In a different thread, @dougsmit wrote, I have a few such coins, ranging from not too ugly ... ... to just plain hideous-looking: I suspect this is pretty common. Post your examples of silvered coins that patinated this way.
My two examples of Gallienus show nearly full silvering and apparently none at all. I LOVE the way that coin turned out @Pishpash--it's gorgeous!!
Traces still visible especially on the reverse. Severina Mint: Rome 274 to 275 AD Billon Antoninianus Obvs: SEVERINA AVG, Diademed and draped bust right on crescent Revs: CONCORDIAE MILITVM, Concordia holding two standards. XXI below, P in field 20x22mm, 3.9g
Yes OP, very common. Patchy silver is the bane of coins from this era. I have a wonderful XF Probus with the oncoming quadriga reverse I can barely stand to look at because of the blotchy toning.
I actually have quite a few. Currently in the proccess of re photograghing my collection. I will share one of my favorites and spare you the other old ill shot pics. Posumus MBBH- ex YOC
AURELIAN Antoninianus OBVERSE: IMP C AVRELIANVS AVG, radiate cuirassed bust right REVERSE: / ORIENS AVG, Sol advancing left, holding globe & right hand raised in salute, treading on left of two captives at foot, officina letter in ex Struck at Rome,272-4 AD 4.4g, 22mm RIC 62
as coins collectors, we can always tell when an empire, country or civilization starts its downfall... the debasing of it's currency.
Good idea for a thread. My Carinus is a mess of bronze, patinated bronze, darkly toned silver and brighter silver. Which is a shame, because it's a decent coin otherwise. Any suggestions on how to improve it would be greatly appreciated!
I'd leave that one alone. You might remove the dusty green cover as seen on the two coins in the first post by RC but The only thing that might help this Carinus might be to remove the silver but I do not know how to do that.
I bought mine UNSILVERED... Got it CLEANED by @YOC, and found out it was SILVERED! RI Postumus 259-268 CE Antoninianus Cologne Providentia
He has the Magic! I was amazed, and, yes, they ARE the same coin (look at 11:00 and his neck on the obv.)
Here is what I consider a good example of part silvering part lack of silvering making a coin UGLY. Tacitus looks scarred. Here the cleaning process has removed the delicate silvering and created another horror.