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hazelman

Using acetone to clean coins

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Understand the confusion know.

The money was sent to OPTIONLINE and not OPTONLINE.

I have managed to cancel the payment through PAYPAL.

As per my PM please send me an invoice as may be easier for both of us.

Pete.

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I've been reading this post with interest and have now cleaned some of my pennies with acetone and am very pleased with the results on some of the dirtier ones.

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Think you mentioned an important issue ,they are now cleaned.

I think  unless really low grade and varieties you want to keep  most are better left alone.

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28 minutes ago, PWA 1967 said:

Think you mentioned an important issue ,they are now cleaned.

I think  unless really low grade and varieties you want to keep  most are better left alone.

In this discussion, Pete, I would refer back to a post I made on the previous page, and comment that acetone is purely a solvent, a decontaminant, in this instance. Unless applied with undue abrasion, neither the coin nor its patina or lustre is affected, merely surface contaminants removed, reducing the liklihood of future corrosion.  The term 'cleaned' should not be equated with 'damaged'  in this context,  it is simply that a 'dirty' coin is no longer 'dirty'. 

Jerry

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Everyone to there own and would like to say.....

If you put a chemical on a coin(not a toothpick,flick something off) then why do it.

It is done to enhance a coin from its natural state.

I can only comment on pennies(not hammered etc.) this is IMO cleaning ,else why do it ?.

The Chemical is applied to do a job clean it and the Chemical is left and will not disperse and (of which it was only applied for) will still show.

If you put water on a coin it will dull the tone /lustre but not show over time and can understand ,if you put acetone,acid,any cleaning agent .....Then its CLEANED

If the buyer/seller are both happy then as always it does not matter

This is only my opinion ......:)

If a coin is ok acetone would not of been put on in the first place ,but will still show.

Never dip a valuable coin in ACETONE.

Pete.

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35 minutes ago, PWA 1967 said:

If the buyer/seller are both happy then as always it does not matter

I think in many circumstances the buyer would not even be aware if acetone has been used to remove dirt/pvc residue, so in reality I think it may be a case of "if the seller is happy and the buyer can not tell" which may not be what people want to hear but is in all fairness probably what happens

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Acetone is a solvent as is water, but safer for the coin as it does not leave residue, unlike water which, unless distilled, contains dissolved salts and added chlorine (which is the main culprit as regards verdigris) Previous acetone application does not show, nor affect lustre, and has no effect on the coin; nor in fact do most of the organic solvents including petrol which is a very effective de-waxer, though I would have some concerns about additives (and would probably use acetone after!) . The overall effect if used correctly and appropriately is to return the coin as much as possible to its 'natural state', which should not include a layer of harmful gunge from previous mis-handling.

This is only my opinion too, Pete ;),  though it does have some scientific basis in the chemistry of corrosion (refer Plenderleith, and Jenny Cronin for  texts that I have found very useful when undertaking archaeological conservation work in the past)

I would certainly agree in being selective though, most coins don't need treating and if not confident in what you are doing, dont do it!

Jerry

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Jerry ,just my little bit and only my opinion.

Acetone leaves a chemical residue that is there and that i have no doubt.

When i mentioned water it was a bad example i.e. distilled water gently over the slight marks within any high points on only low grade coins.

ACETONE should not be used at all ,and WILL SHOW ....If its an expensive coin leave Acetone well alone.

Pete.

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42 minutes ago, PWA 1967 said:

Jerry ,just my little bit and only my opinion.

Acetone leaves a chemical residue that is there and that i have no doubt.

When i mentioned water it was a bad example i.e. distilled water gently over the slight marks within any high points on only low grade coins.

ACETONE should not be used at all ,and WILL SHOW ....If its an expensive coin leave Acetone well alone.

Pete.

Complete and utter rubbish! You are fundamentally misunderstanding the terms 'chemical' and 'cleaned!' Goodness this has been written about and clarified over and over again throughout this forum.

preservation is altogether a different animal to enhancement!

If you had red wine on your white carpet, would you attempt to remove it to spare the carpet from being irreparably damaged? If so, consider grease and grime on a coin in the same way! Leave it there are you will eventually have prints and blotches, verd and spots...your call!

For any newbie that visits this post, please check for yourself, you will find no harm comes to your bronze and copper coinage from 'decontaminating' them! They will NOT suddenly look or actually be cleaned...you will only be removing things that will in the future damage your coins!

To the new visitor...there are a million posts on here about acetone...please search for them and read them all! 

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OK. Coinery. Its $45 which covers the approximate $20 P&H of the small box.

You can E-Mail me with questions. Talk to your UK buddy in this thread who received a free bottle.

Works PERFECTLY on superficial green oxidation and was designed for sensitive copper substrates.

No impact to the cartwheel effect on Proofs or UNCs. The only color change you will see is on patina removal so use only to remove oxides.

Has the same make-up as the old U.S. Coin Care which was banned 15-20 years ago.

Yes - that's me giving the BM my latest book on contemporary circulating counterfeit EIGHT REALES to the left (i.e., picture profile).

So what! - Can you make the ultimate copper cleaner? You are doubting John Lorenzo?

Good luck with it ... remember careful on moving soil particles around and use only when necessary (i.e., to remove green oxides). Not designed for heavier deeper copper oxides since its substrate safe. Works INCREDIBLE on 19thC copper or bronze medals.

