Dipping coins ...... before and after

[craton-migration]

Another thread got me thinking and in my opinion, when done right, dipping can be a good thing for our hobby. Here are a couple of examples of why I think so.

 

This dollar was dull and black. A quick dip and check it out.......

 

Now check out this Franklin that was living in an older ANACS holder. I spied the cameo contrast under the haze and check out what I found after a quick dip.

 

[NoTwilight]

WoW!!!

[EZ_E]

Both coins exhibit remarkable improvement!! Great examples, I believe, of exceptions to the "rule".

[BillJones]

These photos, especially for the Franklin half, prove that dipping can sometimes be beneficial. I too prefer original coins, but sometimes the toning is so unattractive that the coin benefits from a light dip.

 

The problems come in when people dip indiscriminately and when they do improperly without neutralizing the surfaces. Failure to neutralize the surfaces usually results in retoning that is particularly unattractive. Dipping should be an unusual procedure, but it does have its place.

[bsshog40]

What type of dipping product did you use, if I may ask!! Those are nice. I'm wanting to dip a couple of early dimes I have. They are barely readable and need something.

[copperman]

Another thread got me thinking and in my opinion, when done right, dipping can be a good thing for our hobby. Here are a couple of examples of why I think so.

 

This dollar was dull and black. A quick dip and check it out.......

 

Now check out this Franklin that was living in an older ANACS holder. I spied the cameo contrast under the haze and check out what I found after a quick dip.

 

 

very very nice!!

[SignatureSelect]

The franklin looks great it honestly doesn't even look like the same coin.

[craton-migration]

What type of dipping product did you use, if I may ask!! Those are nice. I'm wanting to dip a couple of early dimes I have. They are barely readable and need something.

 

Jewel Luster. You should start with a watered down mixture first. If you haven't done it before, you should practice with some BU kenedies first.

Also, make sure you rinse the coin off completely afterwards. Overkill on the rinsing! When you dry, do NOT wipe! Pat the coin dry. When I have it, I use a can of canned air also.

QUICK dip, RINSE RINSE RINSE and pat dry ....... NEVER wipe!

[spiny]

Those are fantastic examples of coins that benefited from dipping, Craton. Nice job!

I just wanted to add a few tips for people that want to try it.

Don't dip circulated coins. They just look unnaturally shiny and can take years to mellow out.

If you can't see luster through the toning you want to remove, it's likely there wont be luster there once the toning is removed. Most of the time with heavy toning, you'll be left with whitish tan areas where the dark areas were.

If you have an uncirculated coin that has lost it's luster, usually from how it was stored, dipping wont bring it back. You'll end up with a coin that gets blamed for being dipped out. I don't know how many dips a coin can take, but I've left Kennedys in the stuff for hours before without any noticeable change in the amount of luster.

If anyone is interested, I can post a series of pictures.

Oh, and a blowdryer is another good method for removing any residual moisture after patting the coin dry. Low heat, of course.

[MAULEMALL]

Those are fantastic examples of coins that benefited from dipping, Craton. Nice job!

I just wanted to add a few tips for people that want to try it.

Don't dip circulated coins. They just look unnaturally shiny and can take years to mellow out.

If you can't see luster through the toning you want to remove, it's likely there wont be luster there once the toning is removed. Most of the time with heavy toning, you'll be left with whitish tan areas where the dark areas were.

If you have an uncirculated coin that has lost it's luster, usually from how it was stored, dipping wont bring it back. You'll end up with a coin that gets blamed for being dipped out. I don't know how many dips a coin can take, but I've left Kennedys in the stuff for hours before without any noticeable change in the amount of luster.

If anyone is interested, I can post a series of pictures.

Oh, and a blowdryer is another good method for removing any residual moisture after patting the coin dry. Low heat, of course.

I've left Kennedys in the stuff for hours before without any noticeable change in the amount of luster. If anyone is interested, I can post a series of pictures. ,,,Always interested in pics,,,Please do.

[TomB]

Did the spot above and behind Ms Liberty's ear develop after slabbing? Also, the slabbed coin appears slightly yellow in hue, is this the case or is it simply lighting? I ask because improper rinsing after a dip can leave a coin susceptible to yellowing and spotting.

[craton-migration]

The franklin looks great it honestly doesn't even look like the same coin.

 

Look at the milk spot below the tip of the L between the L and I in LIBERTY. You can see a small trace of it in the dipped image.

[craton-migration]

Did the spot above and behind Ms Liberty's ear develop after slabbing? Also, the slabbed coin appears slightly yellow in hue, is this the case or is it simply lighting? I ask because improper rinsing after a dip can leave a coin susceptible to yellowing and spotting.

 

It was there before the slabbing. The angle that I took the pic at hid it somehow. The coin isn't yellow. Believe me, rinsing is just as important as the dipping. You can never rinse TOO much.

[bsshog40]

Thanks for the info!!

[123cents]

That dipping did wonders to the Franklin Half. I will have to try it out on one of my inexpensive coins.

[AzLarry]

Both of those coins are dramatically improved by the dipping. The only time dipping disturbs me is when it is done on a well circulated coin or when the coin is not rinsed and the residue is apparent.

[pendragon1998]

Killer results!

