How to perform different dips.

holeinone1972

OK I have a few coins with minor and some major PVC damage.

How does one go about cleaning them?

I hear use Acetone, is that different from nail polish remover?

How long do you dip them?

Also are there good links to other cleaning methods like dips to remove ugly toning?

Thanks Rob

carl

Best advise is to usually leave well enough alone. However, if cleaning is a necessity, try to purchase a good grade of Acetone. NO, nail polish remover is not the same thing. Nail polish remover is basically Laquer Thinner. If you must, try Walmart for Acetone. I'm not sure where you could actually acquire a very high grade of Acetone. The stuff available at Walmart will work but will leave a slight residue. This could be also removed with a slight bath of distilled water and blow dry with a hair dryer.
I've had a lot of fun attempting different types of cleaning and toning methods using everything I could think of. Many items worked remarkably well especially if you do not plan on selling your coins. Lemon juice or Lime juice for short periods of time worked OK. Battery acid also works but leaves a harsh residue that is difficult to remove. I recently posted a situation where I put a penny in boiling water and slowly added such things as Basil, lemon juice, Vinegar, different extracts, Thyme, table salt, pepper, onion powder, etc. For cleaning these methods eventually worked but to create a toning effect I found that gun bluing compounds worked the best.
Back to your question though, try the Acetone. Leave in for short periods of time and slowly leave in longer until some results are noticed.
My main concern is what makes you think the damage is PVC? What type of coins are you referring to? Are they Silver, Nickel or Copper coins? What did you mean by major damage?

joeyuk

I just purchased some E&T Kointainer Koinsolve neutral coin solvent

LINK

To remove the PVC from this. This will be a first attempt at this for me.

holeinone1972

OK make sure you update us with the after picture.

Rob

DHeath

Joeyuk, why do you believe you're seeing PVC instead of verdigris? Just curious. The acetone won't hurt either way.

Quick explaination.

Steve27

"How does one go about cleaning them?"

Don't "clean" them, conserve them.

"I hear use Acetone, is that different from nail polish remover?"

Nail polish remover may contain chemicals other than acetone. Go to Home Depot, they have nearly pure acetone (a few bucks for a quart can).

"How long do you dip them?"

I use an old shot glass, but any glass container will do (just don't use a plastic container), and I let them soak for few minutes (for non-proofs a Q-tip can be used to help the process).

"Also are there good links to other cleaning methods like dips to remove ugly toning?"

No good links, but searches on this site may yield some good info.

orie

From experience, while dipping be very careful not to get your finger on the coin. The coin is very susceptible to fingerprinting during this process.

holeinone1972

Thanks for all of the great info.

keep it coming if you can. Also before and after pics good and bad would be great.

Rob

joeyuk

<< <i>Joeyuk, why do you believe you're seeing PVC instead of verdigris? Just curious. The acetone won't hurt either way. >>



I am really not sure what it is. verdigris as well as pvc had been suggested in another thread
so I felt something like this would be safe to try. I should receive the solvent today so comparison
pics could be up by tonight.

eyoung429

Here is a quick acetone dip. Have no clue as to what was on the Morgan but it was sticky and blah. 45 seconds in acetone, 10sec in a second glass container and then rinsed with distilled water and then layed on a towel, folded the towel over and dried in this manner.

***REMEMBER TO WORK IN A WELL VENTILATED AREA AND NO SMOKING DURING THE PROCESS*****

before:







after:

BigE

How to perform different dips? Put some hip-hop on and spin around on your butt, be sure to stretch the hammies before doing any splits-------------BigE

Boom

<< <i>Put some hip-hop on and spin around on your butt, be sure to stretch the hammies before doing any splits >>

Heywood

<< <i>Here is a quick acetone dip. Have no clue as to what was on the Morgan but it was sticky and blah >>



I had some morgans that had a sticky brown goo on them.
They were from my wife's grandmother's pigskin purse (that also had a vinyl like inner purse).

I got simillar results form multiple acetone baths.

DHeath

The old-timers that did the cyanide dips really had to be careful.

topstuf

Copper likes olive oil. And it won't hurt it. I would try a good long soak for that green stuff.
a few weeks.

holeinone1972

Here is a coin I would like to rid of flaws.

joeyuk

Well the 1921 cent went for a bath and I think it did o.k. I can even see some light toning in the right light.

dizzyfoxx

<< <i>I just purchased some E&T Kointainer Koinsolve neutral coin solvent

LINK

To remove the PVC from this. This will be a first attempt at this for me.



>>



Now I have always been an advocate AGAINST dipping, BUT, for PVC damage like this...