when the bank doesn't have sealed pennies boxes or won't order any

[mindtab]

Here's a link to the Federal Mutilated Currency and Bent or Partial Coin procedure. I guess the general public can do this, as well as banks. I'm a penny pincher of sorts so it would bug me to just throw a "penny" into the trash can... as many as we go through it would add up over the course of a year. Another article "Americans throw away $62 million a year by tossing coins in the trash" (actually explained that it's mostly from vacuuming cars and sofas, nooks and crannies)!

WE ARE DOOMED! then. No one is going to go through all those procedures (even with mutilated pennies, although not receiving face value but rather metal value, the copper coins would actually gain more).

The second story doesn't make sense "everything from coins to iron extracted from its recovery efforts at 45 waste-to-power plants across the world, relying on powerful magnets and other equipment to pull metals out of the garbage".
Coins attracted by magnets? (maybe if some metal adhered to the coin along time --not much time, since things don't stay still for long in salvage yards). But that many coins (millions of dollars worth) all attracted by magnets. Hmmm, I doubt to differ. Who knows. INteresting story. THanks for sharing, Viv.

[mindtab]

What I say to that penny which has traveled in life through all the perils, and now horribly corroding away---- goodbye. Rest in peace!
I guess we are back to the individual. There is nothing more to say.

[VAB2013]

Interesting topic mindtab... just made me think about it and do some googling around Honestly I have a penny box about half full of culls just sitting in my searching area. When I asked the bank what to do with them a few months ago I didn't get a straight answer except that they have to pay to send coins back to the Fed and I would have to pay for it (I guess it's the shipping charge?) Sounded like too much trouble! I very rarely pay for things with cash so... here they sit

[mindtab]

Interesting topic mindtab... just made me think about it and do some googling around Honestly I have a penny box about half full of culls just sitting in my searching area. When I asked the bank what to do with them a few months ago I didn't get a straight answer except that they have to pay to send coins back to the Fed and I would have to pay for it (I guess it's the shipping charge?) Sounded like too much trouble! I very rarely pay for things with cash so... here they sit

I have quite a few of those by now, as well. Something that others may not find valuable, but somehow, they could be. At least something about them makes them interesting, or even their age. I even kept many toned pennies that have nothing else interesting except that---the colors on them, or the texture (like the 1984's, flat shine, striations, deep chocolate brown color); just the way their character is, may strike some kind of subtle adherence to it. Like I don't want to let it go. Maybe to a collector they mean nothing, but to me, they striked something and it's nice to look at.

But cull coins are nothing like these ones, the few I just found today, and a few before. (lo and behold there were worse ones, but just bothered to take a picture of these at the time).

Beginning-Middle-End

DSCF8277.jpg

DSCF8207.jpg

ANd GONE

DSCF8283.jpg

[jfines69]

Nice DDRs... Now for the fun part of searching hundreds of listed DDRs for this rev I think there are more of these DDRs than there are 60D RPMs but I haven't seen Wexlers 60D RPM listings

[VAB2013]

Jim, I just read your comment about using Dawn soap and water on really gunky cents. Just want to clarify for our new members that any coin that they might consider sending in for grading may and probably will suffer consequences of being graded as "cleaned" if they use dish soap. We have been told that acetone will not affect the coin to the point of being considered "cleaned".

Now I have a question... in BadThad's "The First Steps to Proper Coin Conservation" the Solvent Polarity Ladder includes, Distilled Water, Acetone and Xylene. I don't see where there would be a problem with the Distilled Water, but is Xylene okay to use if you are considering having the cent graded?

This has never happened to me but I have thought about the possibility of finding a rare Lincoln that has gunk on it (not realizing what it was at first) and then kicking myself for using something other than acetone to get the gunk off!

[mindtab]

VIv, I was wondering on those things as well. I read that vinegar is a harsh acid, while acetone is also harsh, non-acidic, but flammable. I tried isopropyl alcohol, mainly to remove grease. I also tried 'Dawn' dish soap, and even if rinsing with distilled water, it leaves a film residue on some; I guess it depends on the interaction of particular coins.

