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Author Topic: Gela Didrachm - cleaning advice wanted  (Read 1042 times)

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Offline Kevin D

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Gela Didrachm - cleaning advice wanted
« on: December 21, 2018, 05:19:50 pm »
I believe this didrachm of Gela still has its 'find patina'; I've had the coin for some time. If this coin were to be cleaned, do any of you experienced coin cleaners see anything that looks like it might be a problem after cleaning? The surfaces, what I can see of them with the coin in hand, look decent. But, I am not experienced in cleaning 'find patina' coins, nor in analyzing their potential. The coin has a flan flaw across the obverse rider, as seen in the images. What would your approach be to cleaning this coin, or would you leave it be and preserve the original 'find patina'? Thanks for any and all advice.

Offline PtolemAE

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Re: Gela Didrachm - cleaning advice wanted
« Reply #1 on: December 21, 2018, 05:29:13 pm »
I believe this didrachm of Gela still has its 'find patina'; I've had the coin for some time. If this coin were to be cleaned, do any of you experienced coin cleaners see anything that looks like it might be a problem after cleaning? The surfaces, what I can see of them with the coin in hand, look decent. But, I am not experienced in cleaning 'find patina' coins. The coin has a flan flaw across the obverse rider, as seen in the images. What would your approach be to cleaning this coin, or would you leave it be and preserve the original 'find patina'? Thanks for any and all advice.

Looks nice as it is.  No encrustations hiding design elements or surface features, etc.  You could probably make it shinier but imho not better.  You also risk some unforeseen interaction with metal underneath the flaw.

So...

Leave it alone - 1
Clean it - 0

:)

PtolemAE

Offline JBF

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Re: Gela Didrachm - cleaning advice wanted
« Reply #2 on: December 21, 2018, 07:52:01 pm »
agreed, I think it is good.  Are you planning to strip off the patina and re-tone it?  As Hippocrates said, "do no harm."

Offline PtolemAE

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Re: Gela Didrachm - cleaning advice wanted
« Reply #3 on: December 21, 2018, 08:34:54 pm »
agreed, I think it is good.  Are you planning to strip off the patina and re-tone it?  As Hippocrates said, "do no harm."

OK - that makes it:

Leave it alone - 2
Clean it - 0

:)

PtolemAE

Offline Kevin D

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Re: Gela Didrachm - cleaning advice wanted
« Reply #4 on: December 21, 2018, 10:57:38 pm »
Thanks to both of you for the input. I will leave the coin alone and keep the 'find patina' intact.

Offline Jay GT4

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Re: Gela Didrachm - cleaning advice wanted
« Reply #5 on: December 21, 2018, 11:24:01 pm »
It only has find patina once...

 

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