Here is a Tet I have had for awhile. I am sure @David Atherton wondered when I would post it. Sadly it had alot of BD on the edges that I didn't see in the sellers, so I have been battling it. So far it seems OK now. Egypt, Alexandria AR Tetradrachm O: AYTOK KAIΣ ΣEBA OYVEΣΠAΣIANOY; Head of Vespasian, laurerate, r., date LΓ before neck R: No Legend; Nike flying l., with wreath and palm. Alexandria mint, 70-71 AD 12.82g 25mm RPC 2423
Cool coin. Sucks about the BD, a real deal killer. I used to not mind a tiny bit but my hospital tray has shrunk & don't want to have to expand it again.
I'm glad to see it arrived safe and sound. Most Alexandrian tets I've come across have harmless little green deposits on them that aren't BD, perhaps that is what you have on your coin?
Bronze disease is quite normal on billon coins that are 75% to 85% copper. I would be interested in hearing what the least percentage AE coins are that have been found with BD.
It would easily wipe off and 2 days later bloom right back. Soaked it in distilled water for awhile and picked at the trouble spots. So far its ok. Some of the edges weren't silver, but old deposits and whatever else. Thats where it was blooming.
I think it's a nice looking coin Mat...keep that BD away! did your Verdi-care it? This tet had BD on the edge as well, no idea how much AR/AE is it, supposedly an AR tet..but more billon I guess. Syria, Seleucis and Pieria. Emesa. Macrinus, 217-218 AD. AR Tetradrachm O: laureate, draped, and cuirassed bust right. R: eagle standing facing, head left, holding wreath in beak; between legs, radiate and draped bust of Shamash left. Prieur 1015. 27 mm, 12.9 g Speaking of which I need to check it!
Nice looking coin @Mat , but I'm surprised about the BD. I thought these had very little copper. But there ya go. I guess I don't know as much as I should.
Vespasian's year 1 Alexandrian tets have an average silver fineness of around 19%. Compare that with those struck for Cleopatra which are nearly 32% fine.
Interesting -- I was unaware that AR tets have this high percentage of other metals. I don't remember my chemistry well enough to know what percentage of copper is necessary before bronze disease is able to set it, but I'll bet it's a relatively low percentage.
For contemporary Syrian tets the average fineness is around 67%, weighing close to 14.85g, and containing nearly 9.95g of silver. Just to give you an idea how variable they can be.
