Can I conserve/clean this properly?

Haven't seen it in-hand yet, but it's a tougher variety. Overton 116. Looks like an AU58 or 55 detail-wise, but can this dark crust be removed? Looking for opinions on the color/tone and if/how it can be removed.

 

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IMO, that coin cannot be restored to anything better than it is now. It looks like a sulfur compound covers its entire surface. If you are itching to do something, put a little Coin Care on it and make it glossy...LOL.

 

What is "Care?"

 

Leave it be.

 

Heck no!

 

This conservation/cleaning is going to be attempted. I already know this having bought it. But I'm wondering if there are any recommendations from others out there as to how to gently attempt to rediscover this coins surfaces. Anybody?

 

While the surfaces aren't great, they aren't hideous, either. Black crust is pretty unforgiving to conservation attempts. At best, you'll have no change, and at worst, regret.

 

IMO, the coin is attractive as is. Anyone with any experience knows that YOUR COIN HAS NO SURFACE LEFT TO SAVE! If you touch it "gently" you will leave evidence of your ham-fisted attempt to conserve it. Have fun. I dare you to post an image of the coin after you destroy it further.

OK, that was uncalled for BUT promise to show us the results if you dare.

Now, I'm going to help you out. Take a 90% silver coin and put it on a piece of glass. Get some flour of sulfur and pour a ring of the powder completely around the coin about 1/2 inch from its edge. Place the glass with the coin in the oven and heat it up to at least 350. A broiler works faster. What you will have left is a dark corroded coin with a hard gray surface that matches your "gem."

Experiment on that coin. When you see what happens,
hopefully you will not touch your new acquisition so someone in the future will have it for their collection - as is!

 

If I was going to give this one a go I'd strip it using the hot water, tinfoil and baking soda method. With that method you can remove a little bit of toning at a time by just quickly dipping the coin and almost get a preview of what the end result will be and stop before you go too far which is a luxury dip doesn't usually afford. Although it's probably going to end up worse looking, until it retones.

 

Whatever I attempt, I will post, with my own before and after pics.

 

Messy is dead on. You'll have no change or you'll kill it. If you want to play with it for fun though go for it I guess.

 

Then I guess there's no use telling you, "I wouldn't touch this one if I were you, nothing good will come of it," I guess?

Some coins just_don't lend themselves to conservation. This one's a good example.

 

For the record, it's O-116, the 50/00 variety and a pretty popular one. The date's a dead giveaway even if the recut isn't so apparent in the denomination. Still want to kill it?

 

I want to save this coin. To me, I'd rather have a blast white one than the current state. The only way I feel like I wouldn't touch it would be if I see etching from corrosion in the surfaces.

 

PVC is the only reason I'd ever touch a circulated coin. You want a blast-white EF?

 

I know what it is. I also know if it gets an AU grade it's a $1000+ coin.

 

It's AU+

 

If you want a blast white coin, buy one. The only blast you are going to get from this coin is a bashing from your friends here for ruining it. Don't you understand? There is no "white surface" under the sulfur. The surface is dull down far enough that the only way you can get any silver shine is to whiz the coin down to VF+. If you attempt to work on this piece you are going to have an ugly "dog." Right now it is rather attractive to some of us. In fact, it is possibly worth more money to trade out of it for more than you paid.

Unfortunately, your coin is not AU. Your coin will NEVER straight grade as is, or after you "fix-it-up."

I'll guarantee that not one of the four conservation services would touch that coin - but of course, you know better. The sad thing to me is that you own the coin and you can also saw it in half if you wish.

Good Luck.

 

No chance of this coin grading if you dip it blast white.

 

@Insider , are you 100% sure of yourself based only on these pictures? The reverse one is a bit fuzzy, and no one has seen it in hand. I argue that the current state of the coin is awful. I want to try and save it. Stop whatever has happened to it and see if it can be brought back to life. That HAS to make sense to everyone, even if you don't think it can be done. I'll post more pics when I get it in a few days.

Btw, you haven't given me any of your Insider knowledge on what you would do if it were your coin. Leave it as is? Get rid of it? If you already owned it, because you inherited it from an Uncle you didn't like or something... what what you do, if anything?