How do I get rid of milk spots?

I thought my Chinese Panda was safe in a plastic capsule in my safe but somehow after a couple years it has ugly milk spots on it.

How can I get rid of this?
How can I prevent it in the future?

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

Where do you store your silver?

Meaning do you live in a humid or arid place?

 

That's on the Coin ?

 

It's called milk spots. Happens on improperly stored silver.

 

Wow Never saw that . Maybe his holder allows Oxygen to get to it ?

 

Milk spots don't usually come from improper storage. I've had PCGS MS70 proof eagles grow milk spots in the slab.

They come from soap that is used to wash the planchets. When the mint doesn't wash them well enough the soap is left on the coin and practically minted into the coins surface. Normally the spots become visible 1-3 years after minting.

I'm not aware of any way to remove milk spots without destroying the coins surface. Maybe some other CT people can chime in.

 

I live in California so it’s really hot.

I keep my stuff stores in my safe. Maybe the sulfur from the guns also in the safe is causing problems?

 

Thanks for the info!

I always thought storing my coins in capsules like this was proper storage. I mean it’s not as good as a slab but better than nothing.

 

It's a fine way to store it. You weren't responsibly for the milk spots, like yolo said they just happen sometimes. If it was from storage you could just dip the spot away, but that doesn't work for milk spots

They've been a problem for mints all over the world for many years and are doomed from the time they leave the mint if they're going to happen. Canada has even tried to do coatings to prevent them.

The only real way to remove the luck on it is to wait several years before getting that year which most don't want to do. Otherwise it's the luck of the draw.

 

That’s a bummer .

What about tarnish can that be removed or cleaned off?

Look what happened to my 2016 Silver Eagle.

Fortunately it’s not a proof or anything so it’s just tarnished bullion.

If it hadn’t been bullion I would’ve stored it in a capsule or slab or something else. But bullion doesn’t really need to be treated delicately since usually it’s remelted later anyway.
It’s still ugly though so if there’s a way to remove it I will do so.

Thanks again!

 

I concur. Its simply bad mint practices that did it, not your storage. I stopped buying Canadian mint products because even buying 3-5 year old issues would not stop them later turning into melt junk due to these, (stored in dry safe, cool temps, with plenty of dessicant). Some mints simply make a lot of bad products, that unfortunately you can never tell when they will go bad.

 

Some MS 70 would probably take that off, if not dipping it would but youll need to do research for that or find someone to do it

Honestly being bullion though you could just try soap and water first if you wanted

 

Its called toning, and of course this can come off. Look up coin dip. If you have never used it, water it down and do the minimum at first so as to not remove all luster. Or, just let it tone. Only when it gets very dark is it a worry to the coin.

 

Canadas problem was absolutely insane for a while, whatever they were doing they somehow manged to make it not a question of if itll happen but when itll happen

 

Have you ever bought from the Australian Perth Mint?

From what I’ve seen in what I’ve bought I really respect the pride and quality that Australia puts into their coins.

I’ve never had one go funky on me with milk spots or tarnishing.

 

Both Australian mints have the issue too (really every mint does) but there's is no where near as bad as Canadas was

 

How do I get the pretty rainbow toning? Do I just wait? Or will mine go ugly dark all over?

 

Hmm I don’t have many Canadian.
I have some Maple Leaf bullion and a 2015 Lunar Monkey that I think is a proof but doesn’t say anywhere that it is.

None of them have milk spots so I think I got lucky.

 

Better go knock on wood lol

 

This is also what i have read about the milk spots according to an article from the US Mint. I actually bought 6 pandas with Milk spots about 9 months ago for $16 each.