NCS Conservation: December 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.

Modern coins can develop residues that are not only unattractive, obscuring the original surface, but also potentially damaging. This China 1985 silver 10 Yuan Ox was submitted recently for conservation to remove an unsightly hazy residue. Residue removal on mirrored proof coins can be especially challenging. This particular modern Chinese coin was able to have the hazing residue removed and grade spectacularly with NGC.

China 1985 Silver 10 Yuan Ox Before conservation Click images to enlarge.

China 1985 Silver 10 Yuan Ox After conservation Click images to enlarge.

This 1980 Equatorial Guinea proof strike silver 2000 Escudo was recently conserved by the professionals at NCS. Years of storage likely in original mint packaging led to the development to this distracting thick hazy blue residue on the surface. Residues such as this can frequently cause damage to the surface underneath if left untreated. Careful conservation was able to remove the thick layer of residue, revealing a significantly brighter coin underneath. This coin was able to grade with NGC following conservation.

Equatorial Guinea 1980 Proof Strike Silver 2000 Escudo Before conservation Click images to enlarge.

Equatorial Guinea 1980 Proof Strike Silver 2000 Escudo After conservation Click images to enlarge.

Modern gold coins can develop hazy residues just as silver and other metal modern coins can. This South Africa 1966 gold 2 Rand was submitted to NCS in hopes of having the very thick layer of hazy residue removed prior to grading with NGC. Years of less-than-ideal storage likely allowed this kind of residue layer to develop. Following careful removal by the professional conservators at NCS, the coin was able to grade very well with NGC.

South Africa 1966 Gold 2 Rand Before conservation Click images to enlarge.

South Africa 1966 Gold 2 Rand After conservation Click images to enlarge.

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