Amarmur Posted September 24, 2023 · Member Share Posted September 24, 2023 I found an 1804 half cent in a 6 for a dollar bin. Good news that's it's a fairly rare and valuable coin. Bad news is its covered with verdigris and junk. It is in pretty good shape besides the gunk attached to it. How can I safely clean this coin without damaging it? I never cleaned a coin before so it's a new thing to me. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
CPK Posted September 25, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted September 25, 2023 Boy I don't know. I do know that cleaning is a huge no-no on modern/US coins. Then again, given the coin's condition it probably wouldn't lower the value that much. I'd maybe try a rag and acetone to remove any gunk buildup. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benefactor robinjojo Posted September 25, 2023 · Benefactor Benefactor Share Posted September 25, 2023 (edited) Yes, you might want to soak it in 100% acetone. Judging from the photos, there seems to be old glue on both sides. The acetone will not harm the copper, but it will dissolve things like glue and PVC reside. You might need to leave the coin in the bath for a while. Caution, though: acetone is very flammable and should be used only in an area that is well ventilated. Try not to breath in the fumes. Rinse the coin thoroughly with distilled water and dried with a soft towel. You might need to repeat the process. There might be some corrosion on the reverse. Only after the acetone treatment can this be confirmed. The coin might also have been plated and mounted at some point. It's hard to determine at this point. If that yellow patch remains after the acetone bath, look at it closely to determine its composition. Make sure you're using 100% acetone and not diluted nail polish remover. If there is still some residue, try putting the coin in a bath of distilled water. That might loosen some of the deposits. Cotton swaps are useful for this process. Good luck. Edited September 25, 2023 by robinjojo 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
expat Posted September 25, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted September 25, 2023 I would suggest a long bath in distilled water first. Acetone will only loosen/remove organic substances. After the distilled water see what acetone will achieve after no longer than 15 minutes. Do not rub, just rinse under a flow of distilled water, then allow to dry thoroughly or dip it briefly in acetone again, it will evaporate very quickly. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Amarmur Posted September 25, 2023 · Member Author Share Posted September 25, 2023 6 hours ago, expat said: I would suggest a long bath in distilled water first. Acetone will only loosen/remove organic substances. After the distilled water see what acetone will achieve after no longer than 15 minutes. Do not rub, just rinse under a flow of distilled water, then allow to dry thoroughly or dip it briefly in acetone again, it will evaporate very quickly. How long should I put in in distilled water? 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
expat Posted September 25, 2023 · Supporter Share Posted September 25, 2023 5 minutes ago, Amarmur said: How long should I put in in distilled water? Depends on the severity of it. At least 24 hours. The downside is that removing surface corrosion may reveal a damaged surface even worse. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Paddy54 Posted October 5, 2023 · Member Share Posted October 5, 2023 (edited) Verdicare I highly recommend this product. I use it quite often. Im quite sure if you message the seller he will be more than happy to answer any and all questions. https://www.ebay.com/sch/i.html?_trkparms=folent%3Averdicare|folenttp%3A1&_trksid=p3542580.m47492.l71970&_ssn=verdicare Edited October 5, 2023 by Paddy54 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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