Reddish toning / Moisture on 2017 Sovereigns

[westminstrel]

So I had a look at my 2017 Proof Sovereign and 2017 SotD Plain Edge after taking them out of storage after a long time...

I’m noticing the beginnings of some reddish toning(?) in some areas. At certain angles it looks like what moisture looks like when you breathe on glass.

Has anyone experienced this?

Should I send to NCS for conservation and get them slabbed?

I have few coins and I’m pissed this is happening 🤬🤯
 

Edit: I should add that the pics below are of the same coin at different angles. The other coin has a similar thing happening.

[Notafront4adragon]

Uncool

[1817Karl]

Lots of proof coins develop these hazes, whilst I’m not 100% sure on the cause, it’s likely environmental issues. Humidity, damp Etc. Storage is usually the culprit. It’s easily dealt with by conservation and the coins look super after conserving and slabbing. I recently bought numerous sets with the same issue, knowing that they’d be conserved and slabbed it wasn’t a problem for me. The grading companies do say that this shouldn’t happen after slabbing, time will tell. 

[sovereignsteve]

That's bad man, feel for you.

Ive seen this sort of thing occasionally with no apparent reason. The worrying thing is that it's happening to both coins. Are they stored with other similar coins?

Im not aware of any other 2017 sovs suffering similarly so you need to look at your storage conditions or maybe these coins don't like Aus in some way!

I would expect NCS to fix this problem so personally I would take this route. What you do after that is the question?😉

[westminstrel]

Thanks @1817Karl and @sovereignsteve.

I’ve never graded before, but I’ll be taking the help of good ol’ Numi.  I’ll post here when I have significant updates to share. 

@1817Karl - Phew thanks, it’s good to know at least that this isn’t some strange thing that no one else has experienced, and importantly, that it is fixable.

@sovereignsteve - I have a couple other coins but they don’t seem to be affected similarly - but I will now have to take a closer look to be sure. 

I’m quite a novice collector (started in 2017) and have only a few coins (due to finances) although I am pretty active on here and keep abreast of releases, so to answer your question, my intention is just to keep them and pass them on unless I have to sell them for some reason.

[1817Karl]

3 minutes ago, westminstrel said:

Thanks @1817Karl and @sovereignsteve.

I’ve never graded before, but I’ll be taking the help of good ol’ Numi.  I’ll post here when I have significant updates to share. 

@1817Karl - Phew thanks, it’s good to know at least that this isn’t some strange thing that no one else has experienced, and importantly, that it is fixable.

@sovereignsteve - I have a couple other coins but they don’t seem to be affected similarly - but I will now have to take a closer look to be sure. 

I’m quite a novice collector (started in 2017) and have only a few coins (due to finances) although I am pretty active on here and keep abreast of releases, so to answer your question, my intention is just to keep them and pass them on unless I have to sell them for some reason.

If you only have a few you picked the right one to start with, the 2017 is my favourite modern proof...

[westminstrel]

31 minutes ago, 1817Karl said:

If you only have a few you picked the right one to start with, the 2017 is my favourite modern proof...

It was completely coincidental that I got interested in collecting in 2016 and I had been reading up and learning for some months before the 2017 Sovereign was released.

I guess that is why I get annoyed when the RM releases special something-or-the-other every year. The 2017 Sovereign truly felt special, universally, it was never up for debate, and it didn’t feel forced. Unfortunately that can’t be said for some subsequent “special” releases we’ve been handed out.

[Serendipity]

I’ve been collecting gold coins since 2018. Three out of five of my 1oz gold coins developed red spots despite being encapsulated in air-tites. They all came from different dealers and mints. The red spots developed after I bought them rather than at the time of purchase because I was fortunate enough to showcase one of them on the forum with no evidence of red spots. As a disclaimer, I don’t recommend anyone clean their numismatic coins or even get them “conserved” and slabbed. I don’t buy the idea at all that coin conservation even if done by “professionals” is somehow different from coin cleaning. They use the same methods.

I successfully removed the red spots with a popular electrochemical coin cleaning method which kind of reverse engineers the gold back to the coin. The method not only removed the red spots but any contaminants invisible to the naked eye which could cause red spots in the future. The NCS doesn’t electrochemically clean the coins it’s conserving but uses aggressive chemical cleaning methods. There are instances of cleaned and slabbed coins which develop red spots and tarnish because the NCS can’t guarantee that slabbed coins won’t experience the same problems.

[Booky586]

12 hours ago, Serendipity said:

I’ve been collecting gold coins since 2018. Three out of five of my 1oz gold coins developed red spots despite being encapsulated in air-tites. They all came from different dealers and mints. The red spots developed after I bought them rather than at the time of purchase because I was fortunate enough to showcase one of them on the forum with no evidence of red spots. As a disclaimer, I don’t recommend anyone clean their numismatic coins or even get them “conserved” and slabbed. I don’t buy the idea at all that coin conservation even if done by “professionals” is somehow different from coin cleaning. They use the same methods.

I successfully removed the red spots with a popular electrochemical coin cleaning method which kind of reverse engineers the gold back to the coin. The method not only removed the red spots but any contaminants invisible to the naked eye which could cause red spots in the future. The NCS doesn’t electrochemically clean the coins it’s conserving but uses aggressive chemical cleaning methods. There are instances of cleaned and slabbed coins which develop red spots and tarnish because the NCS can’t guarantee that slabbed coins won’t experience the same problems.

I'd be interested to hear about the "popular electrochemical coin cleaning method", it could be really useful. Any chance of sharing the technique?

[Serendipity]

4 hours ago, Booky586 said:

I'd be interested to hear about the "popular electrochemical coin cleaning method", it could be really useful. Any chance of sharing the technique?

I can show you two YouTube videos of the electrochemical coin cleaning method I used to remove the red spots from my gold coins.

 

[ChrisF]

18 hours ago, Serendipity said:

I can show you two YouTube videos of the electrochemical coin cleaning method I used to remove the red spots from my gold coins.

I didnt know this worked on gold.  Ive used it a lot on silver and its great.  Thanks.

[1817Karl]

Where do I start with these videos... OMG how not to treat a coin, never mind the dipping in boiling water with bicarb in, scratch the coin along the scales, throw it in the tub, batter it with a metal spoon and then, rub a dub dub with your plastic fingers and hey presto it's as good as new. I think I'll pass on this one!

[ChrisF]

21 hours ago, 1817Karl said:

Where do I start with these videos... OMG how not to treat a coin, never mind the dipping in boiling water with bicarb in, scratch the coin along the scales, throw it in the tub, batter it with a metal spoon and then, rub a dub dub with your plastic fingers and hey presto it's as good as new. I think I'll pass on this one!

Yeah I did cringe a bit watching that but the principal is still sound.  Works great on coins you want to recover.  I realise some collectors will be watching in disbelief but it is a valid way to bring shine back to your silver / gold.  Its up to the individual to decide if its something they should do on a numismatic coin (I'd recommend not).  For general silver/gold its great.    

[mr1030]

To be fair, one of the videos was just a "round", and the other was an obviously already battered Libertad.  I think both authors' priority was on showing the process and results rather then on trying to maintain the pristine condition of a high premium collector coin, of which niether were.

[augur]

Really annoying on a new coin! However your choice was good and NCS will certainly clear the haze (don’t try to clean proofs or proof-like coins yourself). 

Grading will likely increase the value if they both come out as 70s but certainly not an expected expense.