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Author Topic: IVLIA MAMAEA Denarius...slightly clean  (Read 6263 times)

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Offline Batista

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IVLIA MAMAEA Denarius...slightly clean
« on: August 04, 2017, 10:05:43 pm »
Hi all,

Haven't post here for some time now. I got this denarius 2 months ago.
It looked very good from the start and I could see it had very good detail beneath the layer of dried soil.

Cleaned it (just removed the superficial dirt) with a toothpick and a very very small and very light paint brush...

I like it like it is, but some say its silver so I should clean it until the silver shows...What do you think? Should I clean it until the silver shines?
How would you clean it so that it keeps its patina?

IVLIA MAMAEA AVG - VESTA


Thank you all.
Batista

Offline Joe Sermarini

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Re: IVLIA MAMAEA Denarius...slightly clean
« Reply #1 on: August 11, 2017, 10:46:40 am »
It is a personal choice.  I see so few still like this that I would leave it.
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Offline Akropolis

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Re: IVLIA MAMAEA Denarius...slightly clean
« Reply #2 on: August 11, 2017, 11:02:24 am »
How do you know it is silver?
What is the weight?
Excellent work to this point!
PeteB

Offline Batista

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Re: IVLIA MAMAEA Denarius...slightly clean
« Reply #3 on: August 14, 2017, 03:05:52 am »
HI Pete,

I know its silver because it's in ERIC and also because I can see the silver trying to shine through... :)
The coin weights 2,76 grams and its 17mm, maybe 18 mm

Also I found one here for sale...just like mine... ;D


So my point is...this coin can be as shiny as that one for sale...should I keep it like it is or make it shine like the one for sale? What do you think has most value?

Thanks for your opinions...  +++

LuisB

Offline v-drome

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Re: IVLIA MAMAEA Denarius...slightly clean
« Reply #4 on: August 14, 2017, 01:43:59 pm »
I agree with Joe.  Uncleaned silver coins are interesting, and not seen very often.  I like the way yours looks.

Regards, V-drome

Offline quadrans

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Re: IVLIA MAMAEA Denarius...slightly clean
« Reply #5 on: August 30, 2017, 01:40:25 am »
May be this coin are "limes coin" ???

Q.
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Offline Joe Sermarini

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Re: IVLIA MAMAEA Denarius...slightly clean
« Reply #6 on: August 30, 2017, 09:37:18 am »
I have seen a few like this. If they are black, they are probably good silver. If they are green, they are bronze.
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Offline Batista

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Re: IVLIA MAMAEA Denarius...slightly clean
« Reply #7 on: September 02, 2017, 08:12:15 pm »
This coin was found in Lusitania.
There were no limes there...

Now you are making me curious...Is it not a silver denarius? Maybee I'll clean it some more to see...  ??? ???

LuisB

Offline v-drome

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Re: IVLIA MAMAEA Denarius...slightly clean
« Reply #8 on: September 03, 2017, 12:03:46 am »
I still like it the way it is.  Silver denarii can be almost any color depending on the soil they are found in and the amount of copper in the alloy.  It is hard to tell from the photo, but another concern would be if it is a grey patina it could be silver chloride (horn silver), and cleaning could remove much of the detail and leave a pitted surface. Here is a copy of a photo I submitted a while ago of silver coins from Caesarea Maritima. All are good silver and I have chosen to leave most of them as is.

https://www.forumancientcoins.com/board/index.php?topic=86391.25

Hi, all.  Here are some denarii from Caesarea Maritima to show the variety of surfaces that can occur with silver coins in a moist seaside environment.  All are as found with the exception of the Hadrian, which was even more coated in green than the Pius.  This was cleaned about 40 years ago, probably with household ammonia, which as I mentioned can be risky if the silver has a high copper content.  Ammonia dissolves copper and can leave a shiny surface that may be porous or brittle in the worst cases.  I was lucky with the Hadrian and I think it looks very nice, but I have left the others as they are.

(click on pic for higher res.)

Offline Batista

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Re: IVLIA MAMAEA Denarius...slightly clean
« Reply #9 on: September 03, 2017, 07:43:01 am »
Thank you for your post v-drome.
Thank you for sharing that info. I'm always learning!!!

I can see the silver trying to shine trought the patina  +++





LuisB

Offline Joe Sermarini

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Re: IVLIA MAMAEA Denarius...slightly clean
« Reply #10 on: September 03, 2017, 09:18:31 am »
I think silver.
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Offline Akropolis

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Re: IVLIA MAMAEA Denarius...slightly clean
« Reply #11 on: September 03, 2017, 11:51:07 am »
Well done! I'm convinced!
PeteB

Offline SC

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Re: IVLIA MAMAEA Denarius...slightly clean
« Reply #12 on: September 08, 2017, 06:16:19 pm »
Uncleaned silver is rare.  That said, I personally would keep soaking this in DW and working gently with a toothpick to smooth down and/or remove much more of the dirt.

Very neat gif of the magnified view.  How did you make it?

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Offline Batista

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Re: IVLIA MAMAEA Denarius...slightly clean
« Reply #13 on: September 09, 2017, 06:42:31 am »

Took some continuous pictures, uploaded them to my google cloud and then google automatically makes a motion gif with them...
Google can recognize that the pictures are of the same subject and makes animations with them and asks if you want to save them.

Its a cool feature of Google Pictures.

Offline Batista

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Re: IVLIA MAMAEA Denarius...slightly clean
« Reply #14 on: January 19, 2018, 07:58:18 am »
Hi guys

Just to report last status of this cleaning...
Just hot distiled water and a toothpick.

Hope you like it.

Regards,
Luis Batista



Offline Sam

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Re: IVLIA MAMAEA Denarius...slightly clean
« Reply #15 on: January 19, 2018, 08:49:05 am »
Well done you  ,+++

I use Lemon juice.
Sam Mansourati

Offline Bill W4

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Re: IVLIA MAMAEA Denarius...slightly clean
« Reply #16 on: January 19, 2018, 02:56:15 pm »
WOW, impressive.  Never heard of hot distilled water; interesting. 
I wouldn't join any club that would have me as a member!

Offline peterpil19

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Re: IVLIA MAMAEA Denarius...slightly clean
« Reply #17 on: January 19, 2018, 04:25:50 pm »
Great result,

A wonderful coin!

Peter

Offline SC

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Re: IVLIA MAMAEA Denarius...slightly clean
« Reply #18 on: January 19, 2018, 08:00:52 pm »
Careful with lemon juice or anything chemical.  Might be fine but depends on the silver.  Silver content should still be ok with Mamaea but it was dropping a lot at that time.  Also AE and very low silver versions were being made locally.

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Offline Meepzorp

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Re: IVLIA MAMAEA Denarius...slightly clean
« Reply #19 on: January 20, 2018, 11:57:06 am »
Hi Bat,

You did a fantastic job.

It turned out to be a beautiful coin. :)

Meepzorp

Offline Batista

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Re: IVLIA MAMAEA Denarius...slightly clean
« Reply #20 on: January 24, 2018, 12:40:52 pm »

Thank you!  ;D

It means a lot to me coming from you guys.  +++

Luis Batista

Offline okidoki

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Re: IVLIA MAMAEA Denarius...slightly clean
« Reply #21 on: January 24, 2018, 01:21:04 pm »
Very nice update  ;D
All the Best,
Eric
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