I am struggling to understand the surfaces on this provincial bronze of Iconium depicting Nero and with the hero Perseus. The obverse and reverse have what looks like a patina. The high points show raw copper shining through, like it was buffed in some way. The rim shows a totally different patina color. The lettering and the portraits show still another patina color. I have no clue if this is a natural patina improved mechanically or chemically, or a painted-on patina. I am thinking of putting the coin into distilled water and seeing if the patina floats off. Good or bad idea? Recommendations?
You can't go wrong here....only the very loose 'crud' will come off (rubbing dry, soft toothbrush etc) and the natural patina will be unaffected.
Whoa, I wouldn't. I see corrosion above Persus. Honestly I think the patina makes the coin, and I see nothing unusual about it. I think someone had it in a flip and rubbed off the patina on the high areas. Nice coin!
It certainly is a cool coin, and for looks I’d like to keep it the way it is. I have heard two schools of thought regarding the distilled water soak for coins that have already been cleaned. One school says it can’t hurt, only a bit of dirt will come off. Another says don’t do it, it can destroy your coin. I have had coins turn the water blue and get ugly, perhaps due to covered-up corrosion coming off. When this happens I never know if I have slowed down or sped up the corrosion process. What is the consensus here?
Here is what I think is the story for this coin. The coin probably looked entirely like the field. The person who cleaned the coin then rubbed the surface of the letters and main devices to enhance the contrast. I think it is a very desirable effect. If you clean the field to look like the device and letters, you will loose that great contrast. I think I see bare copper in places. It seems the patina has been nicked down to the copper, maybe with a metal pick when cleaning.
Looking at all the parallel scratches on it I would say someone cleaned it with a brass brush, which is common with bronze coins. The field patina looks more like dirt or earth than a copper compound which is perhaps why the color is a little unusual, but not that unusual for a provincial. I agree with the others that it looks good and further cleaning will make it worse.
IMO, don't touch the coin with anything it looks nice for what it is - wire brushed or tooled. If you know how to do it and what chemicals to use, it is VERY EASY to darken the copper color visible on the high parts. Perhaps someone here (?) who knows what to do can give you some tips.
I would not touch the coin. Keep it as is. It is impossible to tell from a photo if it has been repatinated or not. Likely its just been superficially cleaned. Interesting that you show the edge of the coin. That will show you what the coin looked like out of the ground. Very few if any cleaners bother with the edges of the coin and it can be very telling.
I like patina and if its the green patina better...its a natural metal protection. I also collect antiques and I never take away the patina, it affects the value. It is time's fingerprints.
I agree with this completely. No way to tell for sure, but from the photo nothing looks unusual. I would simply leave it alone and enjoy it.
If the copper shine is bothersome to you, just let the air get to it. In time, it will dull and look like the rest of the coin.
Yeah, let the air do it in several years or do it in a few minutes with perfect results. BTW, some people know how to match the bright copper surface to the rest of the patina. Sure wish I knew a trick or two like that. That member of the CT ancient forum that everyone raves about (I forgot who he is) who cleans coins probably can do it.
I think it's a great-looking coin. I'd be too afraid of making things worse to try to make it look better.
I originally and in a lot of cases still agree with MikeyZee. But I remembered a personal experience simular to the OP. My coin however had been cleaned to the point it almost looked copper. No I didn't clean it!!
Great coin, Ed => total winner the way it is (I even like the hint of brass shining through) congrats
