Picked up at a flea market for 10 dollars. Let set in water and dish soap for a week. Cleaned with a dental pick. Still not done but I can read it now, Arcadius. Other than that I don't know much about this coin. Any further info appreciated.
I don’t think I’d clean this one. I looks worn and has corrosion spots. The sand and dirt highlights what’s left and covers some blemishes. It’s as good as it’s going to look. Whatever you do, don’t add a bunch more scrape marks to it. If anything I’d rub it between my fingers a bunch to even out the dirt and wear down the scrape marks.
You are correct that it is Arcadius. The circle above his head is the hand of God giving him a halo. Here are the bullet points from my notebook: · Flavius Arcadius was the elder son of Theodosius I. · His father elevated him to co-emperor at age 6. His name appeared on all denominations of the coinage. He was co-emperor with his father for 12 years until his father’s death in 495. · He inherited the leadership of the Eastern Empire and stayed in the capital city, Constantinople. · Arcadius was a weak and ineffectual emperor. Although his reign lasted for another 13 years, the real power behind the throne was his wife, Aelia Eudoxia whom he married in 395, three months after his father’s death. She bore him five children, including the emperor Theodosius II. · Eudoxia died in childbirth in 404. The power passed to Anthemius, the praetorian prefect and patrician. He was the grandfather of the Western Empire emperor who had the same name. Anthemius would hold his position of power during the reign of Theodosius II. · Arcadius died at age 31 from natural causes. Like his brother, Honorius, he was weak leader, unlike his father. My coin is not much better. Bronze double centenionalis or maiorina of Arcadius 3.86 gr, Obverse: “D N ARCACUVS P F AVG” “Dominus Noster (“Our Lord showing the emperor to be the supreme leader”) Arcadius Pius Felix (Dutiful and wise) Augustus (emperor). Bust of the emperor with the hand of God above his head. Reverse: “GLORIA ROMANORVM” “Glory of Romans” Emperor holding labarum and shield. Antioch Mint RIC 41b, Sear 20788
@edteach I guess your photos, are the "after" photos. Do you have any "before" photos? As @Orange Julius mentioned, it looks like, you have created some noticeable cleaning scratches on the coin. However, perhaps the cleaning scratches are merely on the dirt, and perhaps not on the patina, and perhaps not on the metal. If you want to clean the coin further, perhaps to remove small areas of debris, or to remove more of the dirt, you could try using a sharp razor blade, such as the following Amazon product. I've had some success, using such razor blades, using the sharp point, to remove pieces of debris from ancient silver and bronze coins, and to remove small areas of toning from ancient silver coins. However, I find that, it helps, to use a cheap low power microscope, such as the following Amazon product, when using a razor blade. However, I don't have much experience with, removing an entire desert patina, from an ancient coin. https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07SHBMBT4/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1 https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B005P40OXY/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1
The photos I posted are the after the first cleaning. I think the next cleaning is going to be a bamboo pic. I get the ones used for Kabob on the grill. Bamboo is much stronger than pine tooth picks. But it is not hard enough to damage the patina.
I bought 10 off of eBay. I will post them for help with IDing them. None are in as good of condition as this one was.
