Question for Conservator

[joe_black]

I started md'ing about 3months ago and have already come up with some good coins. However 3 of them are heavily corroded to the point that they can barely be identified and i'd like to get some of the crud off. I read on this forum (cant find the post or i'd put a link here) that suggested placing aluminum foil in a heavy salt/water solution and allow to sit for several hours. Are you familiar with this process? and would you consider this an acceptible method for getting enough crud off to identify? I cant tell if these coins would be valuable or not, so it seems impracticle to send them off and pay so much in fees. Thx in advance

Oh yeah, i'm quite sure that what i have are 2 copper and 1 quater. I think i see a bit of silver through the crud on the quarter, dont think its a recent make.

 

[pgill]

Hi Conservator,

Do you just place a square of tinfoil on the bottom of the dish and put the coin on the tinfoil all of which is in the solution? And must the tinfoil be placed in the container shiny side or dull side up?

God bless
Peter

 

[joe_black]

Re: galvanic cleaning

excellent! Thanks for clearing that up for me. I'll post the pics when i'm done.

 

[joe_black]

My Results

OK. In the future i will take before/after pics. this time, i just have 'after' pics. I went to the hardware store and bought 100% Sodium Carbonate, and disolved about 1.5 teaspoons of powder into a pint of warm water ( after retracing my steps i realize, this may have been too potent). I allowed the coin to soak on the foil, submerged in this solution for about 5 hours, then took it out to examine, and brush lightly witha small nylon bristle brush. I saw very little debris come off, so i put it back into the solution for about 12 more hours. This morning i took it out and rinsed under fresh water, and lightly brushed the surface again. Quite a bit of 'black' came off one side, and a some off the other side, but less than the first. I didnt notice which side was lying down against the foil. I'll make note next time. and here is my result. Conservator, what ya think. Did i destroy it? I'm thinkin it was a combo of advanced corrosion, and too potent a solution. Would welcome your criticism (and ne1 elses of course). For what its worth, the penny was originally covered in the patina crust, to the point that no detail could be seen.

 

[joe_black]

Sorry it took so long for reply I used tap water. Since cleaning that coin, i've tried the same method on a couple of gunked up clad pennies, and one merc dime. I did a little research on this method of artifact cleaning, and its helpful to loosely wrap the object in the foil as opposed to sitting the object on top of it. Also using Hot water accelerates the process, its said that boiling is even acceptable, although i've not felt the need for it. On the next cleaning i'll try filtered water.