NCS Conservation: Going for the Gold

Numismatic Conservation Services™ (NCS®) uses a variety of proprietary techniques to remove harmful 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 Company™ (NGC®), an independent affiliate of NCS, for grading and encapsulation.

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

One truly appalling way to display a collection is by gluing coins to a board. Far too often, NCS professionals are called on to remove the remnants of glue residue from the surface of many different kinds of coins. This 1906 Liberty Head Quarter Eagle was recently submitted for NCS conservation to address the yellowed glue residue in large lumps across much of the reverse. When removing yellowed glue from a gold piece, extreme care must be taken as this residue itself can cause damage in the process of removal. After meticulous conservation work, this gold coin is free of glue and appears damage-free. This coin went on to grade well with NGC.

US 1906 Liberty Head Quarter Eagle Before conservation Click images to enlarge.

US 1906 Liberty Head Quarter Eagle After conservation Click images to enlarge.

While glue, PVC and/or improper storage are the culprits for much residue development, some residues can develop through unknown provenance. This gold Australia 1884M Sovereign was submitted to NCS to remove a raised white residue appearing in splotches across both sides. The NCS conservators were able to safely remove the offending white residues from this gold piece while minimizing their negative impact. After removal of all white encrustations, this coin was able to grade numerically with NGC.

Australia 1884M Sovereign Before conservation Click images to enlarge.

Australia 1884M Sovereign After conservation Click images to enlarge.

Just like their vintage counterparts, modern gold issues can develop spots that obscure their true beauty. This San Marino 1980 2 Scudi had developed several copper-colored spots on both the obverse and reverse. Spots such as these are not uncommon on gold coins, both modern and vintage. Safe removal of these kinds of spots while avoiding damage to the surface is something the conservators at NCS are well-practiced at completing. Once the spots were successfully removed, this coin was able to grade very well with NGC.

San Marino 1980 2 Scudi Before conservation Click images to enlarge.

San Marino 1980 2 Scudi After conservation Click images to enlarge.

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

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