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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;kaparthy, post: 2396852, member: 57463&quot;]That was where I started after. I only came into the hobby later in life and accepted much of what I learned from those with more experience. I learned about the damage caused by whizzing and other forms of cleaning.&nbsp; I also learned about the deceptive toning of coins to hide defects.&nbsp; And I accepted all of that.</p><p><br /></p><p>But with ancients, they are often cleaned after 2000 years in the ground. I was shocked to a see a photograph in a University of Michigan report on an excavation that showed an archeologist scraping dirt off a coin with a pocket knife. Paleontologists use brushes. So, I had an over-cleaned Roman imperial and figured, &quot;OK, what is likely to have been around when the coin was being used? Sea water. So, I tried iodine.&nbsp; The coin took on a nice, flat gray look, very natural. It is not a garish rainbow or champagne blue, just gray, like a coin.</p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>My intention is not deceitful at all. I rarely buy coins and never sell them. I got out of that part of the hobby pretty quickly. I published my first article in 1993, got hired by <i>Coin World</i> in 1999 and sold my collection in 2000 after leaving <i>Coin World</i>. I still acquire coins, tokens, banknotes, and other objects, but aside from passing interest, my focus is on articles that I can write from the research I do. If my intention were deceitful, I would have said nothing at all.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>Numismatic Conservation Service</p><p><a href="http://www.ncscoin.com" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="http://www.ncscoin.com" rel="nofollow">http://www.ncscoin.com</a></p><p><b>To take advantage of these services, you can become a member of the <a href="https://www.ngccoin.com/join/" target="_blank" class="externalLink ProxyLink" data-proxy-href="https://www.ngccoin.com/join/" rel="nofollow">Numismatic Guaranty Company (NGC) Collectors Society</a>. NGC is another member of CCG, and enjoys a strong partnership with NCS. As an Associate or higher member of the NGC Collectors Society, you can submit coins, tokens and medals for professional conservation. For more information, contact NCS customer service at 1-866-NCS-COIN or by e-mail at <a href="mailto:NCShelp@NCScoin.com">NCShelp@NCScoin.com</a></b></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p><br /></p><p>One of my inspirations was Robert Matthews of Howell, Michigan, who won &quot;Best of Show&quot; exhibits at Early American Copper conventions. Bob was a pharmacist. He started selling coins from an old rotating wristwatch display. He was a founding member of the the Livingston County (Michigan) Coin Club where I was a member and served as an officer in the late 1990s. Bob gave a couple of teaching talks on Early American Copper, showing us how to grade them properly. One time, he talked about toning and told us about sulphur in petroleum jelly.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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