Howdy All, Is this a tool to use for cleaning ancient coins? http://www.ebay.com/itm/BEST-BRONZE...587?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4398c0a41b If not, whats the BEST way to clean ancient coins? Thanks, Aidan
Gawd, it looks kind of aggressive to me, but I have to admit that I've never attempted to clean any ancient coins ... but again, maybe it's just me, but this tool of mass distruction looks like it may leave some fairly noticeable marks, no? ... I'm thinking soft toothbrush, a lot of soaking-time and perhaps a bunch of wooden toothpicks (which again is why I have never tried to clean one of these babies, myself!) Good luck finding the correct tools (maybe this is a winner, but I'm sure that the dudes on this site will point you in the right direction ... or the correct direction)
I know, this tool looks like it'll destroy the coin, not clean it. I'm just not the patience type. I'm still cleaning one coin after about a month or so. Ugh!
If it were me, I'd stick to a rose thorn, microscope, and a coin safe chemical for loosening up grime like care or Verdi-care, depending on the surfaces just as has been done for many years. Oh, and practice on culls until you know how not to damage coins when working on the gunk. It takes a lot of patience, but is well worth it (if you enjoy the sort of thing).
Like the others, I think this looks to harsh. I always used a soft toothbrush and a toothpick. But it also depends on what you are trying to clean off the coin. If its a hard encrustation, sometimes a tool like this may be required as a last resort (just my opinion).
These are the weapons of mass destruction of the coin cleaning world but many coins are subjected to things like this by metal detectorists and others who want to know what a coin was rather than to make it as good looking as possible. Just an opinion: Don't clean coins until you don't feel the need to ask if and how it should be done. Buy coins you can live with 'as is'. If you are a detectorist, hang around with others of your sort and watch them ruin their coins before you start on yours. The time will come you just can't help yourself and you will clean a few and ruin a few. 'Experts' who tell you how to clean coins should be required to show representative samples of their work. The fact about cleaning is that the important part is being able to look at a coin and tell what needs to be done and what should not be done in that particular case. Subjecting all dirty coins to the same regimen makes the same sense as the old doctor saying, "Take two aspirin and call me in the morning."
The item description says, "bronze bristles," so it's basically a wire brush. If you want to scratch up your coins beyond all recognition, by all means, give it a whirl. I've occasionally had to use a very soft toothbrush to clean off some BD before further treating the coin, but I wouldn't go any stiffer than that.
i use distilled water, needles, toothpicks, toothbrushes, and sometimes olive oil. if you give it a go, don't use the metal needles when you first begin. I have scratched several coins.
