Slight smudges on proof coins....Accidental AT today

blacksmoke

What is the best way to remove slight smudges on proof coins without putting any hairline scratches on the fields? What have you used that has worked and what have you used that has turned into an epic fail?

19Lyds

The ONLY thing I would recommend is a dip which depends upon what the smudge is made up of.

Organics would be an acetone dip in CLEAN acetone. Dirty Acetone will transfer what ever contaminents that are in the acetone directly to the coin.

Toning smudges on the other hand need a E-Z-Est dip.

Now, it also depends upon the alloy of the proof. Silver and Copper proofs can never be touched without leaving hairlines. Copper-Nickel Clad proofs, on the other hand, can be scrubbed vigorously with a Q Tip without leaving a mark. However, you proceed at your own caution level.

I have, in the past, really scrubbed with a Q Tip on a 1970 Proof Quarter with absolutely now affect to the coin and that is what I am basing my statement above on.

blacksmoke

Great. Thank you. With the acetone, what is the next step when the coin is removed? Rinse with water and pat dry? Should I use deionized water? The coins in question are silver clad.

lostincoins

Rinse with distilled water 2 or 3 times and pat dry with a very soft microfiber cloth.

AUandAG

Rather than pat dry, hold securely and use a blow dryer. Works for me.

bob

blacksmoke

Ha ha. I know just where to find a blow dryer. Haven't touched one of those in years. More skin than hair up there these days and I don't see that ever changing.

michiganboy

MS70 is better then a dip for smudges. Carefully roll a q-tip over area till gone rinse in hot water, then acetone, then you can rinse again but most say its not needed. +1 on the hair dryer as well. way safer then a cloth of any kind.

ricko

Acetone would be my first attempt...another would be Dawn dishwashing liquid.... let it set without rubbing, for an hour or so...on the whole coin surface....in both cases, rinse first with hot, running water, pressurized from a spray attachment is best... then alcohol, then hot water again..... blow dry with hair dryer.. Cheers, RickO

blacksmoke

Since I can't find my acetone, I've got it soaking in dawn at the moment and will follow up with the rinses and a good blow drying. Thanks all. Will get some acetone to use if dawn doesn't work and that way I'll have it around for next time. I did find some of the hull cleaner for my boat when i was looking for the acetone. I'm going to try that on a 40% half today and see what happens. Could be interesting.

kimber45ACP

<< <i>The ONLY thing I would recommend is a dip which depends upon what the smudge is made up of.

Organics would be an acetone dip in CLEAN acetone. Dirty Acetone will transfer what ever contaminents that are in the acetone directly to the coin.

Toning smudges on the other hand need a E-Z-Est dip.

Now, it also depends upon the alloy of the proof. Silver and Copper proofs can never be touched without leaving hairlines. Copper-Nickel Clad proofs, on the other hand, can be scrubbed vigorously with a Q Tip without leaving a mark. However, you proceed at your own caution level.

I have, in the past, really scrubbed with a Q Tip on a 1970 Proof Quarter with absolutely now affect to the coin and that is what I am basing my statement above on. >>




Good to know. Thanks.

blacksmoke

So I used the Dawn and alcohol with the blow dryer and it worked good. BUT... I couldn't resist trying the hull cleaner for my boat like I mentioned on a cull coin which is an 82 Proof Kennedy that I found in a coin roll and had been circulated. I poured some in a bowl and carefully dropped the coin in. Nothing really happened and I thought while I was doing this, I may as well see how it would work on a Lincoln so I dropped in an 82 large date. I could see the Lincoln slowly changing color and after about 5 minutes, I began to flush the cleaner out of the bowl with the coins in it. Once I was confident the cleaner had been completely flushed out, I turned the water all the way to hot. I couldn't really see the coins with all the bubbles in the water and the steam from the hot water but I thought I was seeing a bright color appearing in the bowl but figured it was the sun reflecting off the half. Nope. I think whatever copper that was dissolved off of the Lincoln somehow attached itself to the Kennedy and when the hot water hit the coin, it reacted somehow and turned into a copper plated Kennedy. IDK I'm no scientist. Maybe this will be a new AT process.





And the smudge is gone.