Will The Maple Dissolve?!

[DrDave]

So, as per the challenge set by @LawrenceChard, one of my 2015 Maples is having a long soak in a solution of Bicarb to see if it will lose any wieght in the process.

My logic tells me that it probably won't, as the chemical reaction isn't removing silver from the coin, just the sulphide which is the tarnish.

I'll change the solution and the foil each day for a week or so, and update this thread.

Today's weigh in puts the coin at 31.2g, and you can see the condition of the surface in the images. I've not colour corrected or edited any of the faces.

 

[Scootermuppet]

My bet is that it won't lose any weight - the Silver Sulphide will be turned to aluminium Sulphide and deposited on the foil, leaving the silver of the coin on the coin...

Once it's all gone, the reaction should stop - wouldn't think the bicarb solution would have any negative effect on the coin, but we shall see...

[LawrenceChard]

23 minutes ago, DrDave said:

So, as per the challenge set by @LawrenceChard, one of my 2015 Maples is having a long soak in a solution of Bicarb to see if it will lose any wieght in the process.

My logic tells me that it probably won't, as the chemical reaction isn't removing silver from the coin, just the sulphide which is the tarnish.

I'll change the solution and the foil each day for a week or so, and update this thread.

Today's weigh in puts the coin at 31.2g, and you can see the condition of the surface in the images. I've not colour corrected or edited any of the faces.

 

Aha!

If you are only weighing the coin to 1 decimal place, it is almost certain not to detect any weight change.

We even use a metric carat diamond balance, which weighs to 3 decimal places, so to 1/5000th of a gram.

The scale you are using is akin to using a Kodak Brownie!

😎

[stefffana]

I don't think will lose some weight.

I have used this method several times until now, even boiling silver objects (not coins so far). The tarnish is going, the silver is untouched by reaction.

Edited August 2, 2022 by stefffana

[DrDave]

3 minutes ago, LawrenceChard said:

Aha!

If you are only weighing the coin to 1 decimal place, it is almost certain not to detect any weight change.

We even use a metric carat diamond balance, which weighs to 3 decimal places, so to 1/5000th of a gram.

The scale you are using is akin to using a Kodak Brownie!

😎

I took the pics with a Brownie, so all seems fair!

 

[DrDave]

6 minutes ago, stefffana said:

I don't think will lose some weight.

I have used this method several times until now, even boiling silver objects (not coins so far). The tarnish is going, the silver is untouched by reaction.

If we were being totally scientific then we'd weigh the foil too. In theory the coin would loose the mass of the sulphide thats released from the tarnish, and the foil should gain it.

But with my two-bob drug dealer scales, we'll probably never know for sure 🤓

[DrDave]

33 minutes ago, Scootermuppet said:

My bet is that it won't lose any weight - the Silver Sulphide will be turned to aluminium Sulphide and deposited on the foil, leaving the silver of the coin on the coin...

Once it's all gone, the reaction should stop - wouldn't think the bicarb solution would have any negative effect on the coin, but we shall see...

I agree, but i'm new here so what do i know? 🤔😂

[Orpster]

following to be nosey  

Edited August 2, 2022 by Orpster

[DrDave]

1 minute ago, Orpster said:

following to be nosey  

Welcome to our (possibly pointless) thread 🤔

[daca]

Next experiment: "turning" lead in to gold 🧐

[Orpster]

2 minutes ago, DrDave said:

Welcome to our (possibly pointless) thread 🤔

I have quite a few milky coins, mostly where I have kept them in tubes and not put them in individual capsules.

While it bothers me not in the slightest while they are in my stack, if I ever want to sell individually knowing what will and wont work may be useful.

[stefffana]

8 minutes ago, DrDave said:

... totally scientific..... weigh..... theory..... loose the mass.......sulphide......... gain it...... scales.... 

I knew I have seen you before....🤔

[stefffana]

3 minutes ago, daca said:

Next experiment: "turning" lead in to gold 🧐

Vote results:

We are in!😁

[GoldDiggerDave]

1 hour ago, DrDave said:

So, as per the challenge set by @LawrenceChard, one of my 2015 Maples is having a long soak in a solution of Bicarb to see if it will lose any wieght in the process.

My logic tells me that it probably won't, as the chemical reaction isn't removing silver from the coin, just the sulphide which is the tarnish.

I'll change the solution and the foil each day for a week or so, and update this thread.

Today's weigh in puts the coin at 31.2g, and you can see the condition of the surface in the images. I've not colour corrected or edited any of the faces.

 

Are these the before or after photos?  

 

 

 

 

 

[DrDave]

3 minutes ago, GoldDiggerDave said:

Are these the before or after photos?  

 

 

 

 

 

Before. 

It was the worst that i had 🤓

[SidS]

Can I be the first to guess that the coin will gain weight? 😁

I'm worried about all the poor bicarb you might lose in the reaction, what with inflation these days bicarb ain't as cheap as it used to be.

[DrDave]

20 minutes ago, Orpster said:

I have quite a few milky coins, mostly where I have kept them in tubes and not put them in individual capsules.

While it bothers me not in the slightest while they are in my stack, if I ever want to sell individually knowing what will and wont work may be useful.

Milk spots are something different. I dont know if theses a fix, but its worth a question to the wise

[DrDave]

1 minute ago, SidS said:

Can I be the first to guess that the coin will gain weight? 😁

I'm worried about all the poor bicarb you might lose in the reaction, what with inflation these days bicarb ain't as cheap as it used to be.

Its ok. I'll dry the bicarb out and use it for this weekend muffins!. They'll never notice at the camera club!

[BackyardBullion]

I think if you had scales that went to 3 or more decimal places you might notice something, but on one decimal not a chance that is moving 🙂 

[GoldDiggerDave]

As little tip mix well and filter the electrolyte solution,  a cafeteria works a charm makes the solution less gritty, not that big a problem playing with billion coins helps with proof coins............it's simple enough to remove the milk spots.   🤗

[Pete]

Save your foil and bicarb - wasting your time I am afraid.
As for milk spots the only method of getting rid of these is mechanical polishing.
No acids, dips or passive methods will remove silver pox.
If I had an industrial pulsed laser I would be tempted to see if the laser could blast away the surface stains but I am sure it would leave a mark so polishing is the only way. Doesn't work though on satin finished silver as polishing such a background turns a dull grey surface into a bright shiny surface.

[GoldDiggerDave]

3 minutes ago, Pete said:

Save your foil and bicarb - wasting your time I am afraid.
As for milk spots the only method of getting rid of these is mechanical polishing.
No acids, dips or passive methods will remove silver pox.
If I had an industrial pulsed laser I would be tempted to see if the laser could blast away the surface stains but I am sure it would leave a mark so polishing is the only way. Doesn't work though on satin finished silver as polishing such a background turns a dull grey surface into a bright shiny surface.

I beg to differ 🤗

[SidS]

Basically you need to sandblast the coin to remove milkspots, failing that something less invasive, drill a hole through the respective milk spot, or melt the coin down and have it restruck - slightly more invasive... 😁

[DrDave]

9 minutes ago, BackyardBullion said:

I think if you had scales that went to 3 or more decimal places you might notice something, but on one decimal not a chance that is moving 🙂 

I've got some more accurate scales arriving tomorrow.

I'll choose another coin and start again 🤓

[GoldDiggerDave]

Before