Fresh fingerprints on coins

Hi, I've been lurking for a couple of weeks and have appreciated
getting new information on coins. This is a good group.

I recently purchased a couple of bank rolls of clad uncirculated
quarters. The quarters were apparently picked through by someone who
decided gloves weren't needed. The smudges ruin the look of the coins
and I'm afraid that the coins will only look worse as time wears on.

I've read that acetone is the only acceptable way to clean coins, but
I don't know if it will be effective against serious fingerprints.
Has anyone used acetone for fingerprints? Any advice is welcomed.

AC

"Anita" wrote in message
...
Hi, I've been lurking for a couple of weeks and have appreciated
getting new information on coins. This is a good group.

I recently purchased a couple of bank rolls of clad uncirculated
quarters. The quarters were apparently picked through by someone who
decided gloves weren't needed. The smudges ruin the look of the coins
and I'm afraid that the coins will only look worse as time wears on.

I've read that acetone is the only acceptable way to clean coins, but
I don't know if it will be effective against serious fingerprints.
Has anyone used acetone for fingerprints? Any advice is welcomed.

AC



I have used acetone many times for one thing or another on coins. My
experience is that it won't remove fingerprints.

Dale

my website
http://www.austriancoins.com
nothing for sale, information only

"Anita" wrote in message
...
Hi, I've been lurking for a couple of weeks and have appreciated
getting new information on coins. This is a good group.

I recently purchased a couple of bank rolls of clad uncirculated
quarters. The quarters were apparently picked through by someone who
decided gloves weren't needed. The smudges ruin the look of the coins
and I'm afraid that the coins will only look worse as time wears on.

I've read that acetone is the only acceptable way to clean coins, but
I don't know if it will be effective against serious fingerprints.
Has anyone used acetone for fingerprints? Any advice is welcomed.

AC

If the fingerprints consist only of oils sitting above the surface, and they
haven't been there for long, they will respond to acetone. However, if the
oils have attacked and etched the surface of the coin, the oils can still be
removed, but the damage will remain.

James

On Sun, 13 Feb 2005 16:23:50 -0600, "Dale Hallmark"
wrote:

I have used acetone many times for one thing or another on coins. My
experience is that it won't remove fingerprints.

Dale

Thanks, Dale. I was afraid that would be the answer for the oily
prints. I have a few Morgans with defacing fingerprints. They can
really damage a coin with time.

AC

But they will still secure a conviction on DNA evidence !

Anita wrote in news:qhjv01le19h5vj8frjb8dcj9qtbh2rjke1@
4ax.com:

Hi, I've been lurking for a couple of weeks and have appreciated
getting new information on coins. This is a good group.

I recently purchased a couple of bank rolls of clad uncirculated
quarters. The quarters were apparently picked through by someone who
decided gloves weren't needed. The smudges ruin the look of the coins
and I'm afraid that the coins will only look worse as time wears on.

I've read that acetone is the only acceptable way to clean coins, but
I don't know if it will be effective against serious fingerprints.
Has anyone used acetone for fingerprints? Any advice is welcomed.

AC

If they are fairly fresh, perhaps agitating them in some hot soapy distilled
water would do the trick.

On Sun, 13 Feb 2005 23:58:49 GMT, Xray wrote:

If they are fairly fresh, perhaps agitating them in some hot soapy distilled
water would do the trick.

A couple of rays of hope. I think I'll try the acetone -- thanks,
James -- then soapy distilled water if the acetone fails. The quarters
are Arkansas, so I want to keep them in good shape. This has made me a
bit cautious about ordering bank rolls, even though I've not had
problems before. I could have returned the rolls if I hadn't opened
them, but then I wouldn't have known there was a problem.

Oh, well. This will be a good experience in learning to "legally"
tidy up coins.

AC

"Anita" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 13 Feb 2005 23:58:49 GMT, Xray wrote:

If they are fairly fresh, perhaps agitating them in some hot soapy
distilled
water would do the trick.

A couple of rays of hope. I think I'll try the acetone -- thanks,
James -- then soapy distilled water if the acetone fails. The quarters
are Arkansas, so I want to keep them in good shape. This has made me a
bit cautious about ordering bank rolls, even though I've not had
problems before. I could have returned the rolls if I hadn't opened
them, but then I wouldn't have known there was a problem.

Oh, well. This will be a good experience in learning to "legally"
tidy up coins.

AC

Water and coins do not mix so well. Perhaps
for well circulated silver, but not for copper nickel
coins brilliant uncirculated.

A product called MS70 works well and is non acid.



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Board member of Texas Coin Dealers Association,
Member: Texas Numismatic Assoc, American Numismatic Assoc.
"Tom" wrote in message
...

"Anita" wrote in message
...
On Sun, 13 Feb 2005 23:58:49 GMT, Xray wrote:

If they are fairly fresh, perhaps agitating them in some hot soapy
distilled
water would do the trick.

A couple of rays of hope. I think I'll try the acetone -- thanks,
James -- then soapy distilled water if the acetone fails. The quarters
are Arkansas, so I want to keep them in good shape. This has made me a
bit cautious about ordering bank rolls, even though I've not had
problems before. I could have returned the rolls if I hadn't opened
them, but then I wouldn't have known there was a problem.

Oh, well. This will be a good experience in learning to "legally"
tidy up coins.

AC

Water and coins do not mix so well. Perhaps
for well circulated silver, but not for copper nickel
coins brilliant uncirculated.