Pre/Post Cleaning

This is friggin amazing. It makes me wonder what kinds of details are still hidden on coins I've thought I cleaned, or on coins that were purchased as turn-key.

I'd love to see other people's pre- and post-cleaning pictures!

 

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I haven't got around to taking a proper "After" photo, but you get the picture.

 

That looks great. I have a flip-phone, so pictures are little hard for me, but that green encrustation's always been hard for me. The last time I tried, I wound up scraping metal and regretting it..

 

There is another active thread on this very subject. Check it out, very interesting.

John.

 

My first foray into ancients was with several "uncleaned" lots. They were all junk... utter junk. No "hoard deposits" were hiding decent coins, just terribly worn coins which had been cleaned as much as they could be cleaned before they were deemed junk to be sold to a sucker (me ).

I tried buying some "extra crusty" coins thinking it meant the original dirt hadn't been removed, so maybe something good could be underneath. Again, that was a nope. There were a smattering of barely acceptable coins after cleaning, and most of them simply weren't cleanable. The crust was mostly corrosion.

In addition to their obvious skills in cleaning and conservation, YOC and a few others are also skilled in identifying which coins can be successfully conserved.

My one modest cleaning success was with an Amisos bronze with Athena / Perseus holding the decapitated head of Medusa. It was not from an uncleaned lot-- it was for sale in a local jewelry store which has a substantial selection of coins set in pendants and rings. Occasionally they have a few loose coins for sale, mostly junk. This one wasn't identified but it was easy to tell what it was. Great price, too

Before, which is attractive in its own way but I wanted to see if there were any details preserved under the surface deposits and corrosion):



After a few quick soaks in white vinegar, followed by distilled water soaks and drying:

I hope Hoth corrects me if I'm wrong, but I suspect he started this thread because the one to which you refer devolved into a showcase of obstreperous behavior.

 

=> nice coin, Pish

Oh, and I always like seeing that Pontos gem, Granger

 

Directly from a bronze sculpture in Florence, taken just a few weeks ago...

 

This Pontos is beautiful both before and after (though I do like the after a better). And I started this thread so I could see the word obstreperous, which is a gorgeous collection of sounds, in action action, so: mission accomplished!

 

100% .... that other thread is sucking the good vibe out of this place!!

 

I think you're right, I'll let you know after I look up the definition. (LOL).

John.

 

I should point out, in case there are some inquisitive collectors reading this thread who aren't familiar with ancient coin manufacturing techniques, that the deep scratches visible on the "after" shot are not from my cleaning or anyone else's cleaning. They are artifacts of flan manufacturing, present before the coin was struck.

 

I'll drink to those results!
Cheers lads

 

Another one

 

Yup => you've gotta love the sweet, sweet adjustment marks (typical of this cool Pontos area)

 

Another one

 

Before:-

Bought as a limes denarius. I performed a small test on the edge and determined it was silver.



After:-

 

I have my recent one that @YOC made purdy!

BEFORE:


AFTER: WOW, Had NO clue, the Silvering came through!

Roman Imperial
Postumus, 259-268 AD
antoninianus, 20 mm, 3.2 gm, Cologne
Obv: IMP C POSTVMVS PF AVG Radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right
Rev: PROVIDENTIA AVG, Providentia standing left holding globe and transverse scepter

AWESOME job... and I have a READY MARKET with @TIF !

 

Literally night and day.

 

Scraping doesn't work. It needs to go into a solution.

 

unruly · unmanageable · disorderly · undisciplined
Good word @TIF