Got a couple cheap coins today, nothing special, but not bad for the price. The ant. of Probus needs bit more cleaning, a skill I lack, so It'll stay as it is. The other , I got because I couldn't identify it for some, had a brain fart until I got home. It feels odd, which I assumed was from being very mineralized, which it is, but now I think its waxed as well and possibly has BD lol Probus AE Antoninianus. VIRTVS PROBI AVG, radiate, helmeted, cuirassed bust left with spear and shield / SECVRIT PERP, Securitas standing left leaning on column, VIXXI in ex. RIC 526 Ticinum Tacitus AE Antoninianus. Rome mint. IMP C M CL TACITVS AVG, radiate, draped, cuirassed bust right / PROVIDENTIA AVG, Providentia standing left holding baton over globe at foot left and cornucopiae, XXIA in ex. RIC V (1) 92
Great finds for a "junk box"! Especially Probus. Tacitus is nice as well. Too bad that his face suffers the most encrustation (and possible BD--though I wouldn't jump to that conclusion based on the photo). I do clean (or have cleaned) a lot of coins, sometimes more so than I should have, but in my opinion the Probus looks just fine for what it is-- still has nice silvering, which would likely be damaged by any vigorous cleaning. The encrustations don't detract too much, and would be challenging to remove without gouging and scratching it up. It's an attractive coin. It might be a little easier to clean off Tacitus' face and obv from 2'-4', though it looks like someone may have already had a go at it. You're probably already aware, but the BD is likely treatable without doing much damage. If you don't want to use one of the carbonates or commercial products, then there's another very effective, but controversial and potentially abusable, solution: brushing it gently with a very dilute solution of silver nitrate (used as a swimming pool algicide, or you can get it in powder form). You risk leaving an artificially "re-silvered" surface if you leave it on too long, especially with a flan that was originally silvered or made of billon (thus the abuse potential). For example, here's an experiment I did with a Hadrian Sestertius that was being devoured by BD. Though it has arrested the BD for the last 15 or 16 months, it also changed the patina noticeably: http://ancientcoincollectors.blogspot.com/2010/09/solution-get-it-to-bronze-disease.html I'm not a chemist, so I can't explain why AR removes BD, but it does; it's not just painting over it (as explained by an actual chemist linked above).
Cool pickups, there is a Tacitus I am eyeing to get in a few weeks unless xmas present buying delays it, lol.
Thanks. The Probus isn't silvered. I had brushed it lightly with a brass brush and rubbed it with my thumb. I stopped hen I saw how nice the detail on the helmet was. The one of Tacitus feels waxed or varnished kind of, and if so, then maybe it was some sort of treatment to stop the BD w/ out removing it. I have another coin that very mineralized, it wasnt waxed, but has a similar feel to it. BTW, thats a nice looking Sestertius!
