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 Replies: 13 / Views: 2,525 |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
4208 Posts |
Firstly, everyone should. Just have a pot on the window sill. Secondly, an update. My longest cleaning coin, poor Eudoxia, has been transferred again. After an extended stay in distilled water there has been no change to the encrustation. Freeze/Thawing did similarly little. Aelia has been transferred into a new, fresh pot of oil and shall be staying there. It will probably take another 6 months. This coin was acquired mid august 2012 and its companions took only a few weeks to be completely sorted. The Christmas lot is still throwing out fresh coins - its a pity all of them are bleedin constantinople commemoratives. All of a sudden they're everywhere. Some of the culls from the lot I sold off are constantinople commemoratives. The one crusty one I kept is a constantinople commemorative. And I've got them in all sizes, mints and conditions. the good news is that the christmas ones, which were encrusted pretty solidly, have shown vast improvement. One of those is a scarce variety and its nearly done! (theres a very nice constantinople commemorative which should be done mid may!) Allectus is still cleaning. doesn't look like its sustained any damage yet. Scant improvement to the obverse though. I'm worried about how it will come out. Oh, and a V. nice fel temp (eagle on globe) is coming out of the christmas lot too. Its very unstable so oil has been left to do the whole thing but its looking very nice. Just the face encrusted now. Id say another month, perhaps 2, and it will be done. Heres some photos of the whole affair:     And my final word - Patience is key! I've ruined a lot of nice coins with my dunderheadedness. |
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Valued Member
United Kingdom
300 Posts |
I wish I had your organisational standards Ben , my place looks like a hobby shop that has just had a school party in !
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Pillar of the Community
 United Kingdom
4208 Posts |
Well, lets just say theres a reason the rest of the desk isn't in the picture...
All my cleaning stuff is all over the place!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
567 Posts |
I've been using a dremel with a 1/4" brass cup brush with great results. Just keep it on one of the two lower settings. I've had no ruined patina, and it eats through encrustation and that hard, flat brown mud. And it's fast.I actually stand a chance of getting through the pile. No ruined patinas yet either. I use a brass brush for some light cleaning. The dremel won't work as effectively if you've soaked the coin in olive oil first. I've tried olive oil, electrolysis, citric acid and DI water but nothng works as well as the brass brushes. Oh, and olive oil is long term bad for the coins. It is acidic and it permeates the upper layer of the coin and is difficult to remove. It also turns the coins an unpleasant black color. Here's an Aurelian that was covered in the flat brown "mud" when I got it. I cleaned it with the dremel and finished off with the brass "toothbrush"   |
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New Member
United States
1 Posts |
Have in my possession a couple of ancient Roman or Greek coins, one the design is just visible and the other has no visible markings. Could someone out there be kind enough to share with me the best way to clean of these coins. Read the posting about useing the dremel tool, what solutions should these be soaked in other than distilled water? Will post a couple of pictures of these coins when I get them taken.
Thanks for any help.
Richelle A Kemnow
Desertfox1a
LPN/ret, HM2(FMF)/USN, Sgt/USAR, ACM/olc, CWVet, VNeVet, GWVet, VFW/DAV Life Member
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4778 Posts |
Do you pick at them every few days or around every month or two? I dont clean coins but I sometimes end up with coins that need a bit more cleaning done and usually Ill pick at them at least once every day or two, out of impatience I guess lol.
Edited by VisigothKing
04/02/2013 09:30 am
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
4208 Posts |
I used to pick at them but now most of whats left is too fragile or picking wont gelp with. I may try the dremel tool some day. I used it to devastating effect a long time ago.  aboard Fox! I leave my coins in olive oil. this is slightly acidic and it does take a while. You can use a steel sewing needle to pick at the dirt - lightly! you dont want to scratch the coin. The blank coin could come out nicely if you leave it in olive oil for a few months. Otherwise theres not much you can do (try picking if theres dirt and stuff on it - go in small circles). Ill get the appropriate dremel heads tomorrow and try it all out. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
567 Posts |
You have to use a brass brush. I've tried both cup and wheel brushes and the cup is much better. The little 1/4" cups give me the best results. Brass is softer than bronze (in general) so it won't damage the coins. Don't use a stainless steel brush if you want any patina left. Ben - if you have an RS near you here is the link to their product page. Get the brass ones. http://uk.rs-online.com/web/p/abras...3D4E4F4E4526 |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
1569 Posts |
What do you do with the brushes? Just stick one in a drill and away you go?
You will never soar like an eagle if you hang around with turkeys.....
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4971 Posts |
good organizational skills ben! I started trying to keep stuff in labeled containers, but i'd start switching them around based on how they were progressing...and just gave up. now I just have 4 containers...the one I clean on the week, and the two I clean on the weekendl...plus the coins stewing in olive oil long term.
same question as MD, jcm do you use the tool by hand or do you attach them to the power tool?
Edited by chrsmat71
04/02/2013 3:21 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
567 Posts |
Easy answer: I use both. For big hard crusties I break out the dremel, for little touchups and light cleaning I use the brush. The dremel keep on one of the two lower settings so you have control over it.
I got a generic dremel for about 20 bucks (with coupon) from Harbor Freight in Fall River. They also sell the brass cup brushes, a set of five for 5 bucks and change. Brass toothbrushes are 50 cents there.
I'll try and post a few before/afters from the pile tonight of brass brush cleaned coins.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
4208 Posts |
Another update, the pots with single coins in have a new type of oil in (its a different olive oil) and its working much much better. It must be more acidic. Some of the coins have gone black which I like - I'm a sucker for a plack shiny patina. Eudoxia is also going alright - the encrustation seems to be better than last time and the fields which are unencrusted are now shiny as you like from the longterm baths.
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
I haven't bought any uncleaned coins for a long while now but when I did the process that I used seemed to work very well for me. The first thing I would do would be to wash the coins in warm water to remove loose dirt. I had a large ultra-sonic machine filled with either a mild jewerly cleaner or light olive oil, the US machine was heated so it help break up the crusty dirt. After some time in the machine the coins were placed into olive oil and left to soak for as long as need be. Lastly they were removed from the oil and than I would use dental picks and soft brass brushes to remove the rest of the dirt.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3444 Posts |
Olive oil used for consumption should be kept in a cool dark place. Exposure to light heat and air will cause the oil to go 'rancid'. This is caused by the decomposition of the 'fats' in the oil. It is possible (probably likely) that the slow decomposition and oxidation of the oil enhances its use in cleaning of encrusted ancients. At some point though it may be desirable to replace the oil and allow the process of decomposition to repeat. I have limited experience cleaning coins ..... but having an Albanian wife more than enough experience buying and using olive oil !
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Replies: 13 / Views: 2,525 |
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Posted 04/02/2013 08:47 am