[VAB2013]

Mindtab, so far I have not sent any cents in for grading but I just stick with acetone since that is what our pros and experts have told us is safe and best to use.

[mindtab]

Viv, you can call me Camille. Excellent. I looked it up, is that pure acetone? What do you buy?

[VAB2013]

Okay, thank you Camille! Acetone is sold at Walmart and hardware stores, here's a link to one you can get at Walmart https://www.walmart.com/ip/Klean-Str...CABEgJAuvD_BwE

[mindtab]

Viv, near me, they don't have it at Wally world. I looked at Home Depot online, and they have one 8 miles away, for a dollar cheaper. I'll check it out. Thanks. So, to remove dirt and spots, does it work without removing the shine (if any) and underlying layer?

[VAB2013]

Viv, near me, they don't have it at Wally world. I looked at Home Depot online, and they have one 8 miles away, for a dollar cheaper. I'll check it out. Thanks. So, to remove dirt and spots, does it work without removing the shine (if any) and underlying layer?

Okay cool! Yes and no... Acetone will help to remove the gunk but it may not remove every bit of it. I start with 15-30 minute soaks (in a small glass container with a lid, just use enough to cover the coin so you don't waste it, it will evaporate if not covered), after the first 30 minutes or so if it looks like it's improving I will pour out the acetone, wipe the container out and try another 30 minutes. If the coin is not bad, usually the first 15-30 minutes is long enough. If it's real bad, sometimes overnight helps. There is no way to get rid of a spot on coin if it is corrosion, water spot from the minting rinse bath or a carbon spot. I have heard that using a Qtip is okay to gently roll over the area where the gunk is. I actually use a soft eye shadow brush, while the coin is sitting in the acetone and very gently brush the areas where the gunk is being stubborn, like the mint mark or around the devices of the motto. With a small makeup brush you have more control as to where you are brushing (instead of using a toothbrush or something larger and possibly more abrasive)

BTW... the culls I was telling you about in the box under my desk are ones that have so much corrosion that you can't read the date or tell for sure it's a Lincoln, or a Shield cent that has been beaten to death to the point you can barely tell it's a Shield cent.

[GrumpyEd]

I doubt dish soap and a good rinsing would hurt a circ coin.

When people talk about TPGs saying cleaned, that is not what it means at all. If they put "cleaned" on a label it was short for "improperly cleaned". That means they see lines from wiping or polishing. You could mess up the color on an unc or proof by some washing or strong detergen might make your circ look funny and pale or the PCGs "sniffer" might catch residue if you didn't rinse it off. What I'm saying is a light rinsing or washing a coin is not improper cleaning, it's scrubbing or wiping or messing up the color that is improper. That is why they say pat them dry don't wipe them.
The other risk of washing a pot of coins with detergent is the crud from those old cents (that greasy cigar smell) will get on your pot so don't use the pot you plan to cook from.

Even coin dips that strip the surface are often used on silver to make toned ones bright white, it's accepted by the TPGs and some will even do it for you, it isn't counted against the grade unless it was over dipped and they see it took off the flow lines.

I've know dealers that often dipped copper cent proofs, it's more risky than dipping silver but it's common and if done right they still grade. The key thing is, use fresh dip with each proof and never dip silver then copper in the same dip or it will put a metallic blue/silver color on the copper from the silver dissolved in the dip. If you submit a spotty proof or unc to a TPG and pay for restoration, they'll dip it... if it turns out ok they'll holder it straight grade. In the rare case where they mess it up then it won't get a straight grade.

[VAB2013]

Thanks Ed! The thing that concerns me with any kind of soap or detergent is I had some change in my jeans pocket that went through the washer. Oh boy they were clean and shiny but the Lincoln had a fake looking rainbow color on it. It wasn't like a toner, it was all over both sides rainbow color.

[GrumpyEd]

Thanks Ed! The thing that concerns me with any kind of soap or detergent is I had some change in my jeans pocket that went through the washer. Oh boy they were clean and shiny but the Lincoln had a fake looking rainbow color on it. It wasn't like a toner, it was all over both sides rainbow color.

That's more than a light rinsing/washing. It got thousands of spins rubbing in the pocket. LOL....