Cleaned Arados Tet

Many will remember the Phoenicia Arados Tet I posted about a month ago.


Well, I just couldn't leave it be with all the black spots as seen in the image above. So I soaked it for about two hours in lemon juice brushing every so often. This is the result

It's a bit bright now, but I am hoping it will take on some toning before too long. I believe some of you will say I should have left it alone, but personally, I think it looks much better now. Feel free to express your honest opinions.

PHOENICIA ARADOS
AR Tetradrachm
OBVERSE: Turreted, veiled, and draped bust of Tyche right
REVERSE: Nike standing left, holding wreath and palm frond; in left field, ZOP (date) above Aramaic B above ΘЄ; all within wreath
Arados CY 177 (83/82 BC)
14.91g, 27mm
Duyrat 3536–49; HGC 10, 72; DCA 772; BMC 239

 

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Interesting! What do you think those black spots were?
I agree, it looks way better now.
Cheers!

 

looks nice.

It will tone, give it time.

Resist temptation for further improvements.

 

I actually like it better!

 

I agree. Time will tone.

 

oh yeah, nice cleaning job bing.

 

Nice job JW. I too have a lemon juice cleaning success story with my Carolingian denier of Emperor Louis the Pious (struck in Venice):

Before:


After:

 

I have no idea, but the tooth brush bristles and my hand turned black as I was cleaning. It wasn't the result of horn silver. You can still see bits of horn silver on the obverse.

I am allowing it to dry in the open air for a couple of days, but I'm finished cleaning it.

 

Hand and tooth brush black: My thoughts are that it may had been in or near a fire? Soot? Being a couple thousand years old... Just guessing.

 

It looks better.

 

Possibly. But the black didn't just come off easily. It took several soakings and brushings.

 

Nice job Bing.

Here is one I took on a few years ago. I don't ever attempt much in terms of cleaning. I simply don't have the skills (or patience) that these coins deserve.

This coin was sold to me as a limes denarius from poor dealer images. The price was cheap and I suspected he was wrong as a eastern limes would be a real oddity so decided to buy it. With the coin in hand I immediately believed it to be silver.



I broke my own rules about not attempting to clean coins and started on it with a vinegar solution, a toothbrush and a softened cocktail stick.

I got it as far as this after a few hours. So definately silver.



Further work led to this, which is where I stopped.



Martin

 

Bing-- great job cleaning that thing! It is vastly improved

 

I agree with everyone else - good decision and good job!

 

I think you did a great job with that coin. I have two coins I'm considering cleaning but I'm going to wait until I can get good pictures so I can ask the board if I should proceed and what the best method would be...

 

Like everyone else, Bing (V.K. and Martin), I think that your attempts at a light, safe cleaning paid off significantly---definitely a vast improvement!!!

Obviously, a lemon and/or vinegar solution and a SOFT brush was the proper way to 'clean' those coins.

 

Not bad, big brother ... I didn't know that you were a "cleaner" ...

Ummm, and you chose lemon juice because it's a mild acid, or because it was handy in the fridge? ... why not vinegar? (it's also pretty handy)

NOTE: lemon juice contains Citric acid, vinegar contains Acetic acid (I have zero-clue which is better for coins?)

Hey, a bunch of you always claim that olive oil is the proper way to go!! ... and again, I'm no coin-cleaner, but I am pretty good at making Greek Salads (and you dudes are definitely on the right track!!)






.... mmmmm, please keep me posted on your next cleaning adventure, okay?

 

Steve raises an interesting point....By nature I am a bit 'incremental' so I tend to first use distilled water, boiling the coin a few times and then rub it off with a coarse cloth and THEN proceed to olive oil and lemon juice or vinegar water solution. This is the cue for you 'scientists out there to jump in.

I wonder in what time frame that will be? I refer to 'natural' toning rather than several 'artificial' methods that seem to be available.

 

It depends on where you live. If I leave a silver coin out on the table, it tones considerably faster than would a coin of a collector living in, say, Estes Park, Colorado. My air is humid, salty, and contains Saharan dust and volcanic ash-- Quite a corrosive paste! Even stainless steel 304 fairly rapidly corrodes where I live .

 

I think they all look better. Would you clean bronze the same way or does it react different with these acids?
Nicely done Bing!