What is under a "repatinated" surface?

What is under the surface of a repatinated coin? I took these coins and found out, documenting the process.






Take a look at the surfaces on my page:

http://augustuscoins.com/ed/numis/surfaces2.html

This page is a followup to my page on altered surfaces:

http://augustuscoins.com/ed/numis/surfaces.html

The repatinated surface makes the coins easier to see. But, they look altered. Is repatination like this a good idea? Or, are the coins "better" after the applied surface has been removed? What do you think?

 

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Repeat

 

Definitely after. Those shoes go well also.

 

I would have stopped before the coin conditioner. I just don't like the shine.

 

Galerius looks great. The Constantine looked fine until the conditioner. That's just me, I don't care for the fake patina on these.

 

repatination makes genuine ancient coins look like tourist fakes

 

Not sure the process is re-patinating but is actually patina revealing. True patina is a coating of metal oxides, sulfides and perhaps a few other anion salts. These are not soluble in acetone. Fingernail polish usually contains other ingredients beyond acetone (other solvents, oils, fragrance, etc.). But metal salts won’t dissolve well in these either. It is possible that if you pushed hard, the friction of the swab could dislodge some metal salts.

Good chance that the orangish material that was removed was mostly a mix of organic compounds (waxes, lacquer, and oils … soluble in acetone) with some fine solids (dirt, metal oxide particles) suspended in it. When these were gone, the true metal salts patina was revealed.

I like the result.

Mike