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Copper Rounds - What's up with these?

nibannynibanny Posts: 2,761 ✭
in Precious Metals
I bought some Copper Rounds few weeks ago. I thought they were nice "US souvenirs" for my friend and family.
They arrived with fingerprints and some toning, so I dipped them into acetone and eZest.
They came out pretty clean with their original light reddish color.
The other day, I took them out and found out that they have toned again! (I have to say that some are really nice)
It's been pretty hot and humid here in the last few weeks (though, I have a lot of silica in my cabinet) but I didn't expect such a mess.

Any way I can bring them back to their original color?

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The member formerly known as Ciccio / Posts: 1453 / Joined: Apr 2009

Comments

  • SpoolySpooly Posts: 2,108 ✭✭✭
    Copper and dip doesn't work. You have strawberries now. Let them dark tone to a nice chocolate color..
    Si vis pacem, para bellum

    In God We Trust.... all others pay in Gold and Silver!
  • 1jester1jester Posts: 8,637 ✭✭✭
    Ezest will permanently discolor copper and its alloys, including bronze and brass, and Nordic Gold and other such alloys.

    imageimageimage
    .....GOD
    image

    "Ask, and it shall be given you; seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be opened unto you." -Luke 11:9

    "Hear, O Israel: The LORD our God is one LORD: And thou shalt love the LORD thy God with all thine heart, and with all thy soul, and with all thy might." -Deut. 6:4-5

    "For the LORD is our judge, the LORD is our lawgiver, the LORD is our king; He will save us." -Isaiah 33:22
  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,116 ✭✭✭✭✭
    You know, there is a reason why copper is not considered a precious metal, besides being relatively common, and that is that it is unstable. It discolors easily.

    Using ezest only hastens the discoloration. Rinse them in a solution of baking soda and water to neutralize any residue from the ezest, rinse in hot tap water and pat dry. Then just let them recolor naturally.
    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,111 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>You know, there is a reason why copper is not considered a precious metal, besides being relatively common, and that is that it is unstable. It discolors easily.

    Using ezest only hastens the discoloration. Rinse them in a solution of baking soda and water to neutralize any residue from the ezest, rinse in hot tap water and pat dry. Then just let them recolor naturally. >>



    Agree with this excellent suggestion which also applies to dipped non-copper coins. If you want to hoard copper, pull pre-1982 copper cents from rolls or even from circulation since their copper value is already greater than their face value so you are already ahead of the game.

    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

  • nibannynibanny Posts: 2,761 ✭
    Thanks Capt, I will try.
    I knew that copper is though to clean, that's why I never used any chemicals with coins.
    But this time I wanted to give it a shot. Low cost experiment.

    Grazie, MM
    The member formerly known as Ciccio / Posts: 1453 / Joined: Apr 2009
  • gsa1fangsa1fan Posts: 5,566 ✭✭✭
    Does the ole Coke cola trick work any more?
    Avid collector of GSA's.
  • nibannynibanny Posts: 2,761 ✭


    << <i>Does the ole Coke cola trick work any more? >>



    Just dip them in Coke? Should I try? image
    The member formerly known as Ciccio / Posts: 1453 / Joined: Apr 2009
  • gsa1fangsa1fan Posts: 5,566 ✭✭✭
    No we use to soak old brown penny in a coke make it shine. Forget how long.
    Avid collector of GSA's.
  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,111 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>No we use to soak old brown penny in a coke make it shine. Forget how long. >>



    When I was kid we used to soak them in vinegar with salt to get the brown off and shine them up. It's certainly not recommended and only mentioned for entertainment value.

    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

  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,116 ✭✭✭✭✭


    << <i>Thanks Capt, I will try.
    I knew that copper is though to clean, that's why I never used any chemicals with coins.
    But this time I wanted to give it a shot. Low cost experiment.

    Grazie, MM >>



    Just as a suggestion, if you ever wish to attempt doing something to a coin,

    1. Ask other people first, and
    2. Only do one piece first, and see how it looks after a reasonable time. Try to use something that already has a problem, or is cheap, as your guinea pig.
    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • Coins101Coins101 Posts: 2,602 ✭✭✭
    "Just as a suggestion, if you ever wish to attempt doing something to a coin,

    1. Ask other people first, and
    2. Only do one piece first, and see how it looks after a reasonable time. Try to use something that already has a problem, or is cheap, as your guinea pig.

    Like a penny!
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