Ideas Anybody?

[DaveG38 408]

Anyone got any ideas about this little conundrum? I've just bought a bulk lot of hammered coins and in amongst them is a group of three silver penny sized coins, plus a couple of slivers of silver, which appear to all be stuck together. From what I can see of the coins, they are fairly low grade and may even be foreign so I'm happy to look to fairly drastic measures to separate them. So what's best? Heat? Oven or blowtorch? Soaking in oil? Prising with a screwdriver (just joking, but......)??

I won't hold it against anybody if a suggestion fails catastrophically.

[Coinery 1,157]

Got to be worth an acetone soak, Dave, to see whether it might dissolve/soften the 'adhesive'?

[jelida 1,317]

I would go for an electrolytic method to remove the corrosion products.

Jerry

[DaveG38 408]

I would go for an electrolytic method to remove the corrosion products.

Jerry

Is this the same method as used to remove dirt etc. from buried coins? If so, I've got a kit, but will it affect the silver - I have a degree in chemistry, but my knowledge of electro-chemistry is fading now.

[DaveG38 408]

I would go for an electrolytic method to remove the corrosion products.

Jerry

Is this the same method as used to remove dirt etc. from buried coins? If so, I've got a kit, but will it affect the silver - I have a degree in chemistry, but my knowledge of electro-chemistry is fading now.

Just had a look at the instructions for my kit and it says 'do not be tempted to clean silver coins' so I guess that's another idea gone. However, it does suggest using lemon juice (citric acid) to clean the crud off silver. I may well try this one and see how it works.