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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;Marsyas Mike, post: 5219659, member: 85693&quot;]This happens a lot - I see something on eBay, I have only a vague idea what it is, but bid on it anyway if the price is right.&nbsp; Here are the seller&#039;s description and photo:</p><p><b><br /></b></p><p><b>Philip I. 244 -249 AD. Double Denarius 11 grams</b></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1216057[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>The bidding was ferocious, as you can imagine for such a beauty, but I secured it for $9.50.&nbsp; Based on what I could see of the reverse, I figured it was a Flavian something or other.&nbsp; No way was it Philip I or a &quot;double denarius.&quot; </p><p><br /></p><p>When it came in the mail, I was happy to see it was Nerva - my first imperial issue for this ruler.&nbsp; At one time, I am guessing it had a heavy black patina, which had been partially (yet harshly) stripped away, leaving a stark contrast between the black fields and copper devices.&nbsp; If you are going to harshly over-clean something, this is the way to do it, rather than reducing the whole thing to a shiny disc. The seller photos make the cleaned areas look somewhat toned - they are not - the copper is quite raw looking. </p><p><br /></p><p>But the problem was, the &quot;conservator&quot; didn&#039;t get to Nerva&#039;s nose.&nbsp; What&#039;s the point of a Nerva as if you can&#039;t see his nose? </p><p><br /></p><p>After thinking it over for a couple of weeks, I decided to give cleaning a try.&nbsp; I always read the cleaning posts on CT with interest, but I am too lazy and impatient to actually try such a thing myself.&nbsp; But a nose would really improve this coin.&nbsp; I justified this decision because the coin had already undergone a harsh cleaning - I would not try this with an undisturbed patina. </p><p><br /></p><p>So I went at it with oxalic acid - also known as &quot;Bar Keepers Friend&quot;:&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1216055[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><p>Using a surgical-grade Q-tip <img src="styles/default/xenforo/clear.png" class="mceSmilieSprite mceSmilie30" alt=":bucktooth:" unselectable="on" unselectable="on" />, it took me about a minute of gentle scrubbing to bring the nose out. </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1216056[/ATTACH]</p><p>To my surprise, I managed not to turn the field around the nose shiny as well - which is what I figured would happen.&nbsp; I did a little scrubbing on the neck as well.&nbsp; Note the Q-tip&#039;s discoloration.&nbsp; I don&#039;t see any scratches - at least nothing worse than the other cleaned areas of the coin. </p><p><br /></p><p>I am much happier with the coin now - the schnozz on Nerva is magnificent.&nbsp; Fortuna&#039;s arm and rudder needs some work too, but I think I&#039;ll stop while I am ahead. </p><p><br /></p><p>[ATTACH=full]1216054[/ATTACH]</p><p><br /></p><blockquote><p><b>Nerva&nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; Æ As</b></p><p><b>(97 A.D.)&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; </b></p><p><b>Rome Mint</b></p><p>IMP NERVA CAES AVG P M TR P [(II?) COS] III P P, laureate head right / FORTVNA</p><p>[AV]GVST, S C across field, Fortuna standing facing (or left?), holding rudder and cornucopiae. </p><p>RIC 83 or RIC 98 (as) See notes.</p><p>(11.03 grams / 26 x 24 mm)</p><p>eBay Nov. 2020&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp; $9.50&nbsp;&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p><b>Attribution Note: </b></p><p>Obverse legend unclear; it could be either one of these: </p><p>RIC 83:&nbsp; ...TR P COS III P P</p><p>RIC 98:&nbsp; ...TR P II COS III P P</p><p>Fortuna described as facing forward for RIC 83 in Wildwinds; elsewhere facing left. </p></blockquote><p><br /></p><p>So there&#039;s my cleaning story.&nbsp; Feel free to critique my &quot;methods.&quot;&nbsp; And keep those cleaning &amp; scraping stories coming - I do enjoy them.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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