"it spent its whole life in soft plastic"
Azurescens
Posts: 2,783 ✭✭✭✭✭
I was hoping someone could help me understand the effects soft plastic has on coins. Specifically, pre-33 US gold and 90% US silver.
I see a lot of these ms60-62 pre 33 gold coins that are otherwise fine but they're almost filmy. Completely kills the luster. Is that from old plastic flips and 2x2's? Some can be rescued with an acetone dip?
Does anyone have any examples of gold, silver and copper that "spent their lives in soft plastic", please?
When do I know plastic has effectively killed a coin? I would imagine some plastics can permanently damage surfaces.
Understanding the haze and the types of deadly plastic is my next step. I'm getting a PCGS membership and wanna be sure I'm sending in the right stuff for the right reasons, and buying the right coins.
Thank you for your time, consideration and contributions.
Comments
Coins stored in soft plastic usually causes PVC and it doesn't take long. I think it can be dipped off, but will let someone else get into that.
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/728456/can-someone-post-a-photo-of-a-silver-coin-that-has-pvc-on-it-please
Acetone can remove PVC but sometimes the PVC has eaten into the surface of the coin and will leave a scar underneath. Avoid vinyl, even low vinyl flips. Stick with Mylar flips.
Gold coins may acquire a scuzzy haze, but it will generally not harm the coin. Gold is virtually non-reactive chemically. Silver, along with copper, is the exact opposite and will put up with PVC for a while.... but eventually the filmy gunk starts to damage the coin. Some coins are horrible, and some just have a dull glaze that can easily be removed with an acetone dip.
Many times these coins got holdered before it started to show, and dealing with it is conceptually simple but logistically complicated.
Look at a 1956-64 proof set???
PVC will certainly damage silver or copper coins - avoid the vinyl completely. Gold is non reactive, so will not be damaged. Acetone will remove 'most' PVC...However, as stated above, the surface of silver or copper 'may' be damaged. Cheers, RickO
As PVC ages, it chemically decomposes (accelerated by heat). One of the decomposition products is hydrochloric acid. This acid is what causes pitting (it can dissolve coinage metals, with the notable exception of gold). There are also phthalate additives that act as plasticizers--these can leach out and decompose to produce phthalic acid, a weaker acid.
RMR: 'Wer, wenn ich schriee, hörte mich denn aus der Engel Ordnungen?'
CJ: 'No one!' [Ain't no angels in the coin biz]
Years ago, I reviewed a complete unc set of buffalo nickels completely ruined by the old harco album. It was a pure shame, coins could not be saved, most ended up net graded
Yep. I remember when the Harcos first came out. Of course, I moved ALL the coins to them.
For about a month.
Learned quickly.