Too Much Yellow!

Today Z uploaded a bunch of small Elymaeans, and they were free of applied patinas. The description of each stated, "Coin is professionally cleaned." They looked genuinely nice. I take this as a hopeful sign. He also uploaded a lot of Judaeans this week, each saying "Coin is as found with original patina and soil." Now these may have been "enhanced" - they each have a grayish/yellowish patina - nothing like the garish yellow-orange I associate with his work. So whether the new ones have been worked, I can't say for sure.

We should stay vigilant and see what his future additions look like. If he strays from the straight and narrow, he should be called out again.

No sign of new uploads this week from A. He may be laying low since the warning from management. Time will tell whether he complies. Time, that is, and the color of the coins he eventually uploads.

WRT the coin Paul is showing, if you look at the small bits of pitting in the lower surfaces and the sharp detail in the higher parts of the design I have no doubt that this coin would have been a candidate for "treatment." That would fill in the small pits and highlight the design features. The face of Licinius on the obverse has pits on the cheek and neck, and a thin rouge-like addition of "finish" would have filled them in and enhanced the appearance (by hiding the truth). Ditto the pits below the lambda and left of the gate on the reverse. Meanwhile it would have evened out the appearance of deposits in the small squares of the gate.

I can see the temptation, but prefer the natural appearance of the coin as is.

I completely agree with you lrbguy...I didn't pay a lot for
this coin and probably would've paid more as it is now.


....What a shame!!.....
What's the general opinion on whats being used here ?
The first coin from Z
I just dropped in distilled water for approx 1 minute and thats the result.I tried this on the second coin from A for a few hours and nothing...It's now been soaking in acetone for about 2 hours and is starting to thin out..

Any ideas?

Thanks Bob.....Women put this stuff on their faces?!?

Strangely the acetone is changing to an orange colour.

If clean I will post a photo this weekend of the A coin.

Saludos Paul

Just had a look This guy is a new shop that joined vcoins recently...within the last months I think!!

If the acetone is turning orange I believe it almost certainly indicates artificial coloring (dye) has been used and is dissolving in the solvent.
I wonder what might happen with chlorine ?
You might take the coin out of acetone.
It should dry out in less than 30 seconds.
Try using a Q tip and apply a smidgen of bleach to one corner. If the color changes it is definitely dye.
I don't believe bleach should hurt the real patina beneath. Assuming it is real and not done with a black Magic Marker !!

I would be careful with that on bronze coins. I used to use hydrochloric acid to dissolve certain types of encrustation. Some coins cleaned up well, but two years later some of those, not all, showed definite signs of bronze disease.

Direct application of chlorine might be tickling the dragon's tail.