Thin Layer on Coin, Cleaning Possible??

[accteam]

Hello again,

I didn't want to ask this question in my first post, worried it would be lost. Aside from the other coins found, I have these two coins, with a thin layer of something that looks like black sand/dirt compressed on both side of the coin. About as thick as a nickel coin maybe less.

I tried lightly brushing off, then went to a light scrap off with the toothpick, and nothing happened...I'm not sure if the coin is totally wiped smooth or is the writing under all the crust?

The reason I'm asking this is because, on one coin I became frustrated that nothing was getting it clean so I figured nothing to lose and really dug down to scrap out that crust. After digging out a small area, it kinda looks like there is either lettering or shapes...or is it possible that what I think might be shapes/letters, really is just there from me scrapping so hard on the metal?

Hoping some of the pro's here can help me out with this one. I need your experience with the types of coins you've come across...please.


Thanks and sorry again for all the writing,

Jon

 

Amazon Forum Fav 👍

Upgraded Night Vision Monocular Digital Infrared Monocular Telescope for 100% Darkness with 8X Zoom - Grab it through Amazon!

[luxefaire]

a good trick used by some professional conservators is to melt the end of a hot glue stick, apply to a coin like yours one side at a time, let harden, then bend the glue stick so the attached part then POPS off the coin...on many ancient bronzes this will remove the patina shell without electrolysis or chemicals....good luck tell us how you do!

b

 

[Jeffro]

Check out the shark pit posts for an idea on what electrolysis will do with encrustation... good luck!

 

[luxefaire]

The Book Sustainment Metallica is a good resource on all kinds of ancient coin conservation and cleaning, including electro-stripping. It is here:

http://www.autodidactics.com/energy.htm

thanks, and as always, good luc!

 

[accteam]

Hello again,

Well I can say for sure that I have ruined two coins so far and I'm sure these two coins were very very old. I'm extremely upset with myself but Oh well I guess....I used the elect way, and as it does remove the dirt it also started to eat away the coin...I did check it often but guess I messed up. I can make out certain bits and pieces but nothing else. I have about 5 more coins that came from the same area of all the other very dated finds, and will do nothing to them...I read about 4 or 5 different websites about how to make the elect cleaning process and all mention something about putting one of the clips in the water and the one that bubbles is the one you want to connect to the coin...well, when I connect the positive clip to the steel spoon and began to bubble, so then I switch them and had the negative clip on the steel spoon and it also had bubbles...so I don't know what the hell is wrong....just to clear a bit of info up...I'm not using a batteries charge but AC/DC adapter and that was the reason why I didn't know which wire was the positive one...but all info from the websites mentioned the tip of the bubbles for telling which is the correct one...but still not correct.

So I guess I will wait and see what else mind be of good help. I do have one coin in oil but as everyone said it takes a very, very long time to see anything.


Pissed off with myself,
Jon

 

[luxefaire]

This does happen sometimes. you want ONLY minimum dc voltage if you are going to do electrolysis, 3-6vdc only, ac adaptors like you are talking about are ok, but you need to put a fan on them during operation or they go to heaven quick. Also check the label carefully -- some actually output AC -- just lower volts than 115 -- and that wont work. 100ma is max current you are after too. Usually coins come out better with this process if you wrap 4 or 5 together and check ever 5 minutes. As soon as encrustation/patina shell begins to turn muddy, remove them and rinse.

use a meter to find positive and negative, practice on other pieces, and definitely wait until you get the hang of it before doing any more coins electrochemically.

OR

I suggest getting 8 or 10 cheap ancients from ebay, and practicing your electrolysis on them, you may get a surprise and a happy one at that! In fact you probably will, and then you are not out too much if things go south.

You can get ancient romans on ebay for a buck a piece or less and use the recipes that are online with them, to learn. Or if you are anti-ebay as more and more people seem to be, then just go find some cheap ancient bronzes online -- there are many sites selling uncleaned ancients cheap right now.

Do not feel bad Jon, in fact, you are now a bona fide member of a BIG CLUB, we who learned the hard way. It happens. Sounds like you are into something good with the coins you are finding, keep going, there is probably more there.


b