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 Replies: 10 / Views: 1,377 |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10045 Posts |
Poll Question
I have noticed that most Denarii and other Roman silver are sold with all patina stripped off. I have not really considered the original patina of silver, until I saw this coin on another forum--before and after cleaning. While this was a particularly nice example of "desert patina", is there any merit to silver coins appearing "original"? I reckon this is highly subjective, hence this poll. What do you think about cleaning silver coins? I have provided a few options below, but feel free to write-in your opinions!  
Edited by DVCollector
01/12/2012 12:43 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
842 Posts |
IMO, The coin was much nicer and eye-catching before being cleaned. Of course, I think it really all depends on what the coin looks like before it is cleaned...if it looks like what this one did then leave it alone. If it looks like a giant lump of coal, clean it. Desert patina is particularly beautiful and I am sad to see this coin has been stripped of it.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2044 Posts |
Up until now I have never seen a silver coin with a desert patina. I've seen a very few others that were dark and had various hues of toning. Most that I have seen have been stripped. I would agree about leaving some coins as is if they look better uncleaned in some way. Although, I can't say for certain since I am still very much new to the hobby of collecting ancient coins.
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Bedrock of the Community
 United States
10045 Posts |
Quote:
I think it really all depends on what the coin looks like before it is cleaned...if it looks like what this one did then leave it alone.  No doubt, this example is more the exception than the rule for silver. Personally, the desert patina looked great--I wouldn't touch it either. If at all possible, I think ancients should retain that sense of time, while enhancing details. The desert patina accomplished both, and it's a loss to have it removed. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
Oh yeah I agree: if it looks terrible with hard gunk, extensive encrustation, that kind of thing, I'd probably be all for cleaning it. If it looks alright as is, then I don't think cleaning would be required. In the case with the coin above, it was not required at all IMO.
"Don't fix what ain't broken."
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1490 Posts |
Personally I line the desert patina versus it stripped and cleaned.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2596 Posts |
If the coin is an ugly color then it would look better with the silver showing but this is a good example of a desert patina.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1549 Posts |
There is nothing wrong with cleaning coins but butchery should not be confused with cleaning. Some coins have been cleaned and don't look scrubbed like this example.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10045 Posts |
Agreed--this coin is no doubt a bad example of cleaning, or a good example to just leave a nice coin alone.  |
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Valued Member
United States
422 Posts |
I'm too new to the hobby to really have a 'professional opinion', but personally I like the look of silver when it comes to a denarius. Although I like the dark highlights of a partially cleaned toned silver that brings out the high lights of a well defined minted silver coin. With that said the example posted is really nice looking and very unique, prior to cleaning. Should have kept it like that.
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
With the 'before' picture, it s difficult to see if the coin is of bronze or silver. I have a denarius of a very young Geta. with all of the detail readily readable, but it has a dark steel grey color. The coin does not obviously appear to be silver.
I figure that the judgement of the coin 'restorers' in this case was that very dark patina should remain, because all of the detail is readily visible.
I also have a denarius of a very young looking Caracalla, with a very clean silver surface. This coin has obviously been cleaned in acid. When a coin is this bright, not only is all of the patina removed, but also some of the copper in the surface of the silver / copper alloy, that the coin is composed of. This method of cleaning has the effect of surface enrichment of silver in the surface of the coin, giving it a very strong silver appearance.
Roman silver coins of this period commomly had a 50 /50 silver / copper composition. The Caracalla denarius looks to be of pure silver, but that just ain't so. No doubt, it will tone over time.
I guess that the 'restorers' feel that they can get a better return, if a silver denarius obviously appears to be silver.
I agree with DVCollector. There are certainly a lot of bright looking Roman silver coins in the market at any given time, and for the most part, I have little reason to suspect that they are not genuine. They crop up in leading auction catalogues that way all the time, and nobody feels the need to question them.
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Replies: 10 / Views: 1,377 |
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Posted 01/12/2012 12:50 pm
