Can a coin acquire "desert patina" if it wasn't minted anywhere near the desert?

This Nigrinian minted in *Rome* is described as having a "nice original desert patina".
I had previously mentioned to vcoins that almost the entire stock of this seller have similar desert patinas no matter where they're minted, and he had started to amend his descriptions to say "applied desert patina". But he seems to have reverted to his original claims. Unless of course this "desert patina" could be real???

 

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Glue + sand = desert patina.

 

Not going to comment on the patina being real or not but I will say that the Roman Empire was a big place, it is well documented and obvervable to find coins far away from where they were minted. Hell, coins from Arcadius have been found in Sri Lanka; it's not hard to believe seeing a coin minted in Rome circulating in the Eastern provinces or North Africa.

 

Could be a modern job designed to hide a pitted surface or other damage, though I suppose it is always possible that a traveler could have lost a coin from a different province in a desert environment as he was traveling around the provinces

 

And ended up with a dealer who appears to specialise in "desert patina" coins.

 

also//// Coin dropped+sand+2000 years = desert patina
Does it look like sand under magnification....? looks a bit like clay from pics. this would certainly be easier to apply as a fine paste and wipe off before drying to leave the lettering as clean as it is. If I had it in hand I'd know I think.
of course coins turn up all over the empire, so the mint location means diddly squat as far as the final patina a coin obtains. The hoard I found in the Uk had coins from far eastern mints as well as 'local' ones.

 

To me this coin looks like its desert patina was acquired while this coin was buried... in a certain dealer's inventory.

 

"Can a coin acquire "desert patina" if it wasn't minted anywhere near the desert?"

Certainly, yes, if it becomes part of Zurqieh's stock.

 

I know the dealer that he bought the coin from on vcoins. I can understand why he adds desert patina to worn bronze coins. It makes the designs stand out more. However, let's call it what it is... Doctoring!

 

How the hell is that guy still on VCOINS? I thought they had a code of ethics?!

 

If sand stuck to metal then having a metal object sandblasted would obviously have the opposite desired effect!!

 

Ha, I've gotten coins from Israel with desert patina and if I rub the coin with my thumb the "desert" can come right off. There's certainly real desert patina on many coins, but the artificially applied stuff has become a fad amongst too many sellers. I see many laughable examples every day. Gives the real ones a bad name. And what's that white stuff massaged onto some coins to make the outlines and details stand out!? It's like zinc white paint, not even a natural earth-toned color. Ugh...

 

I see the "Not patinade" devices as extremely scratched, so I'm sure some finely ground sand and some well placed super glue were involved in this so called Desert Patina to hide more blemishes on the coins surfaces!

 

On that note, @Greg Heinrich yours was probably dug up near you in the Outback... ... true story.

 

I know all had fun with this coin and its 'questionable' (being nice) patina but Roman coins did not necessarily circulate anywhere near where they were minted. Rome mint coins could be shipped en large quantities to Africa, Asia or Britain to pay the troops or troops with a purse full could be relocated. Being Rome mint does not mean a coin shouldn't/couldn't have a sand/soil surface. Being part of certain sellers' stock certainly does mean that any coin is suspect. They may have a number of perfectly good coins but when you lie down with dogs, expect fleas.

 

And if you visit certain sellers, go prepared with a big tin of flea spray

 

To clarify, i didn't buy this coin - i'm not buying from this guy ever again after I bought a genuine very rare Uranius from him - which I later discovered to have a suspect desert patina - for a very large amount of money. I consider this guy to be untrustworthy and ethically compromised. It is a shame, because he has some rare rulers that I need.

 

OH! So sorry to hear!!

 

I check vcoins new inventory 2-3 times a day; always east to spot this dealer's coins even without looking at his name

they all look like sliced carrots

 

Haha Athena's are really orange aren't they? And Zurqieh's are that bright yellow colour.