Coin Cleaning Help

Dougsmit's the expert on this site when it comes to photographing coins, but for what it's worth, I have a couple of thoughts.

If the only camera you have is a cell phone camera, you're probably stuck. You might be able to find an add-on close-focus device of some sort, but otherwise you'll be limited to the closest focusing distance of the phone's camera. Since camera phones generally have poor DPI (dots per inch) resolution -- typically 72 DPI horizontally and vertically -- magnifying the resulting image doesn't help since the magnified image will just appear more pixellated.

On the other hand, even the most basic point-and-shoot camera (I have a Canon PowerShot SX 710 HS) will have a close-up setting that will allow excellent detail at its closest focus, with 196 DPI resolution that will provide even better detail when magnified. If you have access to one of these cameras, use that camera set to its close-up setting and with a few minutes' trial and error you'll be able to get at least a passable picture.

 

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I agree with Ides on what he said except I prefer not to be termed 'expert' in anything. 'Slow learner' is closer. I do have an opinion on cleaning. Ancient or modern, it is OK to clean certain types of ugliness from our coins while others are best left alone. In modern, it is fine to blow dust from the surface using dry air. Beyond that, you might make the coin worse. All ancient coins have been cleaned to a point that modern collectors would call them 'details' coins. The good ones have been cleaned but don't look that way; The bad ones scream out what has been done to them. My advice in both cases is to realize that you may make things worse so it might be better to sell a coin and buy one you like as it is.

I doubt highly that most of us knew that. Speaking only for myself, I doubt I will know that tomorrow. I do have several Peace dollars left over from when we used to spend them before 1964 but I have not kept up on things like that since making the switch to ancients. The rules of collecting are different over the 50 years and between the coins we collect. I really would ask your question over in the US section and ignore what anyone who likes old 'details' coins (ancients) might say.

As far as photography goes, I am no good at modern coins. I did this image for a coin club program to show the importance of light placement but none are great images. I had to throw in modern coins to keep the members awake.

 

Well, excuse me and my insufficient knowledge of Ancient Coin protocol. You have a good day, now, ya hear?

 

You are excused.

 

OK, I should have written "most experienced."

I hope you didn't interpret Doug's response as insulting -- I'm certain it wasn't intended that way. You're overly optimistic regarding ancient collectors' knowledge of modern coins -- I didn't even remember what a Peace Dollar was until Doug posted his pictures! But it's nicer than assuming we're as ignorant as I am myself.

 

Yes, I did think it a bit cavalier, but assuming ignorance wasn't at all a part of my reaction.

 

A lot of ancient coin collectors know as much about coinage after 1700 as modern collectors know about LRB's. Did you get any pictures of your Peace dollar?

 

I plan to give it a shot Sunday morning.

 

Sounds good...maybe I'll have a shot now...............cheers

 

Just got around to this, and thanks for your thoughts. Things are getting a little out of hand for my old brain; I thought I had read everything in this thread, but somehow I missed this.

I don't have a cell phone camera, I have a 2005 Kodak Easyshare Z700. In its day it was probably a good camera in its price range. It's fairly easy to use and somewhat versatile, but I have not been able to take a closeup photo that would even begin to compare with the many that can be seen here or in many eBay auctions. (I say many auctions, but there are times when I wonder if the seller isn't deliberately posting a very poor picture to keep the actual condition of a coin from potential bidders. But that's another story.) I suppose that if you did a search on "Z700" at this forum you would find the several posts I have made discussing this camera — and some even providing photos of it.

The owner's manual's description of how to take closeups might not be the clearest writing, but among the specifications listed in the appendix it reads that the focus system in the "macro, wide" mode has a range of 2-27.6" and 9.8-27-6 in "macro, tele" mode. I have been successful with the macro, tele mode but at a distance of 9.8" from a coin as large as, say, an ASE, there's still a smaller image of the coin than is useful. @Kentucky has been quite helpful to me on a number of things, and as recommended a photo processing program to me that I can download for free, so I may be able to crop and enlarge a segment of my original image. Of course, you can only go so far before the definition deteriorates. This is, after all, only a 4 megapixel camera, so it can be outdone by even the most average of smart phones today. Member @RonSanderson has been encouraging, too, but maybe the learning and visuals get a little tougher when you get to be as old as I am.

 

Hey, careful with that, you aren't even a year older than me.

 

Years ago I purchased some of those round disks with no design on them on Ebay, I tryed reverse plating and it worked, I'm surprised I didnt electrocute myself doing it. used the two wires from an old computer supply unit alagator clamps and a silver spoon. in a bowl of distilled water took about 12 hours but got some intersting coins out of it. it removed all th gunk but on the first one I did I left it in to long and it dissolved some of the coin too, transfered it over to the spoon.

 

I have to write a note to myself before I leave one part of the house so that when I get to my destination I know why I went there. I've had grocery shopping lists with only two items on them.

 

OK, here, finally are shots of the front and back of the '28 Peace Dollar. These are the best of a dozen attempts. I am hoping that the cognoscenti can arrive at the best approach to cleaning it up. I noted after I opened this folder for the first time in several years that there might be another one or two that might benefit from a little sprucing.

 

This is an Ancients Forum.

Frankly, I left collecting Modern US 30 years ago due to the boring concerns over minute detail changes and the ridiculously huge mintages such as 361 THOUSAND pieces!

 

Mea Culpa! I posted these images in the wrong thread, AGAIN! methinks.

 

Which, even by 1928 standards, is a small mintage, BTW.

 

I collect historically, not for reselling. Many of my Ancient collection have issue with less than 360 TOTAL known pieces worldwide, and usually minted during crtitcal junctures in human history.

 

Wonderful! So do many modern coins, however... 1860s, 1917, 1941, 1945 in just the past 150 years. I've issued two previous apologies for not navigating to the proper area, but I've been taken in by the title of this thread... twice.

 

No problem. No harm, no fowl.