Conservation Help Please- Antoninianus

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Author	Replies: 5 / Views: 1,005
pendrak Valued Member United States 253 Posts	Posted 08/11/2019 9:47 pm Hi Guys- I just got a Herennius Etruscus antonianus in a lot that needs some major conservation on the reverse. 20mm and 2.87 grams. Nice F+ obverse but encrusted reverse- Obverse: Q HER ETR MES DECIVS NOB C, radiate, draped and cuirassed bust right. Reverse: MARTI PROPVGNATORI, Mars advancing right carrying spear and shield. I have a much nicer one in my collection. I have also done a lot of mining/cleaning/conservation of late Roman coins in the past looking for rare gems. I am letting someone else do it now- LOL! Slim Pickens! This is one of the harder Augustus for newbies to get so I will probably pass this one on. I cannot remember cleaning this type encrustation off an antoninianus. Obvious low-grade billon. Do I just leave it alone- or is there a way to dissolve it and maybe pick it? Please let me know- And thanks- Report this Post to the Staff

Kushanshah Pillar of the Community United States 1554 Posts	Posted 08/11/2019 10:18 pm The underlying coin appears to be very fragile. I would leave it as-is. The encrustation may be all that is holding the coin together! My philosophy on cleaning has long been that whoever cleaned (or partly-cleaned) the coin before it got to me was likely more experienced than I and probably stopped where he did for good reason. Edited by Kushanshah 08/11/2019 10:22 pm Report this Post to the Staff
echizento Moderator United States 23731 Posts	Posted 08/12/2019 03:47 am I agree, on this particular coin I would not attempt to remove the encrustation. Report this Post to the Staff
Spence Moderator United States 34416 Posts	Posted 08/12/2019 06:40 am I would follow @kushanshah's advice exactly. That crack looks very unstable. "If you climb a good tree, you get a push." -----Ghanaian proverb "The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed." -----King Adz Report this Post to the Staff
FVRIVS RVFVS Pillar of the Community United States 3442 Posts	Posted 08/12/2019 08:45 am My opinion ...... Someone already did something pretty extreme to it The coin looks like it got shot out of a cannon and dropped into a lake of acid Try soaking it in DS for 20 years ...... or so Report this Post to the Staff
maridvnvm Pillar of the Community United Kingdom 2100 Posts	Posted 08/12/2019 11:01 am There is something about the portrait style that is ringing alarm bells for me. There is something about the eye that makes me think about this modern Bulgarian die, which is similar in style. I could be completely wrong. I haven't seen this style of eye on other coins though. Report this Post to the Staff
	Replies: 5 / Views: 1,005

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