Acetone: What does it work best on?

[Frank]

Just got a smallish can, and I'm wondering when the best time for some would be? Verdigris? General schmeg?

Thanks!

[VAB2013]

Most all Alabama coins are dirty so if I think I have something it gets a quick 5 min soak in acetone to remove the surface gunk. Maineman once told me that too long in acetone is not a good thing and I have seen some of my coins that soaked overnight seem to somewhat change color in a negative way. I think about 15 minutes in acetone is going to do all the good it's gonna do. I never tried Verdicare and I'm sure it's a good product. But, I have come to really like Mineral Oil and I don't think it hurts the coin at all to let soak indefinitely. I have seen Mineral Oil remove some pretty bad gunk.

[Frank]

Thanks, Vivien! Yes, M.O. is definitely on my shopping list, as is Xylene.

[VAB2013]

Cool, I've never tried Xylene because it's pretty strong I think. But I have read several of the guys here have used it so maybe they will chime in with details.

[VAB2013]

Even though the acetone I buy is in a plastic bottle, the acetone will eat through most plastics and it evaporates pretty fast. Maineman uses glass baby food jars with lids, which is a great idea. I improvised with glass "sauce cups" and just enough acetone to cover the coin last at least 15 mins before it evaporates. I never use the same acetone again for another coin anyway.

[Frank]

Even though the acetone I buy is in a plastic bottle, the acetone will eat through most plastics and it evaporates pretty fast. Maineman uses glass baby food jars with lids, which is a great idea. I improvised with glass "sauce cups" and just enough acetone to cover the coin last at least 15 mins before it evaporates. I never use the same acetone again for another coin anyway.

Mine came in a metal can with this annoying adult-proof notched cap lol! I've used empty medicine bottles to clean up a couple today, & it seemed to be OK. Did great on a cent that had some caked-on Verdigris!

[Roller]

There are some substances that acetone will not act on. Xylene stinks to high heaven but sometimes it produces the result acetone will not. I seldom have to use it but have in the past.

[VAB2013]

There are some substances that acetone will not act on. Xylene stinks to high heaven but sometimes it produces the result acetone will not. I seldom have to use it but have in the past.

Yep, I read the label at the hardware store and it said, use in a well ventilated area, wear gloves and goggles, so I passed on it.

[enamel7]

I hope you're not using nail polish Viv. Not the same thing. That is bad for coins!

[VAB2013]

I hope you're not using nail polish Viv. Not the same thing. That is bad for coins!

Thank you enamel, now that you mention it, the bottle says 100% pure acetone, but the ingredients says: Acetone, Denatonium Benzoate. Wonder what that second thing is. Seems like false labeling to me.

Edit: Well I researched Denatonium Benzoate and it is a bitter additive to deter ingestion. My research also took me to another coin website and the discussion there was that it becomes a solid when dry and will leave a residue on a coin so it's best to rinse the coin with distilled water afterwards but it should not cause any diverse effects. Then I found another article that said all acetone contains Denatonium Benzoate. Do you guys who have acetone from a hardware store see Denatonium Benzoate on the ingredients?

[Frank]

Thank you enamel, now that you mention it, the bottle says 100% pure acetone, but the ingredients says: Acetone, Denatonium Benzoate. Wonder what that second thing is. Seems like false labeling to me.

I believe that's to keep people and/or pets from ingesting it. From Wiki:

"...Denatonium, usually available as denatonium benzoate (under trade names such as BITTERANT-b, BITTER+PLUS, Bitrex or Aversion) and as denatonium saccharide (under trade names such as BITTERANT-s), is the most bitter chemical compound known, with bitterness thresholds of 0.05 ppm for the benzoate and 0.01 ppm for the saccharide.^[2] It was discovered in 1958 during research on local anesthetics by MacFarlan Smith of Edinburgh, Scotland, and registered under the trademark Bitrex.^[3] Dilutions of as little as 10 ppm are unbearably bitter to most humans. Denatonium salts are usually colorless and odorless solids but are often traded as solutions. They are used as aversive agents (bitterants) to prevent inappropriate ingestion. Denatonium is used in denatured alcohol,^[4] antifreeze, nail biting preventions, respirator mask fit-testing, animal repellents, liquid soaps, and shampoos. It is not known to pose any long-term health risks.."

[VAB2013]

Thank you Frank, we are posting to this thread at the same time. Please look back to the previous post.

[Frank]

Thank you Frank, we are posting to this thread at the same time. Please look back to the previous post.

Hehehe! Yeppers!

Now we know!

[VAB2013]

Hehehe! Yeppers!

Now we know!

I'm not sure really if rinsing in distilled water is another step I want to take. Haven't had any problems so far and I have looked back at my finds from 2013 and they look okay to me. When I take the coin out of the acetone, I blot it with an old t shirt so the acetone doesn't really have time to dry on there. Then they go to a Mineral Oil soak for a few minutes and get blotted again. I am really concerned about preserving my Lincoln's so I hope I'm doing it right!

[Frank]

I've been rinsing them off with just tap water, then patting good and dry with a shirt too lol!

So far, it looks like it's working fine!