Do you guys clean more than 1 coin at a time with acetone?

TheGoonies1985 · October 29, 2023 7:02PM

Curious if you guys do more than 1 coin at a time and if not why? So far I have only done 1 coin at a time. I put it in a glass bottle and cover the coin in acetone then close the metal lid. And then put new acetone and do the other side of the coin. Once done rinse the bottle in acetone.

TheGoonies1985 · October 29, 2023 7:03PM

Would it not save on cost just to do say 3-4 coins at the same time?

pursuitofliberty · October 29, 2023 7:24PM

I've done several at a time. I have a set of tongs for swishing and turning coins in the glass dish.

Usually do a few ... dump that Acetone ... add new Acetone and do the same group of coins again.

Then rinse again with fresh Acetone and let dry.

If I have more than 3 or 4 coins, I do multiple batches, no more than a few coins at a time.

Never an issue.

SurfinxHI · October 29, 2023 7:38PM

I do as many coins as I have tgat fir in the bowl bottom....that gets covered. Usually 4-5 coins at a time.

habaraca · October 29, 2023 7:46PM

Did 4 this afternoon, let sit for 20 minutes, then put same 4 in clean acetone.

TheGoonies1985 · October 29, 2023 8:16PM

Thanks guys!!! That is what I will do 3-4 coins together. I will do all coins I receive that are purchased raw no matter if I see any PVC or not just to make sure. Better be safe than sorry as they say. If a coin has a lot I will do it alone but chances are it will not I stay away from such coins in general unless very rare.

CaptHenway · October 29, 2023 9:13PM

Depends on the coin(s). Since right now I am only collecting circulated 1922 cents, I do multiple coins in the same jar. Give me a Proof Morgan covered in PVC, it gets its own jar.

jacrispies · October 30, 2023 12:04AM

I agree with @CaptHenway it depends on the coins. Minor problem coins I would soak together, any extreme goop, glue or paint I would probably soak individually.

@pursuitofliberty What tongs do you use? I would imagine metal tongs have the possibility to damage coins and anything softer will dissolve in Acetone. Just curious what you have had success with. I use my fingers, which is also a great way to find any small cuts on fingers.

Clackamas1 · October 30, 2023 5:02AM

Depends but I always wash the coin again in fresh acetone since the initial rinse will leave a coating. If it is worth doing it it is worth using more acetone. I also acetone coins I MS 70, after a wash in water.

Cougar1978 · October 30, 2023 5:38AM

Generally no. However have seem a LCS do it in roll quantity.

However really badly dark tarnished material a dip may not be enough. Work with a q tip may be required. I consider dark tarnished material low end whether stickered or not. Pass on them but seen dealers I know offer 40 pct CDN bid if that much. Even if those coins successfully conserved ones I’ve seen remain dullish. I guess a crap coin is a crap coin. So once a coin goes really bad in the holder it’s pretty much well game over.

Namvet69 · October 30, 2023 8:05AM

I use black synthetic lab tongs that are unaffected by the solvent. I replace the acetone often cause I can see the dissolved crud in suspension and settled. Good luck.

Tom147 · October 30, 2023 8:31AM

Personally I do one at a time although not buying very many raw coins these days. Don't want to risk a dropped coin hitting another. I dip once, change and dip again. Acetone isn't that expensive.

7Jaguars · October 30, 2023 9:22AM

I definitely do them one by one.
Also I use a Q tip to tamp the surface of coins, one that itself is pre-soaked.
NO rubbing.

This IMHO tends to remove more and better the surfaces. I then liberally rinse with water and tamp dry with a high nap white cotton towel.

Acetone breaks down with oxidation into at least one component mildly acidic. No long exposure for copper/bronze.

Also as pointed out, residue from cleaned coins is dissolved into the acetone solvent and then dries on to coin surface as acetone evaporates.

davewesen · October 30, 2023 10:28AM

I have when I bought a HARCO set by mistake not realizing how hard it would be to get the green off. The pvc goes into solution and can make things worse on others. New solution and multiple soaks required. Think a silver Roosevelt set or Jefferson set. None of the coins were extremely 'valuable'.

Mr_Spud · October 30, 2023 10:35AM

I do one coin at a time, but sometimes I reuse the same acetone for multiple coins if I’m just rinsing them for precautionary reasons. When I purchase raw coins, I like to rinse them in acetone before putting them in an album or into a Saflip. I do this because I don’t want any latent fingerprints or contact with PVC to develop into problems later. But if I have a noticeably contaminated coin then I don’t reuse the same acetone on another coin or the contaminant might end up on the other coin.

