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When and Why should you give an acetone bath to a coin?

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  • BlindedByEgoBlindedByEgo Posts: 10,754 ✭✭✭✭✭
    FWIW, Koinsolv is not acetone. It is chiefly n-Propyl bromide. And it works great on PVC residue.



    << <i>BEFORE

    imageimage


    AFTER - Koinsolv brand acetone bath:

    imageimage >>

  • PTVETTERPTVETTER Posts: 6,018 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I though that acetone was not reactive with coin medals, however I am leaning towards the fact that copper may in fact have some reaction. Everytime I send a copper coin into PCGS for grading I have been giving is a soak in acetone. I have had a very hard time getting unc copper in thier holder after doing this. Seems to do something to the color or at least PCGS thinks so. More so on lincolns than Indian head cents.
    Pat Vetter,Mercury Dime registry set,1938 Proof set registry,Pat & BJ Coins:724-325-7211


  • deviousdevious Posts: 1,690


    << <i>Every new, raw coin I buy gets a soak in acetone. I have no idea how the coin was stored or handled before me. For all I know, the coin was sneezed on by the previous owner. >>



    Oh geeze! Why haven't I been doing this? Fantastic idea. So how long do you bathe your new acquisitions? I want to copy cat you. image


  • << <i>go to a local CVS. they have a very good acetone. Its 100% acetone and sold as a nail polish remover. The one in the red container. >>



    lol No CVS in my town either, but I will look around and see what I come up with.

    So can you or should you NOT put copper in acetone?
  • TennesseeDaveTennesseeDave Posts: 4,809 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I have had great success using acetone on all my silver coins before submitting them for grading. I buy my acetone at Wal-mart in the paint supply section and have never had any problems.
    Trade $'s
  • deviousdevious Posts: 1,690
    Good morning, Forum!

    Can I use acetone on a Jefferson without damaging it? I've had great success with using it on my silver coins. Never tried it with any other composition and I haven't located a thread on acetone and nickels. image

    Thanks!

    Edited to add: Geeze, I took the words right out of TDave's post above. And thank you PerryHall. That's all I needed. image

  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,814 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Good morning, Forum!

    Can I use acetone on a Jefferson without damaging it? I've had great success with using it on my silver coins. Never tried it with any other composition and I haven't located a thread on acetone and nickels. image

    Thanks! >>



    Acetone should be safe for a nickel.

    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

  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    The alcohol rinse afterwards removes any residues that the acetone diluted and can be redeposited...Cheers, RickO
  • deviousdevious Posts: 1,690
    Hey Ricko,

    I have been doing that because of something you said in a thread regarding alcohol and distilled water. I tend to place the coin in the acetone. After the soak, I take it out, holding the coin by the rim and wearing some gloves, pour alcohol over the coin. Isopropyl, right? I use 91%. And then I finalize the rinse with distilled water. Does that sound right?

    Thanks!

    Aaron
  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,814 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>The alcohol rinse afterwards removes any residues that the acetone diluted and can be redeposited...Cheers, RickO >>



    Why not just rinse with acetone a couple of times?

    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

  • SpoolySpooly Posts: 2,108 ✭✭✭
    PVC Damage image

    image
    Si vis pacem, para bellum

    In God We Trust.... all others pay in Gold and Silver!
  • BigEBigE Posts: 6,949 ✭✭✭
    Putting acetone on a coin will forever change the way a coin looks, you have to decide if it is for better or worse. It changes the color of copper, not nickel and silver so much.-----BigE
    I'm glad I am a Tree
  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,814 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Putting acetone on a coin will forever change the way a coin looks, you have to decide if it is for better or worse. It changes the color of copper, not nickel and silver so much.-----BigE >>



    If the coin has a green oily film from long term storage in a PVC flip, you don't really have much choice if you want to save the coin from further degradation.

    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

  • BigEBigE Posts: 6,949 ✭✭✭


    << <i>

    << <i>Putting acetone on a coin will forever change the way a coin looks, you have to decide if it is for better or worse. It changes the color of copper, not nickel and silver so much.-----BigE >>



    If the coin has a green oily film from long term storage in a PVC flip, you don't really have much choice if you want to save the coin from further degradation. >>



    My point exactly Perry--the appearance is changed forever--may be for better or worseimage-------BigE
    I'm glad I am a Tree
  • Whether you remove crud from a coin with water, or with acetone, neither reacts with the metal. No change takes place with the actual coin. Conservationists use it, possible even the mint.

    If it bothers you, disclose it. But my thought is this: If PCGS had a problem with it, they would not slab coins having an acetone bath.

    The air can cause more changes in the appearance of a coin than acetone. It depends a lot on the purity of the metal itself.

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