Removing PVC from circulated Buffalo Nickels

DDR

I recently went through my childhood Buffalo Nickel collection and noticed that a number of them had PVC damage. They had been stored in albums that contained PVC in the 1970s and 1980s, but I removed them from those albums a number of years ago and put them in PVC-free holders. Still, the damage was done. And it appears that the damage continues to spread even though they are now stored in PVC-free holders. I'd like to stop the spread of the PVC damage and get the green off the coins, if possible. Most of it appears to be deep in the crevices of the Indian and the buffalo. So, how should I go about doing this? Should I:

1. Use some acetone and a Q-tip to try to carefully remove the green?

2. Just give the whole coin a quick acetone bath?

3. Something else?

I would of course start with the least expensive coins first to see how it went. Most of the coins in question are in the VF to AU range, none are too valuable, but a few might be slab-worthy. If I use acetone to remove the PVC damage, is there any chance they could get into a problem-free PCGS holder?

Thanks in advance for your advice.

RichieURich

IMO acetone is the best thing to use to remove PVC. But if the coins feel very greasy, a quick acetone bath won't get it done. You might have to soak the coins for a while, i.e., several hours. You might have to change out the acetone also if it gets too polluted with the removed PVC. Acetone should not damage the coins, but you are correct in trying it with the least expensive coins first. Also, use acetone in a covered container (not plastic as acetone will eat thru many plastics), and in an area with adequate ventilation (outdoors is best). Acetone is also flammable, so don't use it anywhere near heat or an open flame.

Hope this helps.

LindeDad

If it's been there as long as you say it's probably etched and destroyed the coin.

Type2

<< <i>IMO acetone is the best thing to use to remove PVC. But if the coins feel very greasy, a quick acetone bath won't get it done. You might have to soak the coins for a while, i.e., several hours. You might have to change out the acetone also if it gets too polluted with the removed PVC. Acetone should not damage the coins, but you are correct in trying it with the least expensive coins first. Also, use acetone in a covered container (not plastic as acetone will eat thru many plastics), and in an area with adequate ventilation (outdoors is best). Acetone is also flammable, so don't use it anywhere near heat or an open flame.

Hope this helps. >>

Yup let it sit and soak for a day or two and change your acetone so it's clean or it will not come out right. It's all good.

gyocomgd

Acetone is way overrated. PVC is a coin killer, and acetone has limited effectiveness. I've soaked PVC-afflicted buffalo nickels in it for a week, picked at the PVC with a denture pic, then soaked them a week more. It helped minimally. Maybe for very light PVC, but if it's embedded in the surface at all, you can whistle Taps for those coins.

As for acetone and open flame, I've never heard or read of a single numismatist becoming a fire casualty. It's right up there with razor blades in apples on Halloween as a false, ginned-up urban legend. If it were true, a million female smokers would have gone up in flames while doing their nails. Then again, we're in an age where we need to be told not to use lawn-mowers as hedge-trimmers.

luckybucks

Let us know what the results turn out to be.

Christos

You can use food grade plastic containers to give the acetone bath, I use the inexpensive rubbermaid containers from walmart that are pvc and pba etc free as they are food grade. They will not melt as I have keept acetone in a sealed container for over a year. Acetone will not hurt your coins but if the surface is etched you will see that when the pvc is removed. I hope the best of out comes for you and your coins.

WoodenJefferson

As with all chemicals, prudence and being cautious is always advised. Acetone is not a stripper but will dissolve most plastics including the residue of PVC. Do not inhale the fumes...that is of course if you don't want to get high.

Experiment on some low grade examples first just to see what happens. Do not use finger nail polish remover!

ricko

Acetone will help if the PVC is light.... if not, the surface is irreparably damaged... Guy had it right ...little can be done...acetone - high grade - is necessary and a long soak...weeks or more....good luck, Cheers, RickO

DDR

Thanks, everyone, I'll let you know how it goes.

Say that I successfully removed the PVC damage with an acetone soak. Would the coin be slabable? Or would it be considered "cleaned" by our hosts?

GrumpyEd

<< <i>Say that I successfully removed the PVC damage with an acetone soak. Would the coin be slabable? Or would it be considered "cleaned" by our hosts? >>



Acetone should not make them consider it cleaned.
It won't remove the "PVC damage", it will only remove the PVC to stop it from causing more future damage.
Any damage that is already etched into the coin will still be there and if it's bad then it will effect the grading.

mr1931S

Make no mistake,acetone is highly flammable in the presence of open flames or sparks. Forms explosive mixtures with hydrogen peroxide, acetic acid, nitric acid, nitric acid + sulfuric acid, chromic anydride, chromyl chloride, nitrosyl chloride, hexachloromelamine, nitrosyl perchlorate, nitryl perchlorate, permonosulfuric acid, thiodiglycol +hydrogen peroxide, potassium ter-butoxide, sulfur dichloride, 1-methyl-1,3-butadiene, bromoform, carbon,air , chloroform,thitriazylperchlorate.

acetone msds

DDR

UPDATE: So here's what I did:

I took two low-value Buffalos, one with a small amount of PVC damage, the second with a moderate amount of PVC damage. First, I tried the Q-tip with a little acetone on it: no change to either. Then, I gave them a quick acetone rinse all over: no change to either. Then, I let them soak for a day: no change to either. Finally, I let them soak for three weeks. The one with a small amount of PVC is completely cured, all the PVC is gone. The one with a moderate amount of PVC is 98 percent clean.

