Reveal Your Coins’ True Beauty
Numismatic Conservation Services™ (NCS®) is the world’s first and foremost professional conservation service, with more than 1 million coins, tokens and medals conserved since its founding in 2001.
A professional approach to numismatic conservation.
From within a state-of-the-art secure facility, NCS uses a variety of proprietary techniques to remove harmful surface contaminants, stabilize and protect a coin’s surfaces, and improve eye appeal. The American Numismatic Association (ANA), the only coin collecting organization chartered by US Congress, and the Professional Numismatists Guild (PNG) have named NCS their conservation service of choice. Read more >
Entrusted with the world’s most extraordinary coins
NCS has conserved and preserved many of the world’s most important numismatic rarities and collections, including pieces from the Smithsonian Institution. In addition to these rare and valuable vintage coins, NCS has handled coins recovered from four major shipwrecks along with countless modern coins.
What is numismatic conservation?
Collectible coins are susceptible to damage and changes of appearance as a result of improper storage and packaging, adverse environmental effects, mishandling, and natural changes over time. Surface contaminants such as PVC and other residues, soils, tarnish, spots and encrustation can diminish eye appeal and even permanently damage coins.
NCS pioneered a professional approach to numismatic conservation and can safely remove these harmful surface contaminants and often dramatically improve a coin’s eye appeal. Unlike improper cleaning, which will permanently impair a coin’s surfaces, professional conservation from NCS reveals a coin’s originality.
NCS will never perform repairs such as filling holes or smoothing scratches, or do any type of mechanical alteration. The techniques used by NCS are non-invasive and widely accepted by industry experts.
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Join todayWhat NCS conservation can do
Prolonged exposure to an unstable environment can cause coins of all types to develop haze, spots, encrustation, verdigris, corrosion and tarnish. NCS specializes in the removal of these harmful surface contaminants and the stabilization of a coin’s surfaces. Read more >
Conservation for vintage and modern coins alike
All coin types can be affected by surface contaminants and negative environmental reactions. In many cases, coins have been stored or sold in soft plastic flips or mint packaging that contains polyvinyl chloride (PVC), a chemical now known to slowly leach onto the surfaces of a coin. If not safely removed, PVC and other residues will eventually result in permanent damage.
Some of these issues will make a coin ineligible for grading by Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC), an independent affiliate of NCS, if not first addressed by professional conservation. After conservation by NCS, coins can be transferred to NGC for certification and, depending on the surface condition, will be numerically graded or NGC Details graded.
Important Note: Many coins are artificially toned or have had substances applied in attempt to hide other problems such as scratches or improper cleaning. These issues may become apparent after NCS removes the artificial toning or applied substances, but they are in no way caused by NCS’s conservation techniques. None of NCS’s techniques will cause scratches or an “Improperly Cleaned” notation at NGC, an independent affiliate of NCS.
PVC, glue and dip residues
Residue caused by PVC holders, glue or dip chemicals can often be safely removed by NCS conservation. If left untreated, these residues can permanently damage a coin’s surfaces. Many modern Chinese coins have been sold in packaging that contains PVC.
Copper spots on gold coins
Unattractive reddish spots are often seen on gold coins. Gold is frequently alloyed with copper, and high concentrations of copper at the coin’s surface can result in reddish spots. NCS can carefully remove these spots to improve the coin’s eye appeal.
Haze
Many coins, particularly delicate proof coins, can develop haze on their surfaces over a period of time. This haze can be caused by improper storage or environmental conditions, or it can occur naturally over time as contaminants react to a coin’s surfaces.
Soils and encrustation
Many types of contaminants caused by storage and the environment can be removed by NCS, with the result being a dramatic improvement in the coin’s eye appeal.
Unattractive tarnish / toning
Virtually all metal types develop toning naturally over time. In some cases, toning can be quite attractive and desirable. In others, however, it can severely diminish eye appeal. In many cases, NCS can safely remove or minimize unattractive toning.
Artificial toning
A coin’s natural toning is sometimes artificially accelerated by chemicals or excessive heat. NCS can often remove this artificial toning to restore a coin’s originality — though removal may reveal previously hidden problems such as scratches or improper cleaning.
