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Author Topic: A some what fat coin needs help.  (Read 1389 times)

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Offline Kim B. N

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A some what fat coin needs help.
« on: August 28, 2013, 09:45:29 am »
I had this coin almost a year to the date now, found it at a swapmeet just looking at me (saying get me away from these normal coins, i am special!)  ;D

Well there is no doubt its old and probably Roman. But it has a bad crustation on the reverse, i was hoping someone could guide me to getting this coin back to its heyday?  :)

Sincerly Kim

Ps. I tried picking some of the crust off with a old dentistpicker.


Offline Pekka K

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Re: A some what fat coin needs help.
« Reply #1 on: August 28, 2013, 09:57:10 am »

Tetradrachm of Roman Egypt, maybe Probus.
Size and weight helps furthes identification.

Pekka K

Offline Kim B. N

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Re: A some what fat coin needs help.
« Reply #2 on: August 28, 2013, 10:04:39 am »
Pekka my friend from Finland your are faster than a speeding bullet.  ;D Do you think i just shouldt leave it as if, or try some magic cleaning?

Sincerly Kim

Offline areich

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Re: A some what fat coin needs help.
« Reply #3 on: August 28, 2013, 12:27:00 pm »
It certainly can't hurt to see if you can remove some of that encrustation, the obverse is fine as it is. To start with, try poking with a needle and see if something falls off, being careful not to scratch the coin's surface. Applying some acid, like lemon juice, in small quantities, just to the encrustation, might be worth a try as well. There is no magic cure, unfortunately but it's still possible for this coin to turn out nice.
Andreas Reich

Offline Mayadigger

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Re: A some what fat coin needs help.
« Reply #4 on: September 03, 2013, 07:05:07 pm »
Ave!

Pekka my friend from Finland your are faster than a speeding bullet.  ;D Do you think I just should leave it as if, or try some magic cleaning?

Sincerely Kim

Kim, your Alexandrian AE Tet has bronze disease, pure and simple, and quite typical of these types; we've dealt with similar hundreds over the years and have positive results for all. Easy to cure with GG's BD Killer. Once cured, the trick is in the restoration.

Best regards,

Kevin
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Offline Kim B. N

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Re: A some what fat coin needs help.
« Reply #5 on: September 08, 2013, 08:44:35 pm »
Thanks Kevin
i am going to Copenhagen Coin Fair in 2 month time i will ask around for the GG's BD Killer. It would be cool to get a fine coin out of it. The rest of the coin is VERY fine preserved. I now the National Museum of Denmark got a table there maby they can give some heads up on getting it up to former glory.  :)

Thanks again  +++

Offline *Alex

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Re: A some what fat coin needs help.
« Reply #6 on: September 09, 2013, 06:53:05 am »
Hi Kim,

I think that your coin might be Claudius II - AVT K KLAVΔIOC CEB - with reverse of Victory, holding wreath and with palm over her shoulder, advancing right.

*Alex.

Offline Tony A

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Re: A some what fat coin needs help.
« Reply #7 on: September 21, 2013, 08:07:15 pm »
Kim -

I'm not sure what methods the Copenhagen museum uses to clean coins or what they do - if anything - about bronze disease. Many of these institutions use rather strong, large scale chemical soaks because they are quick and not labor intensive, whereas collectors tend to go a slower and more methodical route. So I'm not sure how much help they will be.

Also, you might not want to wait two months or so before dealing with your coin. Bronze disease accelerates when the coin is out of the ground and exposed to air and humidity - and BD can get much worse pretty quickly! It's rather amazing that it took 17 centuries for that coin to reach it's present state but how quickly things can change in a matter of weeks as fat as BD is concerned.

I'd suggest either contacting the museum within a few days or taking Kevin's advice and ordering some Gringott's BD Killer. It's inexpensive, very effective, and a bag will last for many years.

Tony

Offline bruce61813

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Re: A some what fat coin needs help.
« Reply #8 on: November 24, 2013, 10:52:05 pm »
Kim, go read the article in the Numis- wikki on Bronze disease , https://www.forumancientcoins.com/numiswiki/view.asp?key=Bronze%20Disease . Don't just wait to go see the experts. Start soaking the coin in distilled water with baking soda in it. the amount doesn't matter , a couple tablespoons in a cup of water will do. don't use tap water, use distilled if possible. From your picture, I doubt the coin will ever be "restored" to it's original look, but for the most part it can be saved. The Bronze Disease Killer that Kevin mentioned is more advanced that what I mentioned above, but the baking soda will get things started. I believe that Gringgott's Number 1 is available here on Forum in their shop, that will also work.


Bruce61813
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