Now I will try it with the rest of my collection that had PVC damage. When it is all done I may submit some of the more valuable ones to PCGS to see if they will holder.

ricko

All will depend on surface damage and location once the PVC is removed....glad you had success so far, although acetone is not always successful....I suggest using a rose thorn if you are 'assisting' the verdigris removal..... another fluid to try (I have not tried this yet - but heard some good reports) is Verdicare.....use with caution. Cheers, RickO

LindeDad

Spent over a week in Acetone made the trip incurred the cost and came back this way.

TwoSides2aCoin

Acetone saved him, but he's still missing a leg.

tahoe98

...

DDR

I got very, very lucky... my 3-legger, the 21-S, 24-S and 26-S have no PVC damage.

Bodin

This was helpful for me today, so wanted to give it a BUMP

coindeuce

Since the OP is nearly a year old, this may not be of any value to the OP, but: Don't expect acetone to dissolve PVC that has crystallized on any coin. Once PVC has advanced to this state, the damage is usually done in the form of metal etching anyway. Remember, buffalo nickels are 75% copper, and despite their hardness compared to silver or higher content copper coins, PVC is still capable of etching the Buffalo nickel fairly rapidly. If you haven't tried extended immersion in diluted MS70 or even lightly acidic olive oil, it might prove to be productive in lifting the crusty PVC, but the possibility of etching beneath that crust still exists. Catch -22.

younique

What acetone is recommended & where to purchase??

SamByrd

/

DDR

A year later... I ended up soaking about two dozen PVC damaged circulated Buffaloes for 6-8 weeks. I would say that for about 2/3 most or all of the PVC is gone. But you can tell that the coins have lost that original, circulated look. For the other 1/3, it is hopeless, the acetone did not work on the PVC. I then submitted the best four to PCGS. Two came back in problem-free holders and two came back with details grades marked "cleaned."

davewesen

I like to soak for an hour an then roll a cotton swap over coin. The problem with doing this on more circulated coins, is it also takes off the dirt and grease. If you are aggressive with the cotton swab, the coin could be deemed as 'cleaned', as all of the dirt around the letters and devices gets removed.

Acetone -> cans of quarts or gallons near paint department of hardware stores.
caution as very flammable and fumes can make you sick.

younique

Ultrasonic any good? Reason being, I was given 25 Morgans & Peace dollars recently which have been in the family for about 40 years. They were in a coin album and a few were taped into the album with a small piece of Scotch tape I believe. Wondering if any cleaning method would remove the tape residue.

OnWithTheHunt

Acetone should remove tape residue

roadrunner

I had a proof 65 Lib nickel in a Hallmark holder that had formed a blob of green PVC on it. It was into the surface a bit. Hallmark was long gone by the time I noticed the spotting.



I tried several quick soaks in various concentrations of white ammonia to ensure it wouldn't change the coloration of the coin very much. None of them worked on the spot in those short periods. I soaked it in a 50% solution for 12-24 hours as I recall. I created some light agitation. The blob of bright green nearly the size of a "star" was gone. All that remained was a very faint silvery hue shadow that you probably wouldn't notice unless you know it was soaked. The coin was sent back in to another TPG and graded PF65. All was well. Start gradual with ammonia as besides removing dirt and grime, it will take off layers of toning, though rarely all of it. In this case, the toning wasn't affected at all.

ricko

Extended soaking in acetone will often remove PVC...it is the surface damage beneath that

becomes the problem. Roadrunner, I have heard dilute ammonia can work, but have not tried that solution - glad you were successful. Cheers, RickO

Shamika

The so called "quick rinse" never works. Any coin with PVC needs to be soaked in acetone for a considerable amount of time. Since acetone does not damage coins (regardless of the metal), let them soak for a week and then check them out.

lkeigwin

Originally posted by: DDR

A year later... I ended up soaking about two dozen PVC damaged circulated Buffaloes for 6-8 weeks. I would say that for about 2/3 most or all of the PVC is gone. But you can tell that the coins have lost that original, circulated look. For the other 1/3, it is hopeless, the acetone did not work on the PVC. I then submitted the best four to PCGS. Two came back in problem-free holders and two came back with details grades marked "cleaned."

The loss of that "original, circulated look" is due to acetone's removal of accumulated oils on the coin from handling and the environment. Often you will perceive a dried-out look. The acetone did not damage the coins and did not "clean" them in the negative sense.



I like to apply a little Blue Ribbon or Coincare after an acetone dip on circulated coins, and brush most of it off with a soft camel-hair brush.

Lance.