 

Are you rinsing in tap water or distilled?

[craton-migration]

Killer results!

 

Are you rinsing in tap water or distilled?

 

I know that I should use distilled but I use lowly tap water.

 

Now, I'd like to let everyone know that I'm not a dipping maniac. I only dip when I'm positive that the coin will look better ........ and that isn't very often. I have had a can of jewel Luster for probably 9 years now.

[spiny]

Those are fantastic examples of coins that benefited from dipping, Craton. Nice job!

I just wanted to add a few tips for people that want to try it.

Don't dip circulated coins. They just look unnaturally shiny and can take years to mellow out.

If you can't see luster through the toning you want to remove, it's likely there wont be luster there once the toning is removed. Most of the time with heavy toning, you'll be left with whitish tan areas where the dark areas were.

If you have an uncirculated coin that has lost it's luster, usually from how it was stored, dipping wont bring it back. You'll end up with a coin that gets blamed for being dipped out. I don't know how many dips a coin can take, but I've left Kennedys in the stuff for hours before without any noticeable change in the amount of luster.

If anyone is interested, I can post a series of pictures.

Oh, and a blowdryer is another good method for removing any residual moisture after patting the coin dry. Low heat, of course.

I've left Kennedys in the stuff for hours before without any noticeable change in the amount of luster. If anyone is interested, I can post a series of pictures. ,,,Always interested in pics,,,Please do.

 

You'll have to look past my lack of effort in taking these pictures, but I think what I'm talking about shows.

 

The original coin.

 

After a quick dip. It's green because I didn't think to redo the white balance after the ott lamp had warmed up.

 

Another 15 minute soak. More of the dark surface toning came off. The underlying discoloration remains the same.

 

I left it in for about two more hours. A little more of the dark areas lightened up. The luster hasn't changed (the obverse is darker in the picture because of shadow).

 

Of course, I'm not saying it's a good idea to do this. I just don't think it's anywhere near as bad as some people make it out to be.

[Dcoin]

I've seen dipped coins go both ways. Some like the examples here look awesome, but if done wrong they can just as easily look unnaturally shiny. I once bought a roll of Morgans from a collector who had wrongly dipped all of them. For bullion it was great, but all wrong for collectors.

 

Dcoin

[bsshog40]

I wish I could have gotten some better after pics, anyways. I bought me some jewel luster and here are the results!!

[NoTwilight]

That's what everyone's afraid of: Dipping makes coins fuzzy.

[bsshog40]

Only the pics are fuzzy. The coins turned out 100% better than what they were.

[TomB]

In my opinion, what you have done to those circulated Barber dimes is one of the great crimes perpetuated in the name of dipping. That is, dipped circulated coinage generally looks awful to most other than novice collectors.

[MikeInFL]

While they are your posessions and you may do with them what you wish, I do not subscribe to the same policy when it comes to dipped coins.

 

Short of stopping active corrosion, I am of the opinion that there's no such thing as a "good" dipping. These coins will revert back to towards previous state in time, but now with fresh chemically etched surfaces and the results will be much worse in all likelihood. It is penny wise and pound foolish. If you don't like a coin, don't buy it. Appreciate a coin for what it is, don't try and improve what years of handling and storage and history gave it.

 

All of the above is just this fool's opinion, and from the looks of things, that of the minority...Mike

[Amanda]

Aww, I liked them better before.

 

-Amanda

[bsshog40]

I would've liked them the way before but I couldn't actually see any details. They only cost me a buck anyway!!

[Houston Investor]

Work them some more with a q tip soaked in dip and the remaining junk should come off. Just lightly tap the area repeatedly and you see the black spots come off. I worked a 1934-S circ Peace Dollar fairly heavily encrusted with ugly brown dark toning for prob about half an hour and it all came off and the coin looks great. Looks like a nice VF. A 1934 Maryland (PCGS 64) with russet spots (which eventually bugged me to much) - these came off right away then I did a quick in and out to get the whole coin uniform and the coin looks MS 65 (a real blazer now) and is on its way back for grading.

 

The coins you have pictured definitely needed not only a dip but some serious q tip work! You can now put them in 2x2's, put a price on them and put them in your case.

[bsshog40]

I actually got the same grade with the 1898, but I went up 1 grade with the 1914 being able to read at least 3 letters of the liberty. I'm not really out to make money on my coins anyway. They're mostly for my pleasure. I took a couple uncirculated sacs that had some yellowish toning going on them, dipped for about 3 seconds and it was gone. I like the dip for coins that don't have a substantial value to them for me. It's a nice tool.

[lkenefic]

WOW!!! Sort of reminds me of the story where... " ...I bought this $2 POS market AG3 from a flea market...dipped it for 20 minutes...worked it with a Q-Tip and a Brillo pad for an hour...and then worked myself into a lather when I sent of off to a fifth tier TPG. I d@mn near fainted when it came back in MS67 plastic!! Now I can flip it for for $2K!!!!!!!"

 

Sorry...I couldn't resist...

 

Anyway, I'm not a huge fan of dipping and I think the PVC damage to the dime could have been taken care of with xylol or acetone. Dip is sort of a "last resort" and if the coin needs this extreame measure I wouldn't be buying it in the first place...even for a buck.

 

Leo