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pennypincher
Penny Sorter Member
67 Posts |
 Posted - 12/08/2008 : 14:01:10
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Anyone ever use any of the solvents on the market to harmlessly clean your coins? I have some coins with the dreaded green PVC gunk on them and want to clean it off. I heard about this stuff museums supposedly use called Koinsolv, but it's really expensive. There are other cleaners I've seen for under $10. I was just wondering if anyone has any experience using these sorts of things and what your results were.
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kieblera5
Penny Hoarding Member
USA
859 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2008 : 15:15:38
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| My suggestion is to not clean your coins unless you really know what you are doing. If the coin could be worth something, take it to a dealer. Most dealers can clean coins without harming the coin, but they may charge a small fee like $1. |
Democracy is being allowed to vote for the candidate you dislike least.
Never argue with an idiot. They will drag you down to their level and then beat you mercilessly with experience.
Caller number seven gets the Peace Prize!
Get coding tips, tricks, and more at: http://codingmonday.blogspot.com |
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Bluegill
1000+ Penny Miser Member
USA
1964 Posts |
Posted - 12/08/2008 : 16:58:48
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Acetone should safely remove the green PVC. Acetone is completely harmless on Ag. Just make sure you use good quality pure Acetone. Impurities will deposit themselves on the coin.
One way to test the purity is to pour some into a clean glass container and let it evaporate. Uncontaminated acetone will leave no residue behind. If there residue, try another brand.
I don't know how safe it is to use on Cu or Ni coins though...
p.s. No scrubbing! Soak and rinse only...
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Edited by - Bluegill on 12/08/2008 16:59:46 |
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pennypincher
Penny Sorter Member
67 Posts |
Posted - 12/09/2008 : 07:06:43
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| I'm going to try the acetone on a piece of silver and see what it does, and research it a bit to see how other metals react (or don't react). Thanks for the suggestion. The coins in question are not very valuable. A lot are cupro-nickel and cost me $1 or less. The PVC reaction is still in an early stage, but the coins do have a gummy feel to them. Now that I know there are PVC and non-PVC coin flips, I'd like to treat them and get them into a non-PVC environment. You'd think the coin dealer I bought those flips from would have known better. I won't be going to that guy again. |
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n/a
deleted
2 Posts |
Posted - 12/09/2008 : 10:08:12
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If the acetone cleans the PVC gunk but doens not leave the coin shiny try this.
A good and safe way to clean tarnished silver:
1) Use hot water from your tap put in a plastic container (the flat one used for cake or bars) and add a sheet of aluminum foil. Or an Aluminum pie tin with hot water.
2) Add a couple table spoons of baking soda.
3) Place coin in and watch it turn shinny.
Note: It is best if your coin is already free of noticeable gunk, so I usually use the acetone first to do the dirty work then do steps 1-3.
I have had best results on older BU coins that just have tarnished (the brownish gold color) from just old age.
Hope this helps.
Luke
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Something for nothing would be “nice” |
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pennypincher
Penny Sorter Member
67 Posts |
Posted - 12/10/2008 : 14:12:42
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After some more looking into this, it looks like acetone is the safest way to go for removing PVC residue. I realize coins should not be cleaned, especially by amateurs. PVC residue however, will lead to unwanted corrosion. Since these coins aren't very valuble, I'm going to try the acetone and then distilled water dip.
Thanks for the suggestions all. |
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NiBullionCu
Penny Pincher Member
USA
168 Posts |
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pennypincher
Penny Sorter Member
67 Posts |
Posted - 12/11/2008 : 07:27:50
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quote:
Originally posted by NiBullionCu
Rule #1: Don't clean coins...
I agree 100%. However, PVC "scuzz" can be much more detrimental than having it cleaned off before it causes permanent irreversible damage. Valuable or prized coins, definitely bring them to the experts. In retrospect, I should have titled this thread "Cleaning PVC gunk off of coins safely".
Here are the results of using acetone to clean off the PVC gunk. The 500 Kronur piece is silver, which shows the corrosive green residue and the other coin is a Ukrainian commemorative coin "Bubo Bubo" made from cupro-nickel with a proof-like finish. I'm very pleased with the results! The acetone took the gummy PVC gunk right off. I rinsed with multiple distilled water baths and carefully patted dry with a soft cotton baby diaper. Two down, about 20 or 30 to go.
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just carl
Penny Hoarding Member
USA
601 Posts |
Posted - 12/11/2008 : 11:44:32
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To start with and as already noted DO NOT CLEAN COINS UNLESS YOU KNOW WHAT YOUR DOING.
If you clean a coin you will deminish it's value forever.
If you clean a coin and are not aware of the after effects, you may well ruin the coin forever.
Of course you can still use it in vending machines though.
People at museums do not clean mummies so don't clean coins.
On the Antique Road Show TV program they always stress if you hadn't cleaned this it would have been worth a lot more.
Everyone that has no idea of what they are saying will blurt out you have PVC on your coins. You must get it off or it will spread. For some reason they think PVC is alive.
Do not go out and purchase materials to clean coins if the cost of the materials out do the value of the coins. For example purchasing Acetone, distilled water, etc., the cost of gas for you car to go to the store for such items. Then your time. So if the coin is worth a few dollars and you spend several dollars attempting to clean it, and now worth even less, you've gained nothing.
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Carl |
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pennypincher
Penny Sorter Member
67 Posts |
Posted - 12/11/2008 : 14:05:13
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Again, I certainly didn't start this thread to encourage people to clean their coins. And I completely understand and respect the extreme caution that is being advised. I just needed some advice on a safe way to remove PVC gunk, a choice I already made some time ago and am finally getting around to doing. The value to me in these coins is looking at them, not in future hopes of exchanging them for monetary gain. The value I held in these coins was ruined by me putting them into PVC flips for 5 years and witnessing the ugly PVC build-up happen. If one can actually tell that they've been dipped in acetone, and the market value is now diminished, oh well. Whoever gets them when I’m dead can cry about it (if they choose to, or care.) I researched acetone and came to the conclusion it would be a safe way to remove the slime. I'm 100% comfortable doing it to these particular coins. I have investment type coins I'd never ever clean. And if those were damaged by improper storage, I'd see a professional on the proper way to proceed. These coins now look like they did the day I put them into the dreaded PVC flips. I'm quite happy with the results and thank Bluegill for the advice (which I researched more thoroughly) I didn't enjoy them any more with the residue, now I do again. The value to me is restored. I don't care if some uptight coin dealer can somehow tell with a microscope that they've been dipped in acetone. In my lifetime, these coins will not see a coin dealer, they’re not for sale.
P.S. anyone want to buy a cleaned Bubo Bubo? I have two of them. (just kidding) 
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pennypincher
Penny Sorter Member
67 Posts |
Posted - 12/12/2008 : 13:38:27
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| Regarding removing PVC residue with acetone, I have found upon further study that grading services such as PCGS and most other services allow you to resubmit any coin rejected due to PVC, just remove the PVC, and resubmit the coin along with the PVC flip. |
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cleaning coins safely
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