cowhodan Posted July 27, 2005 Report Share Posted July 27, 2005 Today I got some $100 coins at the bank , you know how bank employees handle the coins.. Its a crime what they do with this big, silver and shiny coins, I have heard that alcohol can remove the acid that the fingers leave on the coins, do you know if this is true? Does the shiny surfaces become affected? Thanks! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trantor_3 Posted July 27, 2005 Report Share Posted July 27, 2005 I don't know about alcohol, but I do know aceton does remove it. Ageka has far more experience with that than I do, so I'll leave the details up to him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cowhodan Posted July 27, 2005 Author Report Share Posted July 27, 2005 Trantor_3, thanks for your reply. The coins are also slightly toned in the silver center, someone knows if this can also be removed with acetone? My main preocupation is that acetone or alcohol removes the bright surfaces. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
morgancollector22 Posted July 28, 2005 Report Share Posted July 28, 2005 As I have learned, It's better to be safe and not do it then to be sorry and ruin the coin(s)! -Brent Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gxseries Posted July 28, 2005 Report Share Posted July 28, 2005 There are times when you have to act fast... like my Calcium Chloride accident and rusted die... hehehe. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ageka Posted July 28, 2005 Report Share Posted July 28, 2005 Today I got some $100 coins at the bank , you know how bank employees handle the coins.. Its a crime what they do with this big, silver and shiny coins, I have heard that alcohol can remove the acid that the fingers leave on the coins, do you know if this is true? Does the shiny surfaces become affected?Thanks! Pure alcohol will remove the prints but if it is denatured it probably got ethylacetate in it Woodalcohol or Rubbing alcohol being Methanol or Iso propylalcohol still have at least 10% water and this will leave drying spots unless you follow it up with a distilled water wash Best is to simply put the coins in acetone for a minute without rubbing or anythings and then keep them in hand slightly waving the hand for a minute untill dry ( Well ventilated area , no eating , no smoking etc ) Some coins look better greasy then clean because they have wear or hairline cracks Artificially toned coins may lose their toning But if a real thumb or fingerprint was put on ; in a short while it will etch the metal and be visible probably for ever more Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Sisu Posted July 28, 2005 Report Share Posted July 28, 2005 ...Best is to simply put the coins in acetone for a minute without rubbing or anythings and then keep them in hand slightly waving the hand for a minute untill dry ( Well ventilated area , no eating , no smoking etc ) ... I am experimenting with a 2005 Finn €2 that I got in change today. Very close to UNC, except for the fingerprints on it. It is taking a bath in pure acetone right now. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
28Plain Posted July 29, 2005 Report Share Posted July 29, 2005 Don't worry about acetone dipping. Acetone has no effect on mint luster or toning. The skin oils will come off with acetone dipping but you have to be quick. Get after the coins as soon as you suspect they've been touched with bare fingers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ageka Posted July 29, 2005 Report Share Posted July 29, 2005 Don't worry about acetone dipping. Acetone has no effect on mint luster or toning. The skin oils will come off with acetone dipping but you have to be quick. Get after the coins as soon as you suspect they've been touched with bare fingers. How soon a fingerprint will etch into a metal depends on a lot of factors like the kind of metal and temperature and how acid the individual was that put the print on The only report of acetone taking toning of I have heard was of a silver coin baked in a potato to retone Acetone toke some of that retoning off I have also been told that very circulated coins may look better with the grease on Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Sisu Posted July 29, 2005 Report Share Posted July 29, 2005 I am experimenting with a 2005 Finn €2 that I got in change today. Very close to UNC, except for the fingerprints on it. It is taking a bath in pure acetone right now. Sat overnight in the acetone (I forgot it there). Almost all of the fingerprints came off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ageka Posted July 29, 2005 Report Share Posted July 29, 2005 Sat overnight in the acetone (I forgot it there). Almost all of the fingerprints came off. Those that did not come off were etched in allready and removing those from a valuable coin may not be a good idea because this would require stripping the top layer of with an acid or a base But the test you carried out gives you a general idea what will come off Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Archived
This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.