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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;sand, post: 8157415, member: 118540&quot;][USER=105282]@Harry G[/USER] My personal preference, for your particular coin, is that, I prefer the original desert patina, versus the final result.</p><p>However, I think it was an interesting experiment, to see if you could remove the sand/dirt. If, somehow, you had been able to remove the sand/dirt, and if the end result had been a coin with a uniform, dark green patina, then that would have been better, than the desert patina, in my opinion.</p><p>I can&#039;t tell for sure, but it seems like you removed some of the green patina. For example, on the Emperor&#039;s cheekbone and nose, and on the lower part of the Emperor&#039;s forehead.</p><p>On the other hand, maybe the green patina was fake.</p><p>I&#039;m not very good at removing desert patina. In the few instances, in which I&#039;ve tried to remove parts of the desert patina, using a razor and a microscope, I usually try to remove the brown dirt, and leave the green areas alone, and leave the underlying green patina alone.</p><p>Sometimes, I&#039;ve attempted to remove some of the dirt, which was on the devices, and leave the dirt on the fields alone, if the dirt on the fields is nice and even.</p><p>However, so far, I have not had good results, usually.</p><p>Like [USER=123797]@corvusconstantius[/USER] I usually try to avoid coins with desert patinas, because I worry that the desert patina is artificial, and I worry that someone was trying to hide major flaws, or tooling, or signs of fake casting. When I see a desert patina, I also wonder, if the underlying green patina is also fake.</p><p>However, I have a few coins, which I have purchased, which have desert patinas. Usually, it&#039;s because I really like the coin, and I haven&#039;t found a nice non-desert example.</p><p>I have a hard time distinguishing an authentic desert patina, from a real desert patina.</p><p>If I have a coin, which has a desert patina, and if the coin looks good, and if I can see the devices pretty well, then I usually leave the coin alone.</p><p>I&#039;ve had 2 instances, in which I purchased coins, which had desert patinas, which partially obscured the devices. I purchased the 2 coins, because I thought, that maybe I could remove the dirt, which was on the devices, or maybe also the fields. However, when I tried, it didn&#039;t go well.</p><p>This 1st example, didn&#039;t go well at all. If I remember correctly, I think I tried to remove the dirt on both the devices and fields. I used a razor and microscope. However, the underlying green patina came off in some areas, exposing a still-deeper blue or black patina, which was underneath the green patina, and some areas of naked shiny bronze. It didn&#039;t look good. Here is the &quot;before&quot; seller photo. This is a Claudius I AE As :</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1423528[/ATTACH]</p><p>The 2nd example, hasn&#039;t gone well, so far. I tried to remove just the dirt covering the Emperor&#039;s mouth, using a razor and microscope, but the dirt flaked off part of the field, and now there is a green area on the field in front of the Emperor&#039;s mouth, the same green color as the devices. However, if I have time, I may try to remove all of the dirt on the fields and devices of the obverse, and then it may look pretty good, in the end. These are the &quot;before&quot; seller photos. This is a Theodosius I Half Centenionalis Sear 20563, I think :</p><p>[ATTACH=full]1423529[/ATTACH][/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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