Calling all uncleaned coin Mr Myagi's, what's the verdict on Ren Wax? Wax on or Wax off? I believe this was very popular back in the day, but not so much now? Though I've also heard it can bring a bit of glitz and glam to an otherwise lacklustre coin. Any examples the good denizens of the ancients forum could share would be much appreciated, especially before and after shots!
I don't and never, even in my nightmares, would I do that. But I'm not really into ancients so I don't really know what you crazy ancients people do.
My experience is mixed. it will not work miracles and I don't know if it preserves coins from future damage or not. That said, if one likes a bit of luster on an otherwise dull bronze or brass it seems to do that. I cannot see much difference on silver coins at all. So, do I use it? Occasionally, but not on anything where if it does not turn out well it's going to cost me a lot.
Use some kind of oil, like olive oil, instead of wax. I've heard that it has been used as a preservative since the time your ancient coins were made.
If you subject your coins to any sort of harsh cleaning with lye or vinegar, then it’s really going to need Ren wax to look at all presentable. I don’t do it unless it’s necessary
If you use most any oil, it can come off on a flip or capsule and look like crap. Exception is maybe linseed oil which will air cure to a kind of plastic.
And isn’t olive oil acidic anyways? Prolonged exposure is good to clean, but I wouldn’t want a coin sitting in olive forever
Ancient fellows is different cats........it's OK to do a 'scrub' or a 'dub' and there is no foul called.
I can't tell if that's sarcastic or not... Also I never buy ungraded Morgans, so it better be worth it!
I tend to use it more often than not on my bronze coins for the evening and luster properties, and I don't use it on silver as it keeps it from toning. It does make some photographs harder due to the luster; light gets nearly 100% reflected rather than absorbed or dissipated by the coin surface. I prefer the look of it after some time handling the coin rather than just after application and rubdown. Edit: I did use it on these two coins -
Just pulling your leg. Ancient coins are allowed a lot of leeway that people who collect coins past 500 AD wouldn't consider.
All oils, with the exception of mineral oil, are acids...but then again, so is milk. These are exceedingly weak acids, and the linseed oil will harden.
@Kentucky is our resident leg-puller... careful or else he'll roll it in some flour, secret blend of herbs & spices, and fry'r up!
Ok I see. The most "ancient" coin I have is a French 1651 Tournois de Gaston des Dombes. It has a really cool story to it too... I was walking on a path in France with the rest of my family (we are mostly European so we all meet either in England or France) and I saw a little green spot on the trail. The trail used to be walked by the "coast guard" of the day, and so lots of money and traders went through it. So anyway I stopped to pick it up and my mom, as always, said "stop picking things up. They're dirty" I still took it and it felt light and sharp and I turned it around. Boom, I saw the massive nose of an undoubtedly French person and eventually found the date as 1651. That very coin sparked my passion for this hobby and I still have it!
I have an extremely light coat of Ren Wax on this Vespasian dupondius, and I'm not set up to take any kind of respectable photos of it, so here's the only way I can show it: