Nephew just put fingerprints on lustrous SLQ

seatedcoins · May 24, 2008 3:06PM

He just did it yesterday. Thank goodness he didn't scratch it or walk away with it. I'm assuming that to prevent fingerprints from showing later all I need to do is give it a short soak in pure acetone, correct?

UTTM07 · May 24, 2008 3:11PM

Try acetone first, then wait and see. If something does show up later, if it were my coin, I would try ammonia briefly followed by water rinse and then acetone. Hope the coin and the nephew are OK!

Zoins · May 24, 2008 3:18PM

If the fingerprint ever shows up, it will be pedigreed to your nephew....

seatedcoins · May 24, 2008 3:29PM

<< If the fingerprint ever shows up, it will be pedigreed to your nephew.... >>

Great

Unknown · May 24, 2008 3:43PM

This content has been removed.

PerryHall · May 24, 2008 8:39PM

How old was your nephew? Was the coin in a holder of some kind or was it just laying around raw? In any event, the acetone should take the print off but I wouldn't wait too long to do it.

cinman14 · May 24, 2008 10:13PM

ms-70 will work. I haven't had any luck with acetone for fingerprints

soak a Q-tip and lightly ROLL it across the surface. Rinse with water and dip in acetone last

ricko · May 24, 2008 10:22PM

For fingerprints, on a lustrous surface, I have found the application of Dawn liquid dishwashing soap, directly on the surface (very soon after the print is applied) will remove the oils/acids before etching takes place. Follow that with a hot water rinse and acetone soak. Cheers, RickO

Tvac897 · May 24, 2008 10:25PM

I recommend banning him from your house until he's 15 or so...that will ensure this never happens again.

sfs2002usa · May 24, 2008 10:43PM

Try spectral (100%) ethanol. 99% IPA will also do and is available in most drug stores.
Soft Q tips do a great job for gently working the spot, followed by a soak and rinse.
Make sure your nephew is watching so he gets a good idea of the trouble caused.
I would use pure distilled water for any washings. You don't want to deal with the
salts (minerals) and chlorine in ordinary tap water. Good Luck!

jmj3esq · May 24, 2008 10:48PM

acetone should do the trick.

MrHalfDime · May 25, 2008 12:09AM

Wow. It's amazing to see all of the theories and recommendations, with almost no agreement between them. Better living through chemistry. I would be interested to hear back from you after you have applied one of the recommended treatments, to learn what success you might have.

7Jaguars · May 25, 2008 12:50AM

I really don't think it will be all that serious as very recent fingerprints will come off with no residual with these techniques. The soap alone will remove it most likely but the residual must definately be removed with liberal rinse with warm/hot water and tamped dry with a soft cotton nap towel.

I use acetone a lot too but the above will be fine if you don't have it. Alcohol also works, even isopropyl with the same after rinse. These treatments are not all that different since they are using solvents to remove the oil based residue that does not yet even have the acid element that comes with bacterial action on the oil yet...

ambro51 · May 25, 2008 12:52AM

Only One Punishment Suitable For That Crime!!

seatedcoins · May 25, 2008 1:23AM

<< How old was your nephew? Was the coin in a holder of some kind or was it just laying around raw? In any event, the acetone should take the print off but I wouldn't wait too long to do it. >>

He's 4, just came into town for the weekend. I had it in a flip in a desk drawer. I think I'll use isopropyl alcohol.

PerryHall · May 25, 2008 1:34AM

<< For fingerprints, on a lustrous surface, I have found the application of Dawn liquid dishwashing soap, directly on the surface (very soon after the print is applied) will remove the oils/acids before etching takes place. Follow that with a hot water rinse and acetone soak. Cheers, RickO >>

I've used Dawn on filthy coins that I didn't want to abraisively clean with good results. Dawn is great at cutting through the grease and oils of finger prints and won't hurt the toning.

MidLifeCrisis · May 25, 2008 1:38AM

<< I had it in a flip in a desk drawer. >>

Why didn't you have that coin in a slab?!?!?

Bochiman · May 25, 2008 3:30AM

Since he has tiny fingers, just press your own finger over where he did his....that way it will be YOUR fingerprint and not his

57loaded · May 25, 2008 3:34AM

<< ms-70 will work. I haven't had any luck with acetone for fingerprints

soak a Q-tip and lightly ROLL it across the surface. Rinse with water and dip in acetone last >>

use acetone and soak for a wee bit...NO MS-70!!!

that fingerprint is fresh acetone will do it, MS-70 will make that SLQ look MS....whatever grade it is, now...and ruin it unless that is not a concern of yours

TwoSides2aCoin · May 25, 2008 3:38AM

You're in luck. I just read a thread about auctioning a child on ebay.

tahoe98 · May 25, 2008 4:47AM

ummm, who knows if someone previously handled the coin? if a print shows up you may never know who it belongs to

ziggy29 · May 25, 2008 5:04AM

If it's a fresh fingerprint, acetone may do it before the oils can react with the coin and leave a permanent mark. Let's hope for the best.

ibzman350 · May 25, 2008 11:21AM

That coin will never be the same, sorry.

the Q tip thingy ain't gonna work without leaving tell-tale signs that say I was rubbed on with a Q-tip.

Give your nephew a big hug and another coin to play with.

Herb

keets · May 25, 2008 11:29AM

acetone is proven to be safe on all metals used to strike coins, and it doesn't require a "soak" for what you're describing, simply a rinsing done either by swirling the coin in a shallow bowl or pouring the acetone over the coin. as for the other things mentioned, i don't think there's any proof that the coin will be stable if some residue remains afterward. also, i would never, never, never suggest using a Q-Tip or anything else on a Mint State or Proof coin.

MajorDuty · May 25, 2008 11:41AM

<< For fingerprints, on a lustrous surface, I have found the application of Dawn liquid dishwashing soap, directly on the surface (very soon after the print is applied) will remove the oils/acids before etching takes place. Follow that with a hot water rinse and acetone soak. Cheers, RickO >>

This method makes sense to me...

DJCoinz · May 25, 2008 11:43AM

<< You're in luck. I just read a thread about auctioning a child on ebay. >>

MidLifeCrisis · May 25, 2008 11:45AM

<< That coin will never be the same, sorry.

the Q tip thingy ain't gonna work without leaving tell-tale signs that say I was rubbed on with a Q-tip.

Give your nephew a big hug and another coin to play with. >>

I like and agree with this answer.

cmerlo1 · May 25, 2008 12:07PM

Sounds like a golden opportunity for teaching a future YN how to properly handle coins!

cinman14 · May 25, 2008 12:10PM

<< That coin will never be the same, sorry.

the Q tip thingy ain't gonna work without leaving tell-tale signs that say I was rubbed on with a Q-tip.

Give your nephew a big hug and another coin to play with.

Herb >>

your not going to rub you are going to ROLL the Q-tip..Lightly ROLL the Q-tip..I would challenge someone to show
damage from very lightly ROLLING a soaked Q-tip over a surface..It will never rub the surface..I have done this on a Proof
ASE and even under a loop you can't tell.

Just my thought from experience

7Jaguars · May 26, 2008 12:16AM

Agreed as I do not see hairlines even with a bit more pressure than "rolling" them on, even with 10x magnification. Maybe 24k gold might but I haven't and likely would not have to on these...

Nephew just put fingerprints on lustrous SLQ

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