Acetone cleaning?

[EgCollector]

Hi all,

Is it safe to place a Lincoln cent in acetone, and if Yes for How long shold i leave the coin in it ?

Thanks

[Triggersmob]

Amr,
Acetone will not harm the Lincoln cent over a short period. I have not emersed them for any long period, so maybe someone else can enlighten you here.
Copper can tend to get colourful tones on the surface if dipping is done in cold weather (that might not worry you in Egypt). So I would recommend warm conditions when dipping, followed by distilled water rinse and pat dry with a soft cloth.

[EgCollector]

Thanks Steve

Correct me if i am wrong, the acetone that i intend to use is that found at the pharmacy "the one used for nail polish removing" right?

Bytheway, i didnt receive the package yet and i sent you a reply to your last mail today 

[Nevol]

I would not use Nail Polish Remover on any coin.  Nail Polish Remover contains other harsh chemicals & you are likely to end up with a very damaged coin.

Acetone used for 'dipping' coins is 100% pure Acetone, available in hardware stores & Auto stores etc.  Some people add it to their petrol tank to boost their car's performance.

[Triggersmob]

Thanks, Nancy. I forgot to specify that.

Amr, hopefully your package shouldn't be too far away. When I saw this post I was hoping you had received the Lincolns.
Sent you back an e-mail.

[EgCollector]

Thanks Nancy, You have saved my Lincolns 
I'll try to find the 100% Acetone, but if i use it How long should i keep the Lincoln cents in it??

And Will my coins be considered cleaned ?

Thanks

[ElleKitty]

Amr, your coins shouldn't be labelled as cleaned if you soak them in acetone.  Acetone doesn't remove any metal and isn't a harsh abrasive.  It simply eats away any plastics that might have attached themselves to the surface of your coins. This is really good for cleaning old, sticky PVC from the surface of a coin. 

[Nevol]

I'd be inclined to try it out on coins that aren't part of your main collection before using it on coins with any value.  It's better to be safe than sorry.

What are you trying to remove from the Lincolns?

[EgCollector]

Amr, hopefully your package shouldn't be too far away. When I saw this post I was hoping you had received the Lincolns.

No, These are from another package i received from USA  
Usually packages take 10 to 14 days from USA and 3 to 4 weeks from Australia to reach Egypt.  

Thanks for you concern Steve

[EgCollector]

What are you trying to remove from the Lincolns?

I dont know exactly, but some Wheets have a layer on it. I think it is similar to that formed when you place a tape on a surface and then remove it. It forms a sticky layer.
I think this looks the same but with a difference that it is not sticky and it didnt turn black.
The coins were place in a dansco album.

It looks as if the coins have dust on them 

[EgCollector]

This is really good for cleaning old, sticky PVC from the surface of a coin. 

I think it might be PVC because the coins are placed in a dansco album for a long time now.

It looks the same as when you wipe a surface with a wet towel and leave it to air dry, it aquires a thin non sticky layer of something like dust. 

[EgCollector]

[EgCollector]

[EgCollector]

[EgCollector]

[EgCollector]

[EgCollector]

Hope someone could help..

[EgCollector]

These are larger pics, hope they show the layer i am talking about

[Paint Your Wagon]

That is green rot
Tilt
Game over

[EgCollector]

Pardon my ignorance, but what does that mean?

No hope?
Coin is worthless? 

[KurtS]

"Green rot" is verdigris which is either copper carbonate or copper chloride, depending on environmental exposure. This looks like verdigris to me, where it's corroded into the coin, leaving a raised circular lump.  Judging by the reddish coloration, this penny was exposed to something that reacted with the copper--perhaps mildly acidic conditions. 1951 is a pretty common year, so the verdigris doesn't affect value that much for a VF coin. When I find some "stretched pennies", I'll include a nicer example from around this year with those in a trade. 

[EgCollector]

Thanks Kurts for the info