NCS Conservation: September Highlights

Numismatic Conservation Services™ (NCS®) uses a variety of proprietary techniques to remove harmful surface contaminants, stabilize and protect a coin's surfaces and, in many cases, improve a coin's eye appeal. After coins are conserved by NCS, they are seamlessly transferred to Numismatic Guaranty Corporation® (NGC®), an independent affiliate of NCS, for grading and encapsulation.

Below are a few highlights of coins that were conserved by NCS and graded by NGC recently.

Many years of less-than-ideal storage allowed this Germany 1913E Copper-Nickel 10 Pfennig Proof coin to develop a thick opaque residue. When it comes to conserving a coin with such advanced residue, the hope is that the residue has not begun to permanently alter the surface and that there is no damage hiding underneath. Fortunately for this coin, the residues had only minimally affected the original surfaces and, upon their removal, we are left with a bright Cameo Proof coin. Following successful conservation, this coin was able to grade very well with NGC.

Germany 1913E 10 Pfennig Before conservation Click images to enlarge.

Germany 1913E 10 Pfennig After conservation Click images to enlarge.

Long-term storage in certain holders frequently causes the development of hazing residue. This Thailand BE2535 (1992) 10 Baht copper-nickel commemorative honoring the Thai queen’s 60th birthday was submitted to address a thick hazing residue that had given the coin an uneven brown color. The NCS conservators are well practiced in treating coins suffering from such thick residue and can carefully remove them without damaging the coin metal beneath. Following careful conservation, this Thai commemorative coin was able to look as bright and flashy as the day it was originally issued and grade very well with NGC.

Thailand BE2535(1992) 10 Baht Before conservation Click images to enlarge.

Thailand BE2535 (1992) 10 Baht After conservation Click images to enlarge.

Improper storage can lead to the development of not only damaging and unattractive residue but also unusual toning patterns. This Spanish Civil War issue 1937 Copper-Nickel 1 Peseta of Euzkadi (northern Spanish Basque territory) was recently submitted to NCS sporting a very odd brown spotty pattern in the centers of the design. In many ways, copper-nickel pieces, especially those struck during wartime, can be challenging to conserve. Fortunately for this coin, the unattractive spots were able to be gently removed, leaving a bright uncirculated coin. With careful conservation, this Spanish Civil War issue was able to grade well with NGC.

Spain Civil War 1937 Euzkadi 1 Peseta Before conservation Click images to enlarge.

Spain Civil War 1937 Euzkadi 1 Peseta After conservation Click images to enlarge.

For more information about NCS, visit NGCcoin.com/NCS.