Please check out the link and tell me what you think: http://www.crescentcitycoinclub.org/seminars_and_programs/Bronze Disease.pdf
I don't know why you'd say that. Their credentials stated they are both with the A.N.S., and they are talking about ancents. I would prefer people know how to do some conservation work than let their collection rot. It's just like getting encrusted ancients and doing olive oil soaks to clean the crud off. Ancients require alot more hands-on sometimes than modern coins do. Very good info!!!
That is a very clear write-up on what you must do if bronze disease develops on one of your coins. PS - They absolutely are collectors.
These two statements make me cringe..... "Start by using a FIRM or HARD nylon toothbrush, and gently scrape the excess green discharge off the coin. For firmly lodged debris, you can use a toothpick or sharply pointed chopstick" "Some numismatists like to cover their coins in “Renaissance Wax,” or Polyvinyl Acetate Lacquer, which are microcrystalline waxes which prevent humidity from re-entering the coins This is the preferred treatment method of the British Museum Unfortunately, it also makes the coin worthless to a collector, very difficult to ever clean again, and it’s very hard to remove" I understand that they are talking ancients, but the whole process as the describe, is scary to me. Then again, I'm a modern collector and understand that sometimes extreme measures must be employed to try and conserve stuff that's been in the ground for hundreds or even thousands of years.......
nylon toothbrush, olive oil , toothpicks , rose torn and even in the most extremal cases ... electrolysis (not recommended for the new guys , or anyone that wants to clean something worth anything , because a few extra seconds in this machine will rip the patina off your pieces.) And as far as Renaissance wax is concern , it's a great product if applied correctly to the appropriate pieces. I even used some on my roman rings and fibula broaches. A point has to be made that ancient coins and later coins are two different monsters, some of these pieces have stayed in the earth for thousands of years and will defiantly need some sort tender love and care no matter how bad the conservation job. I have pulled items out of the earth using my metal detector that have rotten away before my very eyes.
You must also understand that no ancient collector WANTS to do this to his coins. This process is only for coins with a bad case of bronze disease. If something drastic is not done, the coins will utterly disintegrate in a matter of years.
Bronze disease is the coin equivalent of cancer. No one wants to cut off body parts or do any of the treatments that cancer survivors have made a part of their lives. The coin below is a bronze disease survivor. Treatments do not restore metal that has been eaten away but they can stop it so it does not eat more. You might well choose not to include this coin in your collection. That is your choice. Certainly I wish it had been caught in an earlier stage (before I got the coin) but I am glad that it has not recurred. I made my choice and welcome it despite the scars of treatment.
One other very minor point. The article says that gold and silver coins are not a problem. Yes but there are later Roman silver coins that are actually only about 30% silver and I have seen bronze disease attack these.
Similar to my Julia Domna I showed you? It's actually spread a bit since I got it almost a year ago & its in a pvc free flip & I am in L.A., not much humidity here.
I can relate to this. There was one very weak signal that I had dug and found nothing in the hole. There was some discoloration but nothing metallic. When I looked at the bottom of the plug of dirt, there was an imprint of a military button which was what had rotted away. I had kept the bit of dirt in a case for a while but evenutally it just fell apart (probably from the lack of moisture),
"ikandiggit" thats extremely unlucky for such a thing to happen to you.. I hate false positives when MDing. I have found coins which are half rotted away etc, I have a flying eagle thats been eaten away inside out, horrible ugly lil thang.
Agree with Ardatirion that this definitely is from not only a collector but a good collector. I would have written up something very similar. I have had excellent luck with distilled water baths with gentle scraping of the area with wood or a soft metal. In fact, I am going to bookmark the page for the information concerning advanced treatments. Chris
