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Author Topic: Darkened with olive oil  (Read 1348 times)

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Offline silvernut

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Darkened with olive oil
« on: April 22, 2007, 05:50:05 pm »
Hi there,

I've looked around for this in old threads but have not been able to find it... If this has already been addressed, my apologies...

Long soakings in olive oil, as everyone knows, work fine with most uncleaneds. However, I find that, once cleaned, the coins end up usually very dark. Looking at my folders, I see at first sight mostly black circles in flips which become identifiable once I look at them more closely. Is there a way to make them less dark? Is there any product I can use (that's not "cheating", i.e., repatinating stuff) to liven up my collection? Or, even, to freshen up the patina colours?

Thanks! Regards,
Ignasi

Offline awl

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Re: Darkened with olive oil
« Reply #1 on: April 22, 2007, 05:59:50 pm »
This happens to me too. After I put the coin in DW for a while the coin was its normal green color.

-Awl

Offline silvernut

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Re: Darkened with olive oil
« Reply #2 on: April 22, 2007, 06:06:02 pm »
Mmmm, never tried that! I will immediately, thanks!!

It's just that when I look at the wonderful Forum catalog with all its colours I think, Yeah, I have one of those, but it's just black!!

Regards,
Ignasi

Offline Ardatirion

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Re: Darkened with olive oil
« Reply #3 on: April 22, 2007, 07:40:16 pm »
I noticed the same thing on some of my coins. I use valve oil though - its clear, so theres no discoloration to the coins. It may not be quite as powerful, but it seems safer to me. I put the pieces that need more cleaning in the olive oil.

Mark Farrell

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Re: Darkened with olive oil
« Reply #4 on: April 22, 2007, 11:00:50 pm »
Keep in mind also that sometimes coins just end up black. It is a naturally occuring, and valid, patina. I have heard that olive oil can shift patina darker, but this is almost impossible to prove because you can't do parallel testing with the exact same coin!

I have also seen coins lighten with distilled water soaks. I will sometimes do a final, post-cleaning soak in Gringott's 1 or with Bruce's new Conservator Mix for an hour or two (no more), and it also tends to lighten up the patina a bit.

Mark

Offline bruce61813

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Re: Darkened with olive oil
« Reply #5 on: April 23, 2007, 02:58:54 pm »
Mmmm, never tried that! I will immediately, thanks!!

It's just that when I look at the wonderful Forum catalog with all its colours I think, Yeah, I have one of those, but it's just black!!

Regards,
Ignasi
  Very often what looks black to us is very dep green. I have noticed this wghen scanning coins, and my scanner shows the coins as green! So I suspect it is a very thin coat of copper-carbonate [malachite] but thick enough to appear black.

Bruce
too many coins - too little time!!

Offline awl

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Re: Darkened with olive oil
« Reply #6 on: April 23, 2007, 06:54:59 pm »

 

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