Amazing !
Can we common mortals get some more information about your invocation rituals and magic potions?
this coin also was pretty encrusted on the other
side. it resisted my usual cautious mechanical cleaning and water soaking. using enough mechanical force to remove the hardened minerals would have left scratches and damage on the surface and
patina so i resorted to some enhancements to mostly dissolve the hardened mineralized stuff adhering firmly to the bronze. then additional mechanical
work (under a microscope) to remove the last of it from tiny crevices.
this coin
had none of the organics (colored waxes and dust-charged gooey gums) i've seen on many coins that are
applied to 'create' contrasting details and fill in surface defects. those are all fairly easy to remove. this time it was almost all hardened minerals stuck tight to the metal, and a
bit of grimy dirt. i suppose lemon juice would have done the job of dissolving the carbonate/limestone
type minerals but i
had none handy so i used alternatives. i
had no idea the mineral crust was so thick that there was that much struck detail and nice surfaces underneath. what a nice surprise, and it's a fairly
scarce type to boot. the first time i've relied on dissolving minerals (instead of careful scraping) but now i'm not afraid to try it on similar hard cases in the future.
PtolemAE