 

John Lorenzo

Numismatist

United States

johnmenc@optonline.net

PayPal: johnmenc@optonline.net (same as my E-Mail).

JPL

 

 

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For goodness sake, John, we are NOT talking about verd or oxidation here! For the benefit of anyone new, we are talking about removing contaminants BEFORE your product (whether it is good or not, and I'd say probably not) is ever required. Hopefully good practice in decontamination will reduce the necessity for your product full stop!

i have to say I'm totally exhausted in explaining what is a very simple process that has ABSOLUTELY NO connection whatsoever to the process of cleaning!

wiping a coffe spill from an antique piece of furniture is good practice, not full-blown restoration!

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1 hour ago, Coinery said:

Complete and utter rubbish! You are fundamentally misunderstanding the terms 'chemical' and 'cleaned!' Goodness this has been written about and clarified over and over again throughout this forum.

preservation is altogether a different animal to enhancement!

If you had red wine on your white carpet, would you attempt to remove it to spare the carpet from being irreparably damaged? If so, consider grease and grime on a coin in the same way! Leave it there are you will eventually have prints and blotches, verd and spots...your call!

For any newbie that visits this post, please check for yourself, you will find no harm comes to your bronze and copper coinage from 'decontaminating' them! They will NOT suddenly look or actually be cleaned...you will only be removing things that will in the future damage your coins!

To the new visitor...there are a million posts on here about acetone...please search for them and read them all! 

I have read this forum almost daily for three years..

When i gave an opinion that is what it was.

If i spilt red wine on the carpet ,yes i would clean it .....i am not some kind of tramp.

I dont ....atleast most of the time spill red wine on coins ,so dont have to clean them.

Months ago i would of agreed with you but no longer.

Do you see any results from coins you put acetone on ten years ago :o

You carry on using it.........i wont.

Your statement of complete and utter rubbish i dont consider to be fair and just your opinion.

You keep cleaning them ,which is what your doing........and i will look after the carpet

Pete.

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9 minutes ago, PWA 1967 said:

I have read this forum almost daily for three years..

When i gave an opinion that is what it was.

If i spilt red wine on the carpet ,yes i would clean it .....i am not some kind of tramp.

I dont ....atleast most of the time spill red wine on coins ,so dont have to clean them.

Months ago i would of agreed with you but no longer.

Do you see any results from coins you put acetone on ten years ago :o

You carry on using it.........i wont.

Your statement of complete and utter rubbish i dont consider to be fair and just your opinion.

You keep cleaning them ,which is what your doing........and i will look after the carpet

Pete.

I have 10 year old coins which have been acetoned before me right now! Where you are coming from on this I do not know, or why you perceive flicking off a green cruddy contaminant to be any different to removing grease?

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3 hours ago, PWA 1967 said:

Jerry ,just my little bit and only my opinion.

Acetone leaves a chemical residue that is there and that i have no doubt.

Pete.

Fair enough Pete, we have to disagree on this issue. But for general information, I have seen nail varnish remover equated with acetone; numismatically, they are not the same, nail varnish remover contains additives, wheras pure acetone is 100% volatile. If anybody does decide to experiment, and by all means choose low value coins first, only use pure acetone.

Jerry

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Most, as I'm sure you will subsequently find, will actually agree, NOT disagree!

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Here are a few basic facts to add to the discussion. Impurities are typically at the 1 part in a billion level or less. Please see attached. For the record, this data refers to analytical grade acetone. Different grades will have different impurity levels.

img991.jpg

Edited by Rob
to qualify the data presented
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ooopppss ... message was for PWA 1967.

 

PWA 1967 talk to Coinery if you like it ... remember its geared primarily for copper based alloys.

 

Would not send it to UK at this price if it was not something VERY DIFFERENT.

 

Good luck if you proceed.

 

JPL

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There is no greater debate in numismatics ... to clean or not to clean ... and if so ... how Forum God.

 

LOL

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Yes, I've enjoyed my godliness very much! People have been flocking to my door for advice, day and night! But, now, I'm tired of it all, I'm going to come over there and have some of what you are having instead!

let's drink bourbon straight and talk about slabbing! Better get in the caterers too because this God is going to take a lot of talking round on that front, and we'll need to eat!

John, you've got a long way to go before you'll ever come close to convincing me, or hopefully any other soul here! 

 

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10 hours ago, PWA 1967 said:

Most will probably disagree Jerry ,but would sooner say my bit.:)

Should of said they will disagree with my opinion 

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I'll just have one last say on the subject as someone with an obsolete Chemistry degree from the sixties. Acetone (dimethyl ketone) is an excellent organic solvent that efficiently dissolves all sorts of organic (carbon-based) matter, which is why it's used as nail varnish remover. When applied to a coin it will dissolve some of the dirt into a solution that must be wiped off, otherwise the acetone will simply and swiftly evaporate (its boiling point is below normal room temperature) and leave the dirt, possibly in a different place. The acetone will not react with the metal content of the coin.  Just putting acetone onto the coin and leaving it to evaporate will therefore not achieve anything. But it does aid the removal of surface matter which must be wiped off with a cotton bud or something soft. Rubbing the coin gently with a cotton bud soaked in acetone should remove much grime without scarring the surface. That's the science but everyone will have their beliefs and opinions which must be tolerated - that's life !!

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