Wow! Sulfuric Acid Is Nothing To Play With!

[smartfox]

While I was cleaning my coins with soap and water there were 2 coins that had all this crust and I could not see the date. I decided to do an experiment so I got some acid that I put into the pool at times to keep the ph balanced and decided to pour some of it in a lirtte cup so I put the 2 pennies in. Once I put the pennies in it they started to make smoke. At one point I freaked out because I could smell the smoke and it smelled like a fart-like smell. I right away got away from the smoke substance because it could be bad to breath. My mistake was that I left the pennies in the acid too long. I thought that the acid was only going to eat the crust around it. The final outcome was that I ended up pouring the acid with the pennies on the dirt. One of them I could tell was a regular penny but the other one was so eaten that it was like a liquidy substance.

maybe next time just add very little sulfuric acid. It was a bit of a scary experience. Be careful when you deal with that stuff.

[Toadie]

I once used air conditioning coil cleaner to clean coins. It was the pink coil cleaner. It was working great and I had poured some into a lead crystal shot glass to make retrieving the coins easier. Well, I had a couple that were really crusty and decided to let them soak for a while. Went into town with the family, ate dinner and came back home. Went to check on my coins and found a big mess. The coil cleaner had ate through the crystal and onto the laminate workbench I had it setting on. Tried to wipe it up and the laminate was a gooey mess. The surface had softened to liquid mush. Upon cleaning it all up, I found the coins I left behind earlier. They were shiny and bright. The coil cleaner had cleaned them up considerable but removed all the patina off them in the process.

That was the last time I used anything other than olive oil. Now I use empty 1 lb. plastic coffee containers with the date written on them sitting in the garage that I check weekly. They are full of olive oil and have a plastic rack made out of strawberry baskets sitting in each one. I normally can get 15 coins in each container without them touching each other.

This way is safer for me, the family and I do not have to worry about fumes or acidic reactions.

James

[journeyoftheanimals]

Wow, some good lessons here on what not to do. How does olive oil work though?

[dougdann]

Olive oil is slightly acidic. Coins can be soaked for years. Just changing out the olive oil when it turns a blue or very dark green color. At those colors damage can occur to the coin. Before putting in new olive oil several good rinses with distilled water is suggested.

Heat does increase the effect of the olive oil.
Maybe sitting the jar by a window for the sunlight and heat or sitting outside.

I have used liquid drain cleaner before on ancient coins, but only when they were fully encrusted.
Almost like being encased in a rock.
but be carefull of the fumes and have good ventilation. And don't use bare hands when using any chemical.
But once getting to the actual coin the drain cleaner is too harsh.

Lemon juice and vinegar work well on purer silver coins.
Any coins with bronze or other metals than silver will make the bronze,etc, leech out of the coin. Showing the bronze and taking away from the attractiviness of the coin.
At least when cleaning ancient coins, not sure about other eras.
Definitely not good on clad.

The ultimate suggestion.
Distilled water.
Olive oil.
Minimal cleaning.
Never overclean any coin. If it comes down to stubborn dirt. Leave the dirt.
Better to leave a little dirt than damage the coin.

take care
Doug

[smartfox]

this is all great info. I do not think I will ever use sulfuric acid again. I will use olive oil and other stuff. Wow! did not realize olive oil could do the trick. Does olive oil ruin the coin of there for too long? does it remove the crust?

[dougdann]

Hi,
The olive oil will only damage the coin if the oil isn't changed when it has turned dark,dark green or a blue.
Change the oil and use distilled water for a good rinse between the changes.

I have soaked for 1 1/2 years before and the coins were fine.

Only a couple coins were damaged and due to bronze disease.
But they were more than likely destined to have bronze disease regardless of the cleaning method.

Bronze disease is a form of oxidation. There are good and bad forms of oxidation.
Patina is the good form. The bad form is usually blue, brown or black.
At least as it relates to ancient coins. With todays alloys of metals I'm not sure if these colors are the same. But i'm sure it s close to the same.
The bronze disease can esily be identified by its' powdery form.
Just a light scrape with your fingernail or a plastic object will be enough to scrape away the powdery bronze disease if it is in fact bronze disease.

Patina is always good.


Doug

[gordiesgirl]

Sulfuric acid (wow) you are lucky you didn't get severly burned. or worse over come by fumes.
I think I will leave the chemicals alone and stick with peroxide and vinagar.
I went on Chucks site today he has an electrolasis system for sale maybe that will work for you. (Treasure hut). Chemical science could get you killed. stay safe and good luck.