Numismatic and History Discussion Forums > Coin Photography, Conservation and Storage
Making plaster casts of coins
curtislclay:
Bravo, Jeremy! You're an accomplished cast maker already.
Marius:
My daughter had some plaster she got for Christmas and she wanted to learn how to make something interesting (our house doesn't need any plaster toadstools or the other types of stough that is peddled to kids as art). I found this FORVM thread on a Goggle search which is funny, me being a member here. I bought some modeling clay and we used baby powder for the talc (that is the major constituent). I was surprised just how easy it was to do. The pictures show our first attempt. The method of spooning the plaster powder into a cup of cold water and then draining the water off made exactly the constutuency described (and it did thicken very quicly with time). It took about fifteen minutes to have the dies made and plaster poured, and then we pulled out the casts an hour later. Thanks for the great instructions Curtis!
Richard
Obryzum:
Has anyone ever tried to gild a plaster cast? I keep my gold coins in my safe. I would like to try to make some gilded plaster casts that I can enjoy while the coins are safely locked away.
jamesicus:
--- Quote from: Obryzum on May 15, 2009, 09:33:24 pm ---Has anyone ever tried to gild a plaster cast? I keep my gold coins in my safe. I would like to try to make some gilded plaster casts that I can enjoy while the coins are safely locked away.
--- End quote ---
Certainly plaster casts are invaluable for the study of rare coins as the following attests. I am not really sure of my description of "galvano" copies -- I hope Curtis (and maybe others) can explain the process better -- I am anxious to get it right for my web page.
Ten aurei multiple/medallion commemorating the restoration of Britain to the Roman Empire (Arras Hoard) -- RIC Vol. VI, Treveri - No. 34 -- (bronze?) copy depicted here:
FL VAL CONSTA -- NTIVS NOBIL CAES ......................... R -- EDDITOR LVCIS -- AETERNA -- E
This historically important coin resides in the museum at Arras. Bastien records it as No. 218 in his book on the Arras Hoard and mentions that galvano* copies were made and sold by the Paris coin dealer Bourgey. Edit: I thought my specimen to be one of those Bourgey copies, however at a weight of 30.1 grams it may be a cast bronze replica from a galvano copy(?).
* galvano: a plaster cast of an original coin electroplated with metal.
James
Edited to delete extraneous material.
casata137ec:
Is there a way to harden or seal the plaster after it is dried or can you handle them at random without worrying about losing detail or darkening them with finger oils?
Chris
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