Will acetone remove a fingerprint from a Buffalo Nickel?

DDR

Recently purchased a nice raw Buff in AU/BU condition, a nice slider. I like it other than a fingerprint on the obverse. Would a quick rinse in acetone get rid of the fingerprint? Any risk to the coin? Or should I try something else?

Aethelred

No serious risk to the coin if you are careful, but if the fingerprint has been there a while it will not remove it.

MilkmanDan

In my experience it will remove recent oils from fingers but if there's been any reaction with the metal over time you are probably out of luck.

AUandAG

If you use acetone, ventilate and good luck. Old prints will stay.

I can't imaging what would remove an old print without adversely affecting the coin.



bob

Moldnut

Fingerprints and Buffalos brings back forum memories.

roadrunner

Clear white ammonia from the grocery store might work. Start weak and work up. I've soaked gem proof Lib nickels overnight in a 50-50 solution without any problem.



If it can successfully take off adhered PVC chunks, maybe fingerprints too. Ammonia will remove some dirt and grime. The coin typically gets a little bit lighter.

3keepSECRETif2rDEAD

Originally posted by: roadrunner
Clear white ammonia from the grocery store might work. Start weak and work up. I've soaked gem proof Lib nickels overnight in a 50-50 solution without any problem.

If it can successfully take off adhered PVC chunks, maybe fingerprints too. Ammonia will remove some dirt and grime. The coin typically gets a little bit lighter.

Learn something new every day

drfish

Have you sent any ammonia treated coins in to TPGs ? If so did they straight grade?

ricko

Acetone will remove a fresh print.... so will Dove dish soap (a soak and good rinse). Ammonia can also work (as RR stated) but does tend to make the coin lighter - likely removing old surface residues. The issue is, how old is the print? If it has been there for any reasonable period of time.. or really old, the surface of the coin is likely etched... and that will remain. Sometimes the print is preferable. Cheers, RickO

CommemKing

It may remove a very recent print but if it's old the damage is done.

roadrunner

Originally posted by: drfish

Have you sent any ammonia treated coins in to TPGs ? If so did they straight grade?

Yes. Every one of them straight-graded. One dealer I know almost makes it a habit to use acetone/ammonia on most every silver and gold coin that he submits....the concentration varies. A weak ammonia dip can often help remove PVC haze and give the luster more brilliance without removing much of the toning. I remember when he told me about a clean and slightly subdued MS64 $20 Lib that come out with blazing luster after being ammonia dipped. It graded MS66 the next time in.



A couple times I was surprised at how much gunk and color the ammonia removed. A very choice but dusky looking MS63 seated quarter I cracked out of a PCGS ogh lost a lot of its color....re-graded as MS62 as a ton of hairlines showed up from under that toning. Sometimes you lose when original color or even AT comes off, revealing more marks and hairlines. On a Hallmark PF65 Lib nickel that developed a big green blob while sitting in the holder for 12 years....I cracked it out and soaked it in ammonia overnight. 95% of all traces of the spot were gone, just a faint silvery shadow the size of a peripheral star remained. The original toning of the coin was essentially unchanged. I started with a 10% ammonia solution before working up to 50-100% to work on the spot. The coin re-graded NGC PF65. You really couldn't tell there had been any PVC on that coin before.

OnWithTheHunt

Originally posted by: roadrunner

Originally posted by: drfish
Have you sent any ammonia treated coins in to TPGs ? If so did they straight grade?

Yes. Every one of them straight-graded. A couple times I was surprised at how much gunk and color the ammonia removed. A very choice but dusky looking MS63 seated quarter I cracked out of a PCGS ogh lost a lot of its color....re-graded as MS62. Sometimes you lose when original color or even AT comes off, revealing more marks and hairlines. On a Hallmark PF65 Lib nickel that developed a big green blob while sitting in the holder for 12 years....I cracked it out and soaked it in ammonia overnight. 95% of all traces of the spot were gone, just a faint silvery shadow remained. The original toning of the coin was essentially unchanged. I started with a 10% ammonia solution before working up to 50-100% to work on the spot. The coin then graded NGC PF65.

I sent in an ammonia Buff several weeks ago. Hoping for similar result. Will post when I find out.

TwoSides2aCoin

How To Fix Coins

roadrunner

Originally posted by: TwoSides2aCoin

How To Fix Coins

We don't live in a vacuum without chemicals and other contaminants in our air and on ourselves. As long as that's the case, unfavorable reactions can occur with our coins. If you don't try and fix a "growing" problem, you end up with a ruined coin.

LanceNewmanOCC

Originally posted by: TwoSides2aCoin

How To Fix Coins

perhaps you should link this thread to the buyer that left u feedback about his improving of the coin bought from you.

.

Shamika

Originally posted by: CommemKing
It may remove a very recent print but if it's old the damage is done.

This.

And for the record, I HATE fingerprints.

DDR

Well I dipped it... The acetone did not remove the fingerprint, but it is less prominent on the coin. If you rotate the coin and get the lighting just right you can see it, but it is not as noticeable as before. In the end, a modest improvement.

JeffMTampa

You can try using MS 70. It's a fairly mild solution that removes gunk and a little toning. It seems to work fairly well on Nickels.

Shamika

Originally posted by: DDR
Well I dipped it... The acetone did not remove the fingerprint, but it is less prominent on the coin. If you rotate the coin and get the lighting just right you can see it, but it is not as noticeable as before. In the end, a modest improvement.

No need to dip it. Acetone is not acidic so you can soak the coin for a lengthy time. Try it again and it might look even better.