Dipping Advice

bosox

Okay, I got a decent rip on the Bay. I have a bronze coin that will grade MS-64 or so, RB maybe Red, and should be worth $600-700. The problem is that it has seven or eight spots on it. At first I thought it was carbon and I let out a sigh about what might have been. Upon magnified inspection I clearly see that it is not carbon but rather something has splattered on the coin. Now the questions:

1. Will dipping with acetate remove the splatter? If not what will?
2. Will the dipping degrade the luster and original redness of the coin?
3. Where the heck do I get acetate?
4. How do I do it? I have never dipped a coin in my life.

As I said I don't dip coins. It's just that this spatter is such a shame and I think it should come off.

MacCrimmon

It's acetone, not acetate.

I've never had any adverse affects 'rinsing' a copper (bronze) coin in acetone. It's a solvent, and if the 'splatters' are an organic grease, etc. it will at least remove the bulk substance, but a stain may remain (sounds like Johnny Cochran, eh).

I've treated coins with some pretty heavy 'greenies' from PVC , and pretty much removed the offending goo, but the effects of damage will only be stabilized.

If the stains seem stubborn you can graduate up to xylol (xylene) as it has proven to be a more aggressive solvent in removing laquers and/or mystery compounds.

Edited to add: VENTILATE, VENTILATE, VENTILATE.........these substances can be very unhealthy on your lungs.

bosox

Where do you buy acetone? Have you rinsed red copper before?

MacCrimmon

Acetone? Ace Hardware. Home Depot. Same for Xylol. You'll find the stuff in the paint thinner section.

And yes, I have rinsed "red" copper to be double sure no unknown films were lurking on the surfaces. Personally, I've never seen any ill effects.

bosox

Thanks, Mac.

bosox

BTW, after you rinse with the acetone, do you rinse the acetone off with water, or just let the acetone evaporate?

MacCrimmon

Just let it evaporate completely. Leave it out to air dry for 5-10 minutes although the evap. will take place in seconds. Gently flip it over another 5-10 minutes to let it breathe as it were.

Try rinsing it with water afterwards and you'll probably "kill" that copper.

Also, use either a glass container for the acetone or a shallow metal container. You could also just use a cotton puff dipped in the acetone to "GENTLY" blot the surfaces.....but I mean GENTLY......and BLOT, don't SWIPE.

danglen

Good idea to rinse well in distilled water, which you can buy by the gallon in any supermarket.

MacCrimmon

......and, after all this, you could just call NCS and discuss with them, especially if it has $600-700 potential. PM Shylock too to see what, if any, advice he may proffer.

MacCrimmon

I also use my camel hair brush to aid in drying a coin after the acetone rinse.....and NO, THE BRUSH DOESN'T HARM THE COINS SURFACE!!

tbirde56

I currently have a job in a lab where we regularly use acetone, alcohol, ether and distilled water and found it the perfect place to go the 'dipping' route. I was disappointed to find the acetone wasn't the miracle cure I'd hoped for but it did improve the few cloudy copper-nickel and silver coins I've tried it on so far. Xylol may be down the hall but I haven't done a search yet.

MacCrimmon

<< <i>Xylol may be down the hall but I haven't done a search yet. >>

Yes, I had a blob of something that the acetone just wasn't dissolving, but the xylol zapped it in about 3-4 seconds.
It's good you have a lab with an exhaust hood for this activity.

bosox

I placed the coin in acetone for about four hours today, then rinsed in distilled water. Cleared up the fields in a few spots where dirt had collected, but the spots remained. After that I placed it in Xylol for about two hours, then rinsed with same results. Neither hurt the coin as far as I could see.

For those of you with experience with this, should I:

1. Put it back in one or the other of the solvents for a longer period of time. Will days in the bath help it or hurt it?
2. Try NCS.

It's too nice a coin to give up on.

cacheman

I don't think soaking it for longer is going to help. NCS would be the best bet. You don't want to end up with a coin only good for use at the laundromat...

MacCrimmon

If those solvents don't work in the times you tried, further soaking won't have any effect. The stuff I've removed in the past dissolves in a minute or less.

Yes, NCS, is your best bet. Send it to them for an evaluation. They aren't as likely to 'conserve' copper, but who knows.....each coin is unique.

Good luck.