Vasanti · October 30, 2023 11:03AM

Each coin gets its own acetone bath in a small Petri dish (unless they are commons or cheap ancients where it doesn't matter). I use my index finger and thumb to pick them up and flip them. Before putting it into the acetone, I dip my fingers in acetone and then dry them off on a clean pure cotton (no plastics) cloth. This removes grease and contaminants from your fingers. Then, when the soak is done, I rinse the coin off in a clean Petri dish of acetone before letting it dry on a pure cotton cloth (again, no plastic because acetone will dissolve most microfiber cloths or cotton cloth containing plastics).

TheGoonies1985 · October 30, 2023 11:45AM

Yeah will just do 1 at a time my OCD will most likely get in the way of doing more than 1.

Clackamas1 · October 30, 2023 12:17PM

@Cougar1978 said:
Generally no. However have seem a LCS do it in roll quantity.

I did 5000 mint sets in a few weeks once.

Cakes · October 30, 2023 1:38PM

@Clackamas1 said:

@Cougar1978 said:
Generally no. However have seem a LCS do it in roll quantity.

I did 5000 mint sets in a few weeks once.

OMG that's crazy. Great info from everyone, thanks!

davewesen · October 30, 2023 4:50PM

@Clackamas1 said:

@Cougar1978 said:
Generally no. However have seem a LCS do it in roll quantity.

I did 5000 mint sets in a few weeks once.

was there pvc on them or did the 'wash' prevent future problems and toning?

Clackamas1 · October 31, 2023 12:44AM

@davewesen said:

@Clackamas1 said:

@Cougar1978 said:
Generally no. However have seem a LCS do it in roll quantity.

I did 5000 mint sets in a few weeks once.

was there pvc on them or did the 'wash' prevent future problems and toning?

1960's mint sets have a film from the plastic that gives them a haze. It is not like green PVC but similar.

Vasanti · October 31, 2023 2:39PM

@Clackamas1 said:

@davewesen said:

@Clackamas1 said:

@Cougar1978 said:
Generally no. However have seem a LCS do it in roll quantity.

I did 5000 mint sets in a few weeks once.

was there pvc on them or did the 'wash' prevent future problems and toning?

1960's mint sets have a film from the plastic that gives them a haze. It is not like green PVC but similar.

Now I’m really intrigued. Was this for resale?

mr1931S · October 31, 2023 4:32PM

I use recycled microfiber cloth for the coins to rest on while getting their acetone soak. PVC turns the acetone green. If it gets too green I discard it and replace with new. Key to working with acetone efficiently is to be set up properly for an acetone session, even if only one piece is to receive treatment.The grade of acetone (99%) one can buy at the hardware store is fine.100% acetone nail polish remover works too. In any event, a supply of acetone should be in every coin owner's toolbox. Acetone affects a coin's luster and color in no way that I've ever seen, even for mostly copper coins, to include nickels.

cladking · October 31, 2023 5:16PM

I clean many coins at a time. I don't let them get too deep in a bowl or the weight can scratch them and the soup gets dirty a little faster so needs replaced more often.

I clean up to about 25 Gems at a time or a few hundred Uncs. Just be gentle.

I'll even do up to about 10 proofs at once.

Clackamas1 · October 31, 2023 7:05PM

@Vasanti said:

@Clackamas1 said:

@davewesen said:

@Clackamas1 said:

@Cougar1978 said:
Generally no. However have seem a LCS do it in roll quantity.

I did 5000 mint sets in a few weeks once.

was there pvc on them or did the 'wash' prevent future problems and toning?

1960's mint sets have a film from the plastic that gives them a haze. It is not like green PVC but similar.

Now I’m really intrigued. Was this for resale?

Not for resale but I did sell some. It was for these sets
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/u-s-coins/mint-sets/1971-mint-set/alltimeset/12736
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/u-s-coins/mint-sets/1968-mint-set/alltimeset/6787

Clackamas1 · October 31, 2023 7:08PM

@mr1931S said:
. Acetone affects a coin's luster and color in no way that I've ever seen, even for mostly copper coins, to include nickels.

It will totally change the look of early roll Lincolns. It will remove the peach fuzz look which is not good.

Vasanti · October 31, 2023 7:21PM

@Clackamas1 said:

@Vasanti said:

@Clackamas1 said:

@davewesen said:

@Clackamas1 said:

@Cougar1978 said:
Generally no. However have seem a LCS do it in roll quantity.

I did 5000 mint sets in a few weeks once.

was there pvc on them or did the 'wash' prevent future problems and toning?

1960's mint sets have a film from the plastic that gives them a haze. It is not like green PVC but similar.

Now I’m really intrigued. Was this for resale?

Not for resale but I did sell some. It was for these sets
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/u-s-coins/mint-sets/1971-mint-set/alltimeset/12736
https://www.pcgs.com/setregistry/u-s-coins/mint-sets/1968-mint-set/alltimeset/6787

That’s awesome. I’m tempted to do the same with a bunch of 75 and 76 sets.

Do you guys clean more than 1 coin at a time with acetone?

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