FORVM`s Classical Numismatics Discussion Board
Numismatic and History Discussion Forums => Uncleaned Ancient Coin Discussion Forum => Topic started by: Matthew W2 on February 03, 2010, 01:29:57 am
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I just started cleaning this one tonight:
(https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/albums/userpics/25239/normal_crusty_mystery.jpg)
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-51907
I'm trying very hard to go slowly, but it looks like there might be nice coin under all the crud - a very hard
encrustation, but luckily there are big chunks that pry off relatively easily.
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please keep us posted in the progress,
and PATIENCE, rushing on a coin like this can have some bad endings
I'm curious to see what the coin might be too :)
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please keep us posted in the progress,
and PATIENCE, rushing on a coin like this can have some bad endings
I'm curious to see what the coin might be too :)
Absolutely :)
It's soaking in olive oil again right now, mostly just so I'll stop picking at it - though last night I discovered the nose on the portrait, and a third letter on the bottom left - DNC so far.
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Well, one day in olive oil should be enough.... (alright, I couldn't resist poking at it a bit more....)
I updated the photo to reflect a little more progress:
(https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/albums/userpics/25239/normal_crusty_mystery_2.jpg)
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-51922
It's in color now, though my scanner still doesn't handle the depth well. Some guesses as to the attribution are in the photo details.
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excuse me, when you take it off from the oil, do you cleaned it with some other objects?
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excuse me, when you take it off from the oil, do you cleaned it with some other objects?
Yes, so far I've been using a dental pick mostly, one that is bent at 90 degrees. I've also used
a nylon brush attachment on a dremel for the softer dirt and the stuff that's been loosened by
the pick.
At one point I froze it then put it in boiling distilled water to try to crack the encrustations, and
boiled it again last night to try to soften them a little. I think I also used gringott's #2 on this one.
So far the dental pick has been the only really effective tool. The boiling and oil and such may have
helped to soften the encrustations, but soap and a soft toothbrush did nothing to help remove them :)
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You have to wachout when freezing coins, I once did that and the coin broke into 3 peices.
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You have to wachout when freezing coins, I once did that and the coin broke into 3 peices.
Was it a chocolate coin? ;D
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It's a good thing coins are inanimate objects, becasue this one has been frozen and boiled, doused with chemicals, picked at, dremeled,,,,,,,Ouch! :D
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You have to wachout when freezing coins, I once did that and the coin broke into 3 peices.
D'oh! That's always in the back of my mind when I freeze them. I've never had one break, but
I only do it very rarely.
Hopefully it wasn't a good one that broke on you!
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It's a good thing coins are inanimate objects, becasue this one has been frozen and boiled, doused with chemicals, picked at, dremeled,,,,,,,Ouch! :D
Lucky for it that it's already started talking, or I would have had to get serious ;)
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I hatwe breaking coins (even my culls :P ) I broke 2 using hot glue to clean. gave that up fast.
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Thanks for the interest everyone! Here is the latest picture - I've had it soaking in olive oil again, which has started to work wonders. I just brushed it with a soft nylon brush and some soap, with a little more picking, and the encrustations are really starting to come off much more easily now.
I'm probably doing a job on the patina too, so may have to darken it once I'm done with the crusty stuff...
Here's the latest pic (attribution is in the linked picture info):
(The line that looks like a scratch on the reverse at around 11 o'clock is a stray hair on the scanner)
(https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/albums/userpics/25239/normal_crusty_no_mystery.jpg)
https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/displayimage.php?pos=-51992
I think now I'm just going to leave it in the olive oil for a week or so, and then see where it stands.
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You are doing a good thing by putting it away for a week or two. This is where I usually get aggressive and screw up! lol I would give it more time than less as you are now through the stuff that is looser and on to the stuff that will be more adhered to the flan. Great job so far though!
Chris
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You are doing a good thing by putting it away for a week or two. This is where I usually get aggressive and screw up! lol I would give it more time than less as you are now through the stuff that is looser and on to the stuff that will be more adhered to the flan. Great job so far though!
Chris
Thanks! The temptation to go at it is strong, but I'm distracting myself with other coins to clean :)
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When you look at the Before-after-after pictures, you can really see improvement. Good job!
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Well, after a bit more in the olive oil, and some more manual cleaning with a dental pick and some handheld dremel tools*, it's done.
It's in pretty bad shape after all, but definitely identifiable as Gratian.
obv: DN GRATIANUS PF AVG
diademed bust right
rev: SECVRITAS REIPVBLICAE; :dot:ASISC in exergue
Victory advancing left, holding wreath and branch, R in left field (it's a bit corroded, but the remnants of it can be seen in hand)
(https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/albums/userpics/25239/normal_crusty_mystery_final.jpg)
I am tempted to clean it just a little bit more, but the nagging voice in my head (and all the good advice I've seen here) says STOP DUMMY!
For comparison, here is the before scan again (in color this time):
(https://www.forumancientcoins.com/gallery/albums/userpics/25239/normal_1_just_starting.jpg)
*I learned how easy it is to damage a coin with these diamond grit dremel bits, even at low speed. So, after damaging two coins, I took out
the battery to remove temptation, and used the dremel as a somewhat awkward pin vise. A less awkward pin vise arrived in the mail today :)
(I guess a patient person would have waited for the pin vise to arrive, but I'm doing the best I can)