Nice Half Dollar 17 S Obverse; Quarter 17 D Obverse; Clean before grading?

[jsilver2th]

Nice Half Dollar 17 S Obverse; Quarter 17 D Obverse; Clean before grading?

 

Hello Friends: Say here is another question- Here are two nice coins and I would like to know your thoughts on this- Are these coins that you would have professionally cleaned or do you think I could give them an acetone bath- before having them graded or have them graded as is?

 

Each seems to have abit of dirt or debris that is not toning and each seems to have a little bit of green stuff in a couple of spots. Unlike some of my other coins these were not very well packaged and protected and spent many years sort of wrapped in paper and tissue and stuck in a on leather bank bag with a bunch of trade tokens and misc. Still they seem very nice and have great lustre- seems to me anyway.

 

I am trying to get better pictures as opposed to scans and I am interested in any one's opinion about whether or not these photo are useful, not to useful or useless. I am trying to learn. I know the obverse of the quarter shot is not much but you can get the idea enough for my question I guess.

 

Thanks agains for everyone's help. I have been working on pictures of the Morgan dollars if you followed that thread and have some I am going to post today to see if they are useful in addition to the scans. Sorry for being so e-challenged on all of this. Thanks.

 

Here is the Half Dollar- I have multiple pics on the obverse- if any one might have an opinion about the comparative usefulness of these I would love to hear.

 

Walking Liberty 17 S Obverse

 

 

Walking Liberty 17 S Reverse

 

 

The problems I would like to see if could be addressed by professiona cleaning or may be giving acetone bath are for example: Obverse: Starting between the LI and running down to right above foot there is some light green streaking action, the more up to top edge between the E and the T there is more of this and other spots as well. On Reverse: More of it down by Eagle claws and bottom edge. The green stripes and spots just do not show well in these pictures.

 

Walking Liberty 25 Cents 17 D Obverse

 

 

Walking Liberty 25 Cents 17 D Reverse

 

 

The problems I would like to see if could be addressed by professiona cleaning or may be giving acetone bath are for example: Obverse: Some of the green stuff spots on the shield. Very dark black action around the knees. Reverse: Darker spotting along edges, looks like something other than toning- unsure; Dark action along the wings edges toward right. The green spots just do not show well in these pictures.

 

MaybeI need more pictures- this drives me to distraction- I only have a couple of hours a day to work on this project- sorry for being such a klutz.

 

Again thanks so much. My Grandmother Laura Silvertooth collected these coins in Oregon many years ago and I guess they were taken out of circulation about 1960.

 

I am addiing some pictures that hopefully show the green issues and dirt on the quarter better.

These three pictures above I edited them with the controls to enhance the green issues. Normally I won't try and edit a picture.

[ldhair]

I don't feel they will grade based on the images. If I owned them I would give them an acetone bath, actually several. No rubbing of any kind and see what you have from that point.

[WoodenJefferson]

Am I seeing things, or is there something around the rim of those perched coins?

[jsilver2th]

Thank you. Can I ask why you don't think they would grade-

[jsilver2th]

I believe what you are seeing are the "Kointain" holders around the coins.

[Keigwin]

Not only is it okay to give those two coins an acetone bath it is imperative. They are suffering from PVC and damage may already have been done.

 

There is no risk with an acetone bath (as long as it takes).

 

The WLH appears to have some hairlines from improper cleaning. Maybe it's just the photo. Have you examined it with a loupe?

 

The darker areas you point out are likely toning/tarnish which will not be removed by acetone. They might "dip-out" with eZest but I wouldn't recommend it. The coins have enough potential problems and I wouldn't risk further damage to the surfaces.

Lance.

[jsilver2th]

Interesting- I doubt very much though that they were ever in PVC or any plastic holder. I would think that it is something else that you see. I don't know of they were ever cleaned but it certainly is possible years ago. I'd say since about 1975-1980 they definately would not have been cleaned. Back in those days I doubt very much they were dipped. Thanks for the suggestions. I have to go through a little learning on the acetone bath first but after I give it a try these are on the top of the list. Last night my 91 year old mom said she'd get some "Tarn-X"- don't worry- when my brother and I were kids we used to like to clean coins with Comet and a tooh brush- not these- don't worry.

[Keigwin]

The hairlines are faint, not in every photo, and may very well be from circulation. Your later photos (I didn't see originally) make me feel better.

 

You don't need to find a reason for the PVC. You need to remove it. And that is what acetone does.

 

There's not much to study about the process. Use pure acetone from a hardware store, not nail polish from a drug store. Soak the coins for a while, in a glass or metal container (nothing plastic). I would do a second soak too.

 

Some collectors like to rinse in distilled water. I'm one of them. Others use nothing. Allow to air dry if you rinse with water.

 

Let us know how it goes!

Lance.

 

 

[jsilver2th]

Thanks Lance- I never done an acetome wash- I did buy some from the hardware store- I will try it out on something first and when I do these I will definately post the results. Thanks.

[Keigwin]

Don't be timid about acetone. You can't hurt the coin. It only acts on organic material. It won't damage the coin.

 

I've left coins in acetone for more than a week (not intentionally...just forgot).

 

I meant to say do it in a well-ventilated area. The stuff is pretty noxious. And don't light a flame around it.

Lance.

[supertooth]

PM sent. Bob [supertooth]

[jsilver2th]

Second Coin 17 S Walker-

I actually have two of these. This is a scan inside a Kointain. No time to mess with the camera today! Same issues to lesser degree.