NO!!!!! The dreaded BD :(

Looks a bit unusual but it works for me, and I can clean no problem

 

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Cool. I see that it is used in moderns/US; I just never see that folks discuss it for Ancients. Thanks! I use a lighted medical magnifier on a rolling base: 5 diopter and quarter sized 8 diopter. Seems to cover everything I am looking at/for. Thanks for the info!

 

LOL, in other words, a magnifying glass of wheels... but it works for me at my desk, and with my tired eyes.

 

Pish, where would I find that one? Looks simple enough...

 

I think more water would be more harmful than the brass brush, but maybe not. I use the soft brass dremel tool tip but apply by hand, not with the motorized tool. I've never damaged a coin (that I've noticed).

 

Interesting question. Perhaps if more of the BIG NAMES dealing in the ancient coin field and the SMALLER (?) NAMES working at TPGS would have learned to use one when they started to collect/deal decades ago there would be fewer arguments on authenticity. IMHO, we should ALL be better served.

You really do deserve a "like" from me for this!

 

I got mine from Amazon. No inbuilt light.
https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B004RI7DHE/ref=oh_aui_search_detailpage?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

Thank you.

 

Distilled water is very useful in treating BD. It does not harm the coin itself. Naturally the distilled water should be changed often and the coin should be monitored (ie. don't just leave a coin in it for weeks and forget about it).

 

@Insider What do you look for on Ancients that help decide whether a coin is a fake or not? What do you focus on when using your stereo microscope?

 

LOL, bummer... I will look under a US site...
"Only 2 left in stock.

Sorry, this Seller doesn’t deliver to the United States"

 

I am not jumping onto anyones side in this thread, just stating facts.
It is wrong to say that SBBB (soft brass bristle brushes) do not damage coins, they do.
The patina is more often than not softer than the 'bronze' and will scratch easily. The coin is referred to as bronze, but nearly always contains a quantity of lead and other metal traces. These will be scratched by SBBB.
To prove a point, take one of your slugs with no detail and hold it over a candle flame using tongs. watch the metals with lower melting points fizzing off the coin surface and then allow to cool. There will be pitting and holes left where the lead etc melted away.
Even hard wood will damage patina, but not the bare metal. I use cocktail sticks and thorns, but again you have to be careful.

 

sorry, just seen Dougs reply...
spot on Doug.

 

Just to be clear, this coin is a slug, so it isn't as though I'm advocating he do this on a nice bronze coin.

I'm sure a SBB leaves traces of its use, though I've never noticed any. I don't really buy coins that need cleaning anymore, but I do have some that have BD outbreaks and this is how I've treated them, and I've been satisfied with the result.

@Sallent, don't you think the moisture, even if from DW, is still problematic, since BD stems from a reaction with moisture? That's my basic concern. The few times I've experienced BD it was after tampering with a coin through cleaning and DW soaks.

 

Thanks again everyone.

This is actually an unstruck planchet.

I really like the magnifiers you guys have. They would definitely come in handy. I just have a cheap magnifying glass.

I went at the coins with a plastic pick earlier and got some more of the BD out.

I never did make it to the store, but I'll get some more distilled water tomorrow. How long should I soak it?

Erin

 

@Collect89

 

Wow! That is an entire C/F seminar subject.

Basically, All C/F's are made using the same processes. So, the exact same rules/methods apply as for any numismatic authentication: Most important is TO KNOW WHAT THE GENUINE SHOULD LOOK LIKE. This has become much harder as the quality of all fakes has improved over the decades. Nevertheless, it seems most experienced collectors/dealers can still authenticate the majority of ancients with their naked eyes!

In a C/F seminar around 1974, the instructor fielded a question (from a scientist in the class) about magnification. Our instructor told us that he used a stereo microscope to examine coins. Then he told the class that if the scientist returned to his lab and started to study the surface of genuine coins using an electron microscope he had access to, the scientist would soon surpass him (our instructor) in knowledge about what a genuine coin should look like. This was back in the 70's!

As for me, long ago, most of the fake ancients I saw were crude in style and fabric, plus many were just obvious casts. IMO, the really deceptive counterfeit ancients (now mostly exposed) started out at a much higher level as made by Becker, etc. The old counterfeiters were good. The late 20th Century counterfeiters were much better (Black Sea Hoard). Today, the production methods are much better.

So unfortunately, since virtually no professional numismatists involved with ancients bothered to study these coins using a stereo microscope in the 70's and beyond, the chance to see the evolution of the MICRO SURFACE of the more modern fakes was lost! Collectors/dealers continued to rely on things such as style and weight. Same for Chinese numismatics. Fortunately, the Internet has allowed us to develop data bases of counterfeit ancients where dies and repeating imperfections can be tracked.

Since I know nothing about style, denomination, City State, ruler, date, etc.; all I can do is rely on the microscopic surface characteristics I see. That includes the type of crystallization, and surface imperfections that are commonly seen on cast and struck counterfeit coins of all eras and countries.

I'm just a rookie. I rarely have a chance to examine ancients anymore under the scope as I don't actively collect them. When I go to a show, I will bring home some attractive, INEXPENSIVE, Greek or Roman bronze thingies for my wife.

 

Thanks. Good stuff. I appreciate the info.

 

I'm fairly sure that I used to play my vinyl on a stereo microscope (ahhh, the good ol' daze)

Johndakerftw => man, I'm really sorry to hear that your coin has a touch of the dose (I have verdicare, so I apply the recommended amount after trying to gently remove all of the green fluffy-nasty stuff)

=> good luck with your precious coin-patient

 

Thanks Steve.

I'll be ordering some Verdicare tomorrow.

Hopefully it makes a full recovery!

Erin