are not as distracting so I might submit it to the host under the restoration designation just to see if the try to eliminate the spots.
Sorry to say this but if this is a 'disaster' you really need to step back and try to enjoy life a little more.
"“Those who sacrifice liberty for security/safety deserve neither.“(Benjamin Franklin)
"I only golf on days that end in 'Y'" (DE59)
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A similar process using coin "dip" cleaner instead of ammonia can also work. You don't want to put copper or silver coins in coin dip for any extended period. But 999 gold is unaffected by a relatively long exposure to it.
PS:
Some of the earlier gold pieces I minted prior to about 2015 have developed red "copper" spots years after striking, even though they are 999 pure. But I have not observed that problem since I started bead-blasting and wire-brushing all gold blanks prior to striking them.
Looks like a Wounded Eagle rare variety type.
dcarr Thank you for that information. It is very helpful. I am going to try that first.
I may have omitted in my earlier post that of course I had tried dip and although getting some improvement did rather pale (like the pun?) in comparison to the ammonia. Although both methods interact with the copper oxidation, the dip - in simpler lay terms - will "outoxidize" the copper which still produces an oxidized form of the metal, even though it is likely solubilized and removed from the surface.
BUT, the ammonia creates a reduction reaction and essentially restores the copper to "native" or unoxidized state.
Trying to keep this simple but you will see if you look it up. Again, PM me with questions.
Well, just Love coins, period.
Thanks for this information. The last time I used straight ammonia was in the early 80’s making blueprints. Brings back memories of accidentally getting a good whiff. I’ll try it as I have a few with the same issue.