FORVM`s Classical Numismatics Discussion Board

Numismatic and History Discussion Forums => Uncleaned Ancient Coin Discussion Forum => Topic started by: karaya75 on April 04, 2021, 01:58:13 pm

Title: advice how to clean an roman antoninianus
Post by: karaya75 on April 04, 2021, 01:58:13 pm: i have this coin full off encrustations, very hard to remove. how can i remove it?

thank you

(https://i.imgur.com/0Dngl3e.jpg)
Title: Re: advice how to clean an roman antoninianus
Post by: Ron C2 on April 04, 2021, 07:27:31 pm: do you know the emperor and silver level? Is it silver or billon?

If it's indeed reasonable purity silver, have you tried some lemon juice on a Q-tip?
Title: Re: advice how to clean an roman antoninianus
Post by: karaya75 on April 04, 2021, 07:37:34 pm: hello

its a gordianos 3
Title: Re: advice how to clean an roman antoninianus
Post by: nikopolis1 on April 08, 2021, 09:39:13 am: Get some formic acid.Dilute to around 10-20 % .The acid will dissolve this incrustations.But monitor the coin,1-2 hrs and should be ready.
Title: Re: advice how to clean an roman antoninianus
Post by: SC on April 08, 2021, 09:46:07 am: Personally, I would go gentler and use Ron's lemon juice, or vinegar, applied via q-tip. This may soften the green to the point that a fingernail or bamboo skewer will remove some.

I wouldn't go harsher until that technique, or even leaving drops of lemon juice or vinegar on the green for a few minutes, had proved to not work.

SC
Title: Re: advice how to clean an roman antoninianus
Post by: B-Chicago on April 25, 2021, 12:59:04 am: me and my harshness never uses cotton on silver but it's all a matter of opinion anyway

my first approach would be to soak it - in DW - for a long time and see how that materializes with short lemon juice baths in between

that should really put a dent in that gunk
Title: Re: advice how to clean an roman antoninianus
Post by: Ron C2 on April 25, 2021, 01:16:42 pm: I'm rather hoping to OP didn't just fly in to get advice and vanish. It's much more polite when some feedback comes after he tries a few things.