Probably a repeat question

[Luvncoins]

Since reading on coppercoins about the use of mineral oil I have had some questions. Time to stop wondering and ask I guess. If I use this to clean my coins will it deduct from the value and do I need to alert people that it has been cleaned with this? Same question for Acetone. Assuming, since it seems to be recommended I would think that it is ok to use. If this has been answered sorry for repeating, but so far I haven't found a thread on here about it

[liveandievarieties]

Most organic solvent are safe to use on coins in moderation. For copper, I prefer xylene, it is hands-down the best copper solvent out there. The only things that will give a coin a "washed out" look are chemicals with extreme pH's. The worst offenders are acidic solutions such as vinegar, cola, and lemon juice. Basic solutions will also damage the surface but they take a little longer.


If you use acetone to remove surface contaminants on circulated coins, do NOT use the acetone found in fingernail polish remover. The has additives in it whereas pure acetone is what you would want to use.

AND THIS WRITTEN BY BadThad- lots of good info:

Many collectors make the mistake of cleaning a coin when attempting to conserve it properly. The internet is full of bad suggestions and advice. So, not only is the collector who commits the sin to blame, but so are the supposed "experts" offering bad advice. The bottomline, most people should NEVER attempt to conserve their own coins. Leave conservation to the experts like NCS.

Nonetheless, some coins can be helped when great care is used. Also, some coins are not of sufficent value to justify paying NCS to perform a proper conservation. Unfortunately, available methods for safe home conservation are very limited. Using coin cleaners and harsh methods usually produce unacceptable results. To help out people looking to "clean" their coins, I always recommend a very conservative approach with something I call the solvent polarity ladder.

In chemistry (I am a chemist) we often classify solvents by a property known as polarity. Basically, it's a measure of the charge differential across the solvent molecule. The greater the charge differential, the greater the polarity, i.e. lots of positive charge on one end and lots of negative charge on the other. Another principle in chemistry is "like dissolves like". Therefore, if you have a coin surface residue that matches the polarity of the solvent, chances are high that it will be removed.

This is what I recommend people do. Soak the coin for 10 minutes using each of the following solvents in order. For example, start with water for 10 minutes, remove the coin and let dry. The ladder covers a wide range of polarities.

1) distilled or deionized water
2) acetone (do not use fingernail polish remover)
3) xylene

If the problem has not been resolved after trying each of these solvents, try reversing the order next, i.e. move back to acetone and then water. Sometimes residues are varied, you might have a non-polar residue on top of the polar reside....when that happens, running the reverse ladder can be effective.

If the problem still persists, try increasing the soak times to 24 hours in each solvent. That is about the maximum time I ever recommend soaking a coin because it's possible to produce some adverse effects on the patina with over-soaking. Also, be sure to tightly seal the soaking containers so your solvents do not evaporate!! This is VERY important because you'll just redeposit the dissolved residue back on the coin.

Going beyond the method I've outlined is risky and you'd better be prepared for the negative consequences. It's a common mistake to use harsh solvents recommended on the internet like catsup, lemon juice, baking soda, olive oil, etc. If you do these things, be prepared to have a cleaned coin when you done.

[Luvncoins]

Thank you so much for your help, looks like I will be leaving them alone. Mainly what I wanted to do were the ones that have so much green stuff on them that it is hard to tell what they are. Seems like either way, whether I get the stuff off or not it won't be a good coin.