Recreating an orange patina?

[Adrian H]

I bought a coin from forum that I noticed had BD when I was moving it. I treated it with sodium sesquicarbonate and DW for about 6 weeks in total. I am pretty certain I've beaten the BD. However, the chemical treatment changed the color of the coin's surface. Compare the listing photo: https://www.forumancientcoins.com/Auction/APViewItem.asp?ID=74227 with the coin's condition when I removed it from it's bath (attached). In hand, the coin was very orange, which I liked - it had a very different color to the rest of my collection. I assume the orange in the pictures now is the bare metal due to the chemical agent. Is there anything I can expose the coin to in its local environment to re-introduce a very orange patina? I am a young collector, so I'm not necessarily looking for something fast, this can be a fix that takes a few years.

[Joe Sermarini]

I don't think you are going to get that color back.

[Adrian H]

I don't think you are going to get that color back.

Oh noo!
I guess I'll need to stay on the lookout for another orange coin then. Are there best practices for repatination? The suggestions I could find with a quick search amount to rubbing shoe polish on the coin - this seems like cheating.

[cmcdon0923]

In looking at, and greatly magnifying, the original image from the auction, I see absolutely no indications of bronze disease, nor did Joe mention anything about it.  And we all know that if there had been any trace of BD, he would have mentioned it.

So what did you see that made you decide to treat it?

[Adrian H]

In looking at, and greatly magnifying, the original image from the auction, I see absolutely no indications of bronze disease, nor did Joe mention anything about it.  And we all know that if there had been any trace of BD, he would have mentioned it.

So what did you see that made you decide to treat it?

A few days after I got it, a small spot on the reverse is visible in the photo I have in my notes that wasn't in the auction photo. I didn't recognize it at the time, but it was the start of BD. After about two months in my possession, I moved my collection out of it's box and into a tray - that's when I took the attached picture. Of course I scratched at the green and it came off with just my fingernail. Besides my disappointment, I don't feel slighted about the sale. I just wish I could get the color back!

[cmcdon0923]

Thanks Adrian.  I wasn't aware that several months had elapsed between the time you bought the coin, and when you first noticed the BD spots.  That's a real shame.  The auction image showed a nice looking coin.

As stated earlier, the orange patina may not be re-creatable, but even a nice deeper brown might improve the coin's appearance.  Good luck.

Craig