Experiment with Verdigone (tm) on copper cents

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Yes, Doug, you are absolutely correct, when I have done this before, the last part near the juncture of the verdigris and the copper/copper oxide layer is the longest. I believe there is a mingling of the the 2 layers and the copper oxide might tend to protect the verdigris compounds. One has to be patient. It is my "thought" that the whole coin is getting lighter, but not sure how much is just the effects of being in a water environment for 3 1/2 days as the control looks lighter also. We'll know when both are compared in the same photo. Thanks for the comments.

Jim

 

How's the UNC's doing? This is what I am very curious about. I don't understand why they say don't use on BU coppers.

 

I guess if it alters th surface of an AU/EF coin- not a big deal since verdigris is worse than an altered services.

 

96 Hrs photos 4 days:

Jim

 

END PHOTOS of UNCIRCULATED COIN TEST

Ok, after 4 days in verdigone ( #2) and 4 days in distilled water ( #3), I took them out and and kept in sequence and then used acetone rinse and air dried.

OK, lets have some fun...I know all will not skip to the answers below.

First here is a small photo of five cents, the 4 we started with and a ringer. Don't look at the dates, just at the color and see which color would you say in not realistic for an uncirculated cent.







Now here is a large photo with the numbers.




The Cent in the middle is the ringer. The one at the top is #3 , distilled water for 4 days, the one on the right is #2 , Verdigone 4 days. 1&4 just stay in the air.

Now the following is something I didn't expect, so I didn't show you the reverse of the 4 when we started, because they were all nice. Now look!!!



Distilled water is NOT nice for copper to remain in for 4 days. Now if you go back one photo to the obverses, notice the corrosion starting on #3 obverse, but not as bad as reverse!

Did the Verdigone effect the coin # 2 in a bad way? Your comments please.


Again here is the photo of the 4 before we started:



and AFTER the 4 day test and acetone



SO, you can form your conclusion as to use Verdigone(tm) on your UNC or not. It is not recommended by the inventor. Just don't soak in any kind of water

Jim

 

Thanks to all who nominated this post! It has been fun as the unexpected can happen and usually does !

Jim

 

thanks desert. and i am sorry i forgot to mention about dont soak in the water

 

Not a scientist, here, Jim, but I think you just proved, in a controlled experiment, under laboratory conditions, water tends to be on the humid side.

If it did, I don't see it. I think it looks natural.

 

Well Spock, you should have warned me!:loud:

Thanks for the comments Eddie. Of course, one experiment doesn't make it so for all situations. Seems that in this one, the Verdigone prevented the corrosion seen in the distilled water alone, but this is only one sample. It could have been many other factors :rolling:

Unfortunately , the experiment has had a few bumps in the road. My microscope light source bulb died and my backup didn't backup, so I am off to find a replacement. I am only going to post 1 photo each evening of the continuing 45-S experiment as it is going rather slowly. I think it is almost finished off the Copper carbonates and acetates ( verdigris) and left will be Copper oxide and sulfides which it doesn't react.

Jim

 

The one on the left is the 45S that had the verdigris. It is still running but as it is so slow, I am only going to post the photo once a day, tonight about 9:30. The 2nd one from the left is the 45S control to compare and see how much patina was lost on the verdigris one. I haven't photographed it again since the first day so I can be objective. The 2 on the right were the BU experiment.

Jim

Jim

 

120 hr test results

Hi, here is the photo at 120 hrs, 5 days. I will run it a few more days to see if any more comes off.



Also , since my light source went south, here is a comparison photo at 120 hrs showing the control coin on the left and the Verdigone coin on the right.

First this was the 2 at time 0 hrs with the old light source.


and here is 120 hrs later in the solution. different light source




Significant difference ?

 

not really biox does the same job in a minute the only problem is the patina goes for a toss. i like the experiment so far but something is wrong for that low level of verdigris it should not take that long. does it say anywhere to heat the solution for faster affect? i would like to see what happens when you use coins that have failed to work with biox. that would be the crowning glory. i do like the fact that the patina has not been destroyed so thats a huge plus

 

Spock that is a HUGE HUGE plus, as I know no fast and easy way to retone copper to even come close to not appearing recolored. If it was , for instance, a 1955 DDO, I would dilute the solution and take weeks to take off verdigris and still have a reasonable patina and not a pink lady Lincoln.

Take weeks to remove verdigris rather than take decades to retone.

JPcorner didn't have Biox, as I wanted to try it. Spock, ever try OxyClean?

Jim

 

well if you could bring your coins here i could get them retoned naturally in a few days. you can laugh all you like for that one this place is a paradise for toning verdigris and unfortunately i dont liek either but the good thing is if you use a pointer to apply the biox then only the affected area gets cleaned of verdigris

 

you can get bioc from dirty old coins www.dirtyoldcoins.com. nope never tried oxyclean. i want to send you you some of my nickel coins for this experiment ( if you get rid of the verdi then ill take back the coins) but i dont know how to get them there :soigh:

 

Spock: got to ask two questions that are driving me crazy: Why do you misspell everything and what country do you live in, as I know it's not the US? I figure you such a wacky seeming dude that hopefully won't offend you too much:thumb::thumb:

More seriously for Jim, I wonder if you could read my post again called "Crack this out and fix?" You actually posted there but were asking about a double date. I was thinking of cracking out my 1909 S with verdigris removing the grime with rose thorn, which I have doing on coins nearly every night with good success, and no scratches. I would used Verdigone dilute to reduce the verdigris. Let me know what you think. This is such a helpful post. Thanks so much

 

On another forum where the inventor posts, he said this weekend he is thinking of expanding to verdigris on nickel coins. So don't throw them away.

Jim