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<p>[QUOTE="dougsmit, post: 4603765, member: 19463"]My experience, however limited it might be, with crystallized coins is that they are finer silver than was used by this time. More pure coins from the Archaic Greek period are more prone to the problem than are later coins with more alloy. I suspect this coin is just overcleaned. While that does not cause coins to break, it ruins many more coins than does crystallization which can add its own beauty to the coins.</p><p><br /></p><p>Welcome. Do post a follow up telling us what you discovered when you have the coin in hand. </p><p><br /></p><p>The drachm of Larissa below shows directional patterns from crystals most noticeable under the neck on the obverse. While I don't suggest dropping any ancient coin, I am especially careful with coins that show such signs.</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1140293[/ATTACH] </p><p>The drachm of Corinth below has classic columns above Pegasus. These are not scratches. The problem is that not all crystallized metal shows on the surface. Some are normal on the surface and a bomb waiting to go off on the inside. That is why I suggest not dropping coins to find out if it was a bad idea. I'm sure there are some who have studied metallurgy that have a grasp on the subject but, at my level, I prefer to avoid shock to very old silver. </p><p>[ATTACH=full]1140294[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>
[QUOTE="dougsmit, post: 4603765, member: 19463"]My experience, however limited it might be, with crystallized coins is that they are finer silver than was used by this time. More pure coins from the Archaic Greek period are more prone to the problem than are later coins with more alloy. I suspect this coin is just overcleaned. While that does not cause coins to break, it ruins many more coins than does crystallization which can add its own beauty to the coins. Welcome. Do post a follow up telling us what you discovered when you have the coin in hand. The drachm of Larissa below shows directional patterns from crystals most noticeable under the neck on the obverse. While I don't suggest dropping any ancient coin, I am especially careful with coins that show such signs. [ATTACH=full]1140293[/ATTACH] The drachm of Corinth below has classic columns above Pegasus. These are not scratches. The problem is that not all crystallized metal shows on the surface. Some are normal on the surface and a bomb waiting to go off on the inside. That is why I suggest not dropping coins to find out if it was a bad idea. I'm sure there are some who have studied metallurgy that have a grasp on the subject but, at my level, I prefer to avoid shock to very old silver. [ATTACH=full]1140294[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]
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