How many of you would be interested in a book on verdigris?

Have you ever been so knowledgeable on a subject that you said "I could write a book about that". Well, apparently that is where I'm at. At first I just thought I'd write a couple pages to address questions I'm asked over and over about copper verdigris. Well, those couple of pages have turned into an in-depth book on the subject of copper coin verdigris.

Hopefully, it will turn out to be a short book. I don't want to write a college text book on chemistry! Thus far, it's not too bad all things considered. I'm trying my best to write it for the layman numismatist. There's lot of chemistry and chemical equations, but they are necessary to explain the "nitty gritty" of verdigris.

How many of you would be interested in reading such a book?

 

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I'm not sure I would like a book on just that one thing where the most important part to me is how to prevent it and how to preserve coins affected by it.

I think I would rather have a book on Coin maintenance and preservation with this topic as a small section or chapter.

 

The book is written for the numismatist, I should have been more clear. It discusses prevention and conservation....which are actually the main purpose of the book. I'm trying to cover all of the classic conservation methods in a single reference.

 

a whole book?

 

If it covers all the prevention and conservation stuff that you might see at NCS I would be interested. But it has to be for more than just verdigris. It should include corrosion preventions, milk spot prevention, black toning prevention etc.....

 

Yes, I never imagined it was possible when I started writing the first couple of pages, but there's a lot of material to cover. It should be short though, I'm shooting for less than 50 pages.

 

I'm not including all that, it is complicated enough covering just verdigris. LOL Also, without study, some of that is outside my area of expertise. The book is about copper coin verdigris, e.g. chemical make-up, formation and conservation.

 

how about a website instead of a book? or an e-book if you are looking to get paid. this way you could always update it and reach a lot of people.

 

It will not be on a website. I've not yet considered my publishing options, but I prefer printed text as I believe the book could become a standard reference. Think of Weimar White and his book Coin Chemistry, except my book will be a concise reference and not a "hodge-podge" of articles.

 

The info will end up on the web regardless, forums like this and others will reference and post such information so you might consider having a web prescience too, build a following which online communities can rely on, then try selling a paper version turning your site into an e-commerce site, distribute the book yourself, maybe even design and layout via blurb.com diy publishing.

 

Great ideas! I'm interested in hearing ideas like this.

 

I've got W.Whites book , Coin Chemistry , and G.Welters , Cleaning and Preservation of Coins and medals , both you have to be proficient at chemistry to understand completely , so it would have to be watered down to laymens terms for me to buy it , but then I'm a Type collector , I'm sure early copper collectors would like it . JMO
rzage

 

As a collector focused on copper I would be very interested in such a book. If you are starting a pre-publish list put me on it. PM coming

 

I'd be interested in a book on long-term coin preservation.
Guy~

 

What Doug said.

Nicely put.

 

Thanks for the info Doug. Admitedly, I have not even studied my options yet. Heck, I'm still writting and what I have written is still in draft form. This project is going to be awhile.

 

I think it would be interesting and a usefull resorce.

 

I would be interested !

I say "don't dumb down the chemistry"... but I'm a chemical engineer.

Better to be comprehensive than overly brief.

Be sure to funnel it all down to concrete recommendations and techniques.

Congrats, and kudos to you for your "labor of love". On behalf of all those who will benefit, I say "thanks !"

 

Thanks for the kind words. Don't worry, my aim is please both the layman and the scientist. There are plenty of chemical equations and science, but it is also explained in plain english. Also, each equation is written out in words below. Here's a snipet, tell me how I'm doing:

http://www.badthad.com/coin/book_snipet_carbonate.pdf