Thought some of you might be interested in seeing this. I wanted to share these before and after cleaning results with you. Yes, I was a little nervous. I looked at it a very long time before pulling the trigger. I just didn't know if those fingerprints and tarnish marks were baked into the coins surface. I used a little acetone and little MS70 on it. I think it's a 100% better. I went very slow and very easy. A little acetone then rinse, a little acetone then rinse, several times. Then the same thing with the MS70. It just slowly started getting better and better.
Out of curiosity, how much is "a little" and how long did you leave the acetone and MS-70 on before rinsing? What did you rinse with?
Thanks for the question. Just to clarify. I don't put the coin into the acetone and MS-70 or pour the acetone or MS-70 onto the coin. I pour a little acetone into a small clean shot glass, dipped a Q-Tip into the acetone saturating it. Then I slowly, softly, lightly and very gently rubbed (not a good word in the same sentence with coins, I know) the Q-Tip over the surface of the coin. Then rinse with distilled water. I did this process several times. I did the same thing with the MS-70. I think the key to this process was doing it a little bit at a time, not all at once.
@TJ1952 Roll the chemicals on to the coin an let them do most of the work. Toward the end, when most of the microscopic debris is gone you can "rub" just a little.
Nice job TJ, the reverse looks like a different coin. Your process seems painstakingly slow. I just drop them in accetone for about a half hour or so, rinse in distilled water then maybe a light coat of verdicare or simular. It ain't perfect but I've yet to destroy a coin.
I was thinking the same thing Smojo. I was looking for identifying marks from the before and after pics of the Rev. I didn't want others to think they were two different coins. Besides the "clip", there were a couple of very small tell-tail signs but the main give-a-way was on the rim on the opposite side of the clip. Yes, it was slow. Not that it's a high value coin, I just didn't want to screw it up or destroy it. I might ever submit it. See what it comes back as, just for the hell of it.
Patience is a trait I lack, I had art teachers attempt to break me of it 30 some years ago. It seems your patience paid off. You now have a nicer error, toned obverse even. Oh & that could just be the reason I jumped into ancients. You can clean them & everyone is GREAT with it, lol.
I may have patience but you have brains! I could never get my mind wrapped around ancients. I have a hard enough time with these modern day American coins. I look at ancients and say to myself, all you guys have to be cryptologists! Way over my head!
Not really, the people on ancient forum are a good group. Most are willing to help & teach you. I got schooled hard when I 1st joined them. One lady TIF inparticular took the time to explain how to read the coins & attribute them. I'd been collecting moderns fot 20 plus years just needed a change or a challenge. You know I have a thing for history. PS I still have all my moderns, won't part with them. I enjoy every piece, even the ugly ones.
