Acetone is non-polar and affects organic stuff pretty well. MS70, like other dips (ezest, jewelluster, tarnex, etc) are acids that strip away microns of surface metal to reveal the metal beneath (which is how it "brightens" metal). It also destroys the flow lines that the die created during striking which is why dipping interferes with a coin's natural luster (although careful and diluted dipping makes imperceptible luster changes) and eventually creates an unappealing washed out look.
If your trying to improve nickle(copper nickel) or copper your pretty much out of luck. MS-70 will remove dirt, and some light toning, but nothing else. It is a very strong detergent but will not effect the surface metal. Blue ribbon will remove surface contaminates from copper, but will not lighten the color. Your red color is probably from the coin being in the ground and that has changed the surface of the coin. Nothing will improve the look of a coin that has been damaged that way. MS-70 should only be used on unc or high end Au coins because it will remove the dirt and some of the natural color of a circulated coin.This makes the normal scratches and lines from circulation stand out and gives an unnatural appearance. Don't use MS-70 on aluminum.
gold can be easily dipped, it is a very resistant metal. heck, you can practically dip your gold in battery acid w/out problems (seriously!). however, i'm not sure it's worth it, since there's not much "brightening" effect.
KelectorKid, sounds like you didn't get the MS70 completely neutralizied. It WILL turn a coin red if not throughly neutralized. Always rinse with plenty of COLD tap water after using it and then rinse with distilled water. I always go over the coin with acetone after it has been neutralizied and rinsed with water and dried off. WARNING acetone and alcohol are both VERY FLAMMABLE , BE CAREFUL!!!
I once made an acid just throwing a bunch of chemicals together. It melted right through the plastic cup. Three weeks later part of our house burned down, the part I live in, and my brother tried blaming it on me!
For some life lasts a short while, but the memories it holds last forever. -Laura Swenson
In memory of BL, SM, and KG. 16 and forever young, rest in peace.
I have a bronze coin from the 1100's and it has some PVC crud that won't wash away from an acetone dip. I even tried scrapping it with the Q-tip but it is stuck like glue.
Recommended reading - The PCGS Guide to Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection and The Coin Collector's Survival Manual and NCI Grading Guide For the Morgan collectors - The Morgan and Peace encyclopedia by Van Allen and Mallis
What would your slabbed coins be worth if the grading services went out of business? What would your coins be worth if the Internet was taken offline for good?
It's probably not PVC (plasticizer) residue then gemseeker. More likely plain ole copper corrosion, like you see on a copper roof after the first rain.
crito - I didn't think about that. Bronze is an alloy of copper. The coin was in a flip and not airtight.
Recommended reading - The PCGS Guide to Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection and The Coin Collector's Survival Manual and NCI Grading Guide For the Morgan collectors - The Morgan and Peace encyclopedia by Van Allen and Mallis
What would your slabbed coins be worth if the grading services went out of business? What would your coins be worth if the Internet was taken offline for good?
Here's a Greek coin with the same composition as a US nickel. It had the worst case of PVC contamination I've ever seen. Soaking in acetone removed the plasticizer, which had been on there for decades and ate away most of the details. There were a couple green spots that remained in front of mouth and under chin which is actually copper corrosion. Usually the PVC contamination looks bright green as opposed to the darker green of copper corrosion, but some plasticizer has a blue-green hue too.
Thanks for the picture example. My coin has a bluish-green tint on the corrosion. It started to grow over the past several months when it was left in the flip. The coin didn't have any noticable corrosion when I first got it. It was left in a china cabinet and over several months, the greenish stuff came over the obverse side. Although it is old coin, I spent only a couple of dollars on it, so it is not big loss.
Recommended reading - The PCGS Guide to Coin Grading and Counterfeit Detection and The Coin Collector's Survival Manual and NCI Grading Guide For the Morgan collectors - The Morgan and Peace encyclopedia by Van Allen and Mallis
What would your slabbed coins be worth if the grading services went out of business? What would your coins be worth if the Internet was taken offline for good?
You could try an acid dip, since it's such a recent development (I use EZ-est.) Just usually not a good idea for corrosion. Can leave the surfaces badly pitted/porous. Plus it'll affect the color of copper (can make coin pink.) Always best to try acetone first IMHO.
do NOT use a cloth to dry your coins, even by dabbing. it can leave lint on the coin which results in carbon spots. instead, invest in canned air, and literally "blow-dry" the coin after dipping or rinsing. that way, nothing ever actually touches the surface, which is extremely reactive & delicate after dipping.
this technique may save you plenty of heartache and possibly a few bucks from a damaged coin!
BTW, i DO NOT advocate dipping at all, but knowing it will happen, please consider my suggestion
KlectorKid
Posts: 3,723
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where can you get acetone? What can it be used on copper?, silver?, clad....
You can use it on anything clad or silver not sure about copper.
It dosen't eat the surface just loosens some surface contaminates. It's not very powerful so it wont remove tough spots.
K S
Neil
Your red color is probably from the coin being in the ground and that has changed the surface of the coin. Nothing will improve the look of a coin that has been damaged that way.
MS-70 should only be used on unc or high end Au coins because it will remove the dirt and some of the natural color of a circulated coin.This makes the normal scratches and lines from circulation stand out and gives an unnatural appearance.
Don't use MS-70 on aluminum.
K S
Dave
Personally, I prefer to use my belt sander to get the rough spots out....just kidding.
For some life lasts a short while, but the memories it holds last forever.
-Laura Swenson
In memory of BL, SM, and KG. 16 and forever young, rest in peace.
For the Morgan collectors - The Morgan and Peace encyclopedia by Van Allen and Mallis
What would your slabbed coins be worth if the grading services went out of business? What would your coins be worth if the Internet was taken offline for good?
For the Morgan collectors - The Morgan and Peace encyclopedia by Van Allen and Mallis
What would your slabbed coins be worth if the grading services went out of business? What would your coins be worth if the Internet was taken offline for good?
For the Morgan collectors - The Morgan and Peace encyclopedia by Van Allen and Mallis
What would your slabbed coins be worth if the grading services went out of business? What would your coins be worth if the Internet was taken offline for good?
do NOT use a cloth to dry your coins, even by dabbing. it can leave lint on the coin which results in carbon spots. instead, invest in canned air, and literally "blow-dry" the coin after dipping or rinsing. that way, nothing ever actually touches the surface, which is extremely reactive & delicate after dipping.
this technique may save you plenty of heartache and possibly a few bucks from a damaged coin!
BTW, i DO NOT advocate dipping at all, but knowing it will happen, please consider my suggestion
K S