Bronze Disease - Coin Cleaning And Treatment Methods

Good summary, but:

* Renaissance wax IS easily removed when you need to. Acetone is one solution that will do the job.
* Renaissance wax doesn't render a coin worthless to MOST collectors.
* Who really wants to store their coins in an airtight jar with a silica pouch or buy a dehumidifying cabinet?

I am afraid I have no before and after pics Panjabi, nor any coins I need to use Renaissance Wax on just now. But I would bet that any of us with a decent collection of Roman bronzes will have a few examples, at least, that have been treated with Renaissance Wax. Knowingly or not, whether they are against it or not. It is so widely used. Its effect, besides to exclude moisture and protect, is to slightly darken the appearance and give a sheen which is pretty indistinguishable from a naturally polished aged metal. The wax is a finely crystalline type which gives a covering only a few microns thick. In many cases this makes detail more visible, though sometimes the additional polish can be too reflective and conceal detail. If a coin already has a highly desirable, rich and complete, natural patina it might be decided that toning it down or darkening it is not preferable, but it is a matter of choice with each given coin.

There is no way to tell other than by seeing if a soak in acetone removes the glossiness....and really it isn't necessary to do that just to find out if wax is there or not. Whatever some might say, I do not believe the application of wax reduces the value of a coin in any way.

When I have used it I apply a very small amount with my finger tip, allow it to dry for ten minutes, then use a horse hair flat paintbrush to lightly polish it. I find this method produces a nice natural matt finish, not a high gloss.

EDIT: PP, good job! Yes that is the finish to aim for. It is indistinguishable from a natural finish. I notice some people do a really careless job and leave chunks of the wax stuck in crevices...a dead give away.

Just as a matter of interest. I labelled my toothbrush with "wax" and I keep it in a plastic bag so that I don't get it mixed up with the others.

Likewise, I keep a separate scalpel, brushes and anything else I might use for coins with BD well away from my other stuff.