When I was at the TSNA show this weekend, I picked up this nice little 1797 large cent. The variety is S-128, which is distinctive because the M in AMERICA is punched over an E. This is a later die state of the variety with obverse die cracks going all over the place. The details are solidly AU, but there are pickish encrustations all over the coin. Believe it or not, that is precisely the reason why I bought it. Since I collect ancient Chinese coins, I am a huge fan of colorful encrustations. I am attracted to high-grade large cents with the colorful encrustations. That allows me to get high-grade early large cents at affordable prices, and it helps bridge the gap between my passions. Here is a 1798 S-154 (R.4) double-struck cemt with a much more severe affliction, but the luster present shows it is clearly an UNC. And a few Chinese coins to show what I am talking about and how the large cents are related.
I'm not so much a fan of encrustation unless it's evenly distributed and doesn't look like cancerous growths. That being said, the two you posted do have amazing detail. The latter (1798) was almost certainly a detector find, I would think. (Speaking of which...)
Sorry, but I would not want those pieces. I’d be concerned about the corrosion continuing, and I would never be pleased with them. It’s reason why I avoid ancient bronze coins.
They definitely aren’t for everyone, so no offense taken. In my experience with Chinese coins, such encrustation is actually quite stable and actually protects the coin from further corrosion once removed from a corrosive agent. Softer corrosion (verdigris and bronze disease) tends to be more active and will continue to eat away at the coin.
I ha I have about 1/2 oz. of Blue Ribbon remaining from 3 bottles bought as BR was pulled off the shelves 20 years or so ago. In the meantime, I’ve been conservative with the BR and used Verdi-Care on the more common copper. Now that both both BR and VC are scarce, do you have a plan B or C for care of copper? If so what would you recommend same? Btw, I was a member of EAC for many years until about 2003, when I concentrated on other interests, including World coins and Ancients, while maintaining a much smaller interest in early copper.
I'm still sitting on 6 1/2 bottles of Blue Ribbon, and 2/3rds of a bottle of Care. (Care was the product that was commonly used before it was discontinued and Blue Ribbon replaced it. I've seen bottles of Care go for over $250. and that was several years ago.)
Have you EAC guys used the Renaissance Wax the Ancients people use, and if so, I was wondering what you thought of that vis-a-vis Blue Ribbon, et al?
