Would You Clean This Coin?

Hi all, picked this coin up awhile back. Its really dark black. Should I try to clean it up a little ? Or leave it be? Constantine I 307-336 - Siscia Mint 319 - RIC #59
OBV: IMP CONSTANTINVS P F AVG REV: VICTORIAE LAETAE PRINC PERP 20.0 mm - 2.9 gr. I really like this design.

 

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Looks great to me. I don't see anything to clean!

 

I would leave it if its just a dark patina with no adhesion.
I'ts a nice looking coin as is.

 

Guess I'm just not used to black toned coins.

 

Would You Clean This Coin? My simple answer is no. Looks fine.

 

Nope. As a dealer of many years (nearly 30) I have learned to never clean anything. Dont touch it, dont do anything. Possibly it can be 'improved' by experts, but if you are not one, dont attempt it.

 

It looks great just the way it is.

 

I think it looks coal, I mean cool as is. No need to clean.

 

I agree with you but do you think this coin I bought from you a week ago would benefit soaking in distilled water to get that thick green patina around the back of Claudius head.

 

I say yes to this one, but only if you know what you're doing.

 

Would it improve with proper cleaning? Absolutely! But 'properly' is the key word. I have tried cleaning coins in the past. Never had a knack for it. In fact, I remember one Byzantine bronze, very rare, worth perhaps $500 or more. I was experimenting with electrolysis at the time. My ignorance, the wrong solution, voltage and time, and, well, I DISSOLVED the poor coin! So, my advice is to not touch them unless you are willing to learn from the experts (and that is a hard thing to do, they are VERY closed to telling anyone exactly how they do it).

 

That's not dirty. This, on the other hand...tsk tsk tsk.

 

I'd leave the coin alone, looks nice as is.

 

Nothing wrong with black patina two or three of my favorite coins have black patina, one I just posted in my favorite sestertius and these two.

 

3 has always been my favorite number.

 

i really don't see anything to clean off of that coin.

 

Distilled water will not remove that green deposit.

Those kind of deposits can be very difficult to remove.

 

I actually like the black patina. It can make a coin a PITA to photograph at least for me though. But yeah, don't take the coin into the bath with you.

 

Electrolysis is the nuclear option for bronze coin cleaning. Only used when it is either throw it in the trash or try 5 minutes of current. Usually causes a lot of pitting to the coin itself even if it cleans it. In rare cases it works great. I've tried it on 30 or so lost cause LRBs, maybe 2-3 came out nice, the rest looked like metal sponges.