Removing lacquer/shellac from coins

Spinynorman

Anyone have any experience with this? I have a coated large cent that has been in acetone for about a week, with no change. Does this mean that a shellac was used? If so, what is the best way to remove it? Thanks.

truthteller

Wow, acetone would have taken shellac or varnish off within seconds. You might have a non-petroleum based coating on the coin. Try some isopropal alchohol and see what happens

TRUTH

Dog97

Some of that old stuff is really tough, that's why you see some old furniture in high states of preservation. The next step up from acetone is Aircraft Stripper. It should have the lacquer bubbling up and peeling off in about 5 minutes. If you think everybody warns you about the dangers of acetone, Aircraft Stripper is really tough. Don't get any on you because it burns like liqiud fire! I've only used it on wood & aluminium however, I don't know how it affects copper. Might want to try it on a wheat cent before you ruin a Large Cent.

Spinynorman

Thanks truth and dog!

Aircraft stripper, hmm... I think there are some of those bars down around Boeing and I've heard they can take the chrome off of a trailer hitch...

I'll see what I can come up with and give it a test run on something non-collectible.

BigE

Aircraft stripper----------use only with things that fly---------like flying eagles--------------------------BigE

Keyrock

Shellac is soluble in denatured alcohol and it comes off right away. I don't know about acetone, however, I would think that that would take it off right away too.

I would be careful since some of the copper was of poor quality and there may be a cross reaction with some other residual contaminant.