I was asked to try out my soup on a couple of hoard coins. I received two coins, one from the center of the hoard and the other from plough soil. This was quite exciting for me because I haven't handled an uncleaned hoard coin before. Normally, these would have gone into distilled water for some time but the purpose of this experiment was purely to test the soup. I did the second coin first. Each coin had three goes in the soup. I have never soaked three times before! The soap did soften the dirt making it easier to remove, the finished coins still have a layer of dirt on them that DW and brushing would probably remove, but we are still just looking at the soup. The green one: The other one: The coins look considerably better in hand.
The obvious question to me is whether the rough surfaces on the coins as shown after souping is a result of the soup or just the way they were under the green. I would like to see a smooth coin (a copper cent or slick worn ancient) included as a control demonstrating the level of harshness of the soup. I prefer those who clean coins with the attitude that their first interest is doing no harm to the coin. It is easy to say that we improved a coin because it was unidentifiable before treatment but I have gone too far on occasion and wished I had not applied a certain technique to a certain coin or stopped short of the point I did. This is the difference between 'Magic' soup and swill.
I totally agree with you Doug. To the naked eye, the surfaces are considerably smoother than the photo shows, and there is still residual dirt on the surfaces. This was done because I was asked to do it. After soaking there were eruptions of green that appeared, previously not visible. I don't think the soup has effected the surfaces. It did soften the green stuff allowing it to be removed and it also softened the dirt. Had they been my coins, I would have gone down the DW route. Perhaps the soup for the green one at a later stage depending on how it progressed. I think that the soup is best used for the green mineral deposit that is defacing the coin, like this one. After the soup I just peeled off the green, I have not done anything else to the surface. I just wanted to see the detail of the coin.
Impressive! What are the ingredients of this magic soup, and how long was each soak? And did the patina really change from green to brown?
I was asked not to put the recipe on the internet but if anyone PMs me I am happy to divulge, providing they also agree not to put it out in cyberspace.....
@ancientcoinguru If you are asking about the FH, the soup softens the green stuff which can just be peeled off the coin using the blade of a scalpel. I didn't actually touch the surface of thecoin.
that's amazing pish...dang. i have several coin i would be tempted to use this on. i'm somewhat concerned about what is underneath the green encrustations however...what if it's bare metal? i'm kind of scared to remove it on some of them.
