Discuss the Oregon - can it be helped?
Monstavet
Posts: 1,235 ✭✭
It won't hurt my feelings if someone calls this coin ugly. That is what this post is about! I bought this one last year from a forum member, knowing full well what I was purchasing. Finally got some decent pics of it. So, what do you think about this coin? In hand, it has this THICK full skin on it. Originality is good, but this one is taking on a life of its own. There is quite a lot more color than my images are showing, but there is sort of this 'milk paste' element to the obverse. Definitely a fingerprint lurking in there. Through the skin I see few noticeable hits or marks, so I am thinking at least MS65. I have been considering submitting it for grading, but should this one take a bath first? If so, what would you use? (I'm not a big dipper, I think I have some high grade acetone and alcohol around, though). Did something get on this coin or is this just EXTREME originality...or originality gone bad? Best to leave it as is? Thanks for any input! And it won't hurt my feelings if someone calls it fugly. It's okay in hand, just not a show stopper.
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If there's organic material on it then acetone would help. But it doesn't look so to me.
If you like the look and the way it has developed leave it alone. Submit as is. I know some folks would give it a quick, diluted dip and settle for a bright white coin to keep or sell.
This is a favored commem and there are some spectacular ones out there. I would move on.
Lance.
<< <i>And it won't hurt my feelings if someone calls it fugly. >>
Okay...since that's the word that came to mind..."That coin is fugly."
No idea if a dip would help/hurt. I think Acetone would be a good place to start from what I've read.
<< <i>
<< <i>And it won't hurt my feelings if someone calls it fugly. >>
Okay...since that's the word that came to mind..."That coin is fugly."
No idea if a dip would help/hurt. I think Acetone would be a good place to start from what I've read. >>
Less is always more when taking off detritus and gunk and grit and grease. This is not from reading. Done it a thousand times or more.
You might even start it with a swish or two in some alcohol before you use acetone.
I give away money. I collect money.
I don’t love money . I do love the Lord God.
<< <i>Place the coin at the bottom of a hi-ball glass tumbler, add 2 fingers of single malt scotch and a bit of shaved ice. Repeat as necessary until the coin looks better. >>
<< <i>Place the coin at the bottom of a hi-ball glass tumbler, add 2 fingers of single malt scotch and a bit of shaved ice. Repeat as necessary until the coin looks better. >>
Roger
Steve
Admittedly, my pics show the coin at its worst. In hand its fugliness is much more subdued. The reverse is fairly nice. Well, at least in comparison to the obverse!!
Whisky advice aside, I'm still looking for specific advice on alcohol, acetone, or other bubbly brews. If nobody wants to make specific recommendations publicly, please send me a PM. The coin is bought and paid for and I'm not emotinally invested in it. You might say you wouldn't buy this one in the first place, but if you owned it, what would you do with it?
Maybe if I submit it as is, it will come back as MSugly! A new special designation!
In my opinion some mild dipping and the use of acetone would help the looks of the coin.
Ken
I feel it's most likely not a bad as your pics portray it to be and I've seen a lot of fugly toned 37-D's even in MS67-68 holders.
<< <i>No matter what you do with the obverse you are going to have splotchy tone that might not be very attractive. The reverse just might come out looking real good. Of course you could dip the hell out of it and have a very lackluster looking coin that would make the original look real good.
In my opinion some mild dipping and the use of acetone would help the looks of the coin.
Ken >>
Five minutes in rubbing alcohol first. Hold it under and swirl it around in a cereal bowl. This will take off the first layer of gunk. It will not eat into the surfaces of the coin at all. Rinsing? More fresh alcohol and let it sit or wave it about for air-drying. Coin brightening up in some area? Good. Some potential.
As others have noted, some ED may now be more noticeable.
Never mind. You have still not changed any molecules on the surface of the coin except a few that may have bonded or somehow eaten into the metal. And you have only affected those mechanically bonded. Now try acetone using the same technique. Multiple rinses may be in order. The use of a Q-Tip (non-plastic material between the cotton buds) very gently across affected surfaces while still in the acetone may be useful. You may be pleasantly or unhappily surprised by what's under there, but you will be seeing the coin stripped of foreign matter without the lustre having been chemically altered in any way. Rinsing? More fresh acetone.
Acetone will not activate the Sniffer. Totally benign and acceptable by everyone who's ever seen green or other gunk.
Dipping? Another story entirely and not worth considering until acetone protocol has been completed. If this is a 33-D dipping is less indicated, the surfaces are more pebbly than 34-D. Same phenomenon occurs but is not so dramatic for D-Mints from year sets. 39-D gets slightly better results than 38-D.
BTW you can greatly aid this process by using an ultrasonic cleaner ($75-$100 everywhere on the Web) as an adjunct to both alcohol and acetone processes. Do NOT put your fingers in the solution while the ultrasonic is on. Some supply house sell non-degradeable plastic tongs to lift the coin out of the solution. Can't find tongs: turn off the machine. It can be turned on again.
If you want a dip you can now make a better decision. The potential ED problem is still there. And may worsen after a dip when the ED surfaces turn gray. revealing the corrosion inherent in ED coins that may hidden underneath the gunk.
Sudsy ammonia? The colors sometimes are quite off and the coin will often not dip very well afterwads.
Doctor in haste, repent at leisure.
I've heard commercials about this on the radio - something about sitting in a bathtub - but never knew it was related to coins....
<< <i>The potential ED problem is still there.
I've heard commercials about this on the radio - something about sitting in a bathtub - but never knew it was related to coins.... >>
Most coin collectors have never dated... most of them will think ED is a man's name; they'll never get your joke!