Applied substances
NCS can remove many substances applied to the surfaces of coins to change their appearance, such as putty or lacquer. As with artificial toning, removal may reveal other surface problems, and the coin may still receive an NGC Details grade after conservation.
What NCS conservation cannot do
Though NCS conservation benefits many coins, there are certain problems that cannot be remedied, such as corrosion, wear, scratches, and white “milk” spots. NCS does not make repairs and, likewise, cannot undo mechanical alternations. Read more >
Important Note: Hairline scratches and other surface issues caused by improper cleaning are often disguised with artificial toning or applied substances. Artificial toning and applied substances can be removed by NCS conservation, which will then reveal the improper cleaning underneath. None of NCS’s techniques will cause an “Improperly Cleaned” notation at NGC.
White “milk” spots on modern silver coins
This form of corrosion is caused by the mint’s manufacturing process and can develop anytime, from right after striking to many years later. NCS cannot remove these unpredictable spots, but rest assured that none of NCS’s techniques cause them, either.
White “milk” spots can negatively impact a coin’s grade at NGC, but NGC cannot be liable for spots that occur after encapsulation. The NGC Guarantee specifically excludes coins “exhibiting environmental deterioration subsequent to certification. These issues include but are not limited to spotting, hazing, PVC and corrosion.”
Learn more about white spots >
Improper cleaning
Many coins have been permanently altered by amateur cleaning, leaving fine scratches and other surface issues that cannot be fixed by NCS conservation. Sometimes these alterations are only revealed upon removal of artificial toning or applied substances.
Mechanical repairs
NCS cannot undo or hide mechanical repairs such as tooling, plugged holes, rim repairs and re-engraved details. NCS also cannot remove solder from coins. In most cases these coins are eligible for NGC Details grading.
Damage, graffiti, wheel marks and countermarks
Damaged coins, including those that are bent, holed or have wheel marks, graffiti or countermarks, cannot be repaired by NCS. In addition, NCS cannot repair coins that are mounted or have been removed from mounts or jewelry.
Damage, graffiti, wheel marks and countermarks
Damaged coins, including those that are bent, holed or have wheel marks, graffiti or countermarks, cannot be repaired by NCS. In addition, NCS cannot repair coins that are mounted or have been removed from mounts or jewelry.
Damage, graffiti, wheel marks and countermarks
Damaged coins, including those that are bent, holed or have wheel marks, graffiti or countermarks, cannot be repaired by NCS. In addition, NCS cannot repair coins that are mounted or have been removed from mounts or jewelry.
Damage, graffiti, wheel marks and countermarks
Damaged coins, including those that are bent, holed or have wheel marks, graffiti or countermarks, cannot be repaired by NCS. In addition, NCS cannot repair coins that are mounted or have been removed from mounts or jewelry.
Scratches, abrasions and wear
The natural effects of circulation — scratches, abrasions and wear — cannot be undone. NCS does not re-engrave details, plug holes, or perform any type of repairs. Similarly, NCS does not repair or disguise planchet flaws.
Severe corrosion
Corrosion affects virtually all metals. A chemical reaction, corrosion causes the molecular makeup of a coin’s surfaces to change. Though NCS can stabilize a coin’s surfaces and prevent further damage, it cannot reverse corrosion that has already occurred.
Add “red” to copper coins
A copper coin's color can change naturally over time from red (noted as “RD” on the NGC certification label) to red brown (“RB”) to brown (“BN”). This is an irreversible process and NCS conservation cannot change the BN, RB or RD designations assigned to copper coins.
The NCS Process
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NCS Evaluates your coin
NCS first evaluates a coin to determine if it will benefit from conservation. If it will not benefit from conservation, NCS transfers the coin directly to NGC for certification.
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NCS Conserves your coin
If NCS determines that a coin will benefit from conservation, it performs the necessary conservation techniques. After conservation is complete, NCS transfers the coin to NGC for certification.
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NGC Grades your coin
After NCS conservation, coins are seamlessly transferred to NGC for authentication, grading and encapsulation. Once the coin has been graded and encapsulated by NGC, it is returned to NCS for shipment back to the submitter.
Frequently asked questions
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