NCS Conservation: March 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 may 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.

Poor long-term storage schemes can lead to the development of some terrible residues on the surface of the coins we care for. This Mexican Revolution issue silver Peso dated 1914 had been subjected to some at best questionable storage schemes. This particular coin is a war time issue owing to its crude design and quality. The odd deep yellow residue, however, is most assuredly the result of many years in poor storage conditions. When residues this advanced are on the surface there is always a question of what permanent damage there may be beneath. Luckily for this piece the yellow residue had not begun to corrode the surface of this war time produced coin beyond the as made slight pitting. This coin was able to grade numerically with NGC following skilled conservation work.

Mexico 1914 Peso Before conservation Click images to enlarge.

Mexico 1914 Peso After conservation Click images to enlarge.

Coins of many different alloys can suffer the ill effects of poor long-term storage schemes. This copper nickel Kennedy Half Dollar featuring a dramatic double strike developed a thick opaque residue obscuring much of the detail. As with many residues, there is a question as to what extent, if any, the residue has permanently damaged the original surface. This dramatic error coin was able to have the offending residue removed while retaining some of the pale toning color. The residue has not begun to corrode the surface metal. This coin was able to grade numerically with NGC following the conservation.

Double Struck Kennedy Half Before conservation Click images to enlarge.

Double Struck Kennedy 50 Half After conservation Click images to enlarge.

Copper coins will often develop a particular residue that builds in recesses of the design due to time in poor long-term storage. While technically a token, this Gibraltar 2 Quartos dated 1813 issued by Richard Cattons developed a rather thick finely granular residue built up in the recesses of its design. Care must be taken to not only damage the fragile original color of a copper piece such as this as well as to not allow the grains of the residue to damage the piece. This particular British Dependency token was able to have the potentially damaging residue removed while revealing surface underneath with little permanent scar. This piece was able to grade well with NGC following professional conservation.

Gibraltar 1813 2 Quartos Before conservation Click images to enlarge.

Gibraltar 1813 2 Quartos After conservation Click images to enlarge.

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