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How easy is it to remove lacquer from a gold coin?

LongacreLongacre Posts: 16,717 ✭✭✭
in U.S. Coin Forum
Does anyone know? Also, is there a way to remove lacquer without stripping the original surfaces of the coin? For example, say you have a nice "dirty gold" coin with original surfaces but it was lacqured in the past, can you get the lacquer off without the coin coming out all bright and shiny?
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Comments

  • BarndogBarndog Posts: 20,509 ✭✭✭✭✭
    have you tried a propane torch held a distance away?
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  • dorkkarldorkkarl Posts: 12,691 ✭✭✭
    very

    K S
  • ziggy29ziggy29 Posts: 18,668 ✭✭✭
    An acetone bath should do it.
  • 1jester1jester Posts: 8,637 ✭✭✭
    I bet acetone would take it off pretty easily, without damaging the surfaces.

    Just be sure to keep the acetone a safe distance from the propane torch.

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  • BarryBarry Posts: 10,100 ✭✭✭
    If you're not careful, you might have blue toned gold coin image
  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,606 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I've never heard of or have seen a gold coin that has been lacquered. Removing the lacquer will also remove the dirt so it won't be original but it should be slabable.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
    "Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
    "Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire

  • constructconstruct Posts: 932
    I have seen a lacquered gold coin. I know because the lacquerer told me it was lacquered. I don't know what acetone would do with the toning that is on the coin. However, the lacquer itself might have turned dark. In that case the coin would look brighter without the lacquer even if the coin wasn't stripped of whatever original toning was there in the first place.

    If toning is caused by chemical reactions with the copper in the alloy on the coin's surface, I guess it would be subject to similar basic principles as silver coins which are also 10% copper.
    The strangest things seem suddenly routine.
  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,606 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Why would anyone bother to lacquer a gold coin? I can understand lacquering a red copper coin to prevent oxygen from contacting the surface and changing the coin to brown, but why lacquer gold? Makes no sense to me.

    Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
    "Paper money eventually returns to its intrinsic value---zero."----Voltaire
    "Everything you say should be true, but not everything true should be said."----Voltaire

  • Derek2100Derek2100 Posts: 248
    just give it a good dip - a quick in and out no more than 3 or 4 seconds
  • morgannut2morgannut2 Posts: 4,293 ✭
    There's different lacquers--Before 1960's they used nitrocellulous lacquer intstead of acrylic.
    The easiest way to remover old lacquer is to buy old-style lacquer thinner from an antique
    automotive restoration paint supplier (See Hemmings Motornews). Repeat washing will get it off-image
    morgannut2

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