Coin Darkener - Sulfer idea

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by mrbensteele, Feb 11, 2013.

  1. beef1020

    beef1020 Junior Member

    buy some of this:

    http://www.amazon.com/Yellow-Jacket...&qid=1360638847&sr=8-3&keywords=sulfer+powder

    work it into a cloth, maybe use a little oil and work up a paste, and apply it to the coin. play with it a bit until you like result.

    I don't know the specifics, but I know a lot of the large cent collectors use some kind of a sulfur compound and get good results re toning a harshly cleaned coin.

    To those screaming 'Coin Dr.' it's only doctoring if you try to pass the coin off as not altered. I have a lot of recolored large cents, all of which were bought knowing they were recolored. I even have some in NGC and PCGS holders if it makes you feel any better. I would personally prefer a recolored old copper to a harshly cleaned copper, so it's preference. To say you should never do it is being ridiculous, you should never do it and pass the coin off as original. I will only add that sulfur is one of the compounds that tones copper, all this is doing is speeding up a natural the process, not like filling with putty and coloring on gold coins.
     
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  3. desertgem

    desertgem Senior Errer Collecktor

    That compound contains abrasive polish to shine and patina at the same time. Use for copper tubes and fixtures. Dellers does not. The sulfur is in a petroleum base to prevent the presence on oxygen on the surface reaction. Once you use it, Darkeners are easy to spot and usually turn out bad, IMO. Ancients collectors seem to have difference rules about cleaning, electrolysis, physically removing debris, darkeners and waxes.
     
  4. Conder101

    Conder101 Numismatist

    Kentucky is right Sulfur does not dissolve in water. i was thinking the egg yolk method as well. Crumble egg yolks from hard boiled egs in water and then boil them. Filter out all the solids. This solution could act as a darkening agent. In between uses just keep it frozen so there is no chance of it going bad.
     
  5. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    That's not really true. And no I'm not picking on the OP, just stating facts. Anything you do to a coin is doctoring the coin. Removing PVC residue with acetone, soaking the coin in distilled water, dipping the coin, altering the date or mint mark, etc etc. It doesn't matter what you do, it's all doctoring.

    Doctoring a coin can have good connotations or bad connotations, it's like toning in that regard - AT vs NT, but it's all still toning.

    The thing with the OP's coins is that eventually those coins are going to end up in somebody else's hands. And when they do, the new owners will know nothing of the OP's intent. They will only look at the coins and say they were doctored. And they will almost certainly assume it was not for good reasons.

    That said they are his coins, if he wants to mess with them, he can.
     
  6. tdec1000

    tdec1000 Coin Rich, Money Poor :D

    How do you think people will EVER understand what the doctors are doing if they don't experiment themselves. You think the graders at PCGS/NGC never tried this kind of stuff? This is how you learn.

    As long as the OP doesn't try to hide anything and isn't trying to decieve anyone there is no harm in experimenting.
     
  7. tdec1000

    tdec1000 Coin Rich, Money Poor :D

    Agreed, on the same note there is not one coin dealers back room that doesn't look like a chemistry lab.
     
  8. RaceBannon

    RaceBannon Member

    I don't disagree in theory with experimenting with one's own coins. The difference can be quite astonishing, especially when trying to re-tone harshly cleaned coins. Here's a before and after example of an SLQ that was harshly cleaned in the before photo, and I actually re-toned it by smoking it, yes I blew cigar smoke on it repeatedly to see what effect it would have. The "smoked" coin is the same coin as it appears in the after photo. I did this just to play around. I still own the coin.

    Where you get in trouble ethically in my mind is if you do something like this with the intent of selling the coin.

    If the OP wants to dip his coins in peanut butter and light them on fire to see the effect, I've got no issue with it, as long as he's not selling them as "uncleaned" coins down the road.
     

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  9. Kentucky

    Kentucky Supporter! Supporter

    So, if you sold this (I would buy it) are you going to disclose that you have nicotinized it?
     
  10. John14

    John14 Active Member

    [video=youtube;2V-t-T2Rha8]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2V-t-T2Rha8[/video]
    I'm not sure if this is appropriate or not. - If not, Mods please remove and accept my apology.
     
  11. serafino

    serafino Well-Known Member

    That SLQ looks much better with your smoke treatment. I see nothing wrong with re-toning your own harshly cleaned coins.
     
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