Got my "blurry" pic 1833 large cent in today and it is a truely beautiful coin (to me anyway lol) However the pic hid a rather strange issue. One of the previous owners dipped the coin in...................Wax! Mint green wax at that. Now the question is this. What is the best way to remove the wax from the coin without hurting the coin? here is a closeup of one of the heavier coated areas here is the same area after I "scratch" the surface with my fingernail (notice the flakes of wax) So again the question is what is the best way to remove wax from a wax coated coin?
I'd Try using something that would do better kinda "popping" the wax off instead of scraping it...maybe a toothpick?
I would try xylene, it's a solvent that will not harm the coin but will aid in removing dirt/grim from coins. If you go this route there are two important things to note. Xylene is toxic if inhaled and should be used with caution, and you need to rinse the coin with distilled water afterwards.
Hmm sounds like a good idea if i do go the toothpick route (which is what it is looking like at this point) But I wait see if anyone else has an idea, Not sure if xylene will disolve wax but that is my thought at that moment for safest method.
You probably should NOT use anything (finger-nail, tooth-pick, etc) to pick at the surface. Please wait for others to have an opportunity to see your question & evaluate the condition of the coin. Please don't pick at it.
thanks tom while it may very well be some verdigris, I am sure it is wax and not just "crud" the entire coin is coated with the wax. I have however found my 1st step that i should have thought of myself, I will be "dipping" the coin in near boiling distilled water as a 1st step. This is the method I found recommended for the removal of "renwax" which is a material apparently often used to "preserve" coins by museams. I can't see hot water damaging the coin in any way and I will dip it using nylon tipped forceps I usualy use for jewelry repair. This way the coin won't be bounced around on the bottom of a pan. I will let you guys know the results of this 1st attempt
Toothpaste has very fine grit that will polish / clean and leave hair lines on any coin token etc. Cool the coin some how way a freezer would be what I would do what.after coin is ice cold. I would heat up Destiled water.bottled water is not the same as Destiled water that should get the wax off.:thumb: if not repeat this till wax or what u want removed. Tap water+bottled water have chlorine that will stain your copper coin.and any copper coin or token.if you need it graded this is the safest way to remove wax or what ever is on the coin.
Ok here it is after less then 5 minutes in near boiling water. (used a muslin teabag rather then the forceps and "hung" it) After a few seconds the teabag started to turn green as it absorbed the melting wax. The coin still has wax in the crevices but I think a slightly longer 2nd dip with a fresh teabag should finish the job.
:yes:1 more thing you can do is get hospital grade hypoallergenic tape = Tamp VERY Lightly VERY Slowly with Out rubbing any surface!!!!! It will get graded by Pcgs if coin is in the Quality Pcgs wants grader are picker then Ngc. I know that to well
OMG.. lol. I thought of heating the wax too but I thought any kind of heating would hurt the coin. But heating in water...duh... lol. Nice result!
