So this is my Commodus sestertius. I got it because the name was there and the portrait was still very nice. But it never had the reverse identified.
First, which one is it? The reverse only allows me to read T to the left of the head, and R P to the right. All the rest of the legend is lost.
My best guess is RIC 526 per wildwinds:
Commodus AD 177-192. Sestertius, 26-28mm; 16.22g. AD 188-189. M COMMODVS ANT P [FELI]X AVG BRIT, laureate head right / LIBERT AVG P M TR P XIIII IMP VIII COS V P P, S-C, Libertas standing left, holding pileus and sceptre. RIC 526; Cohen 341.
But I think it can fit others. RIC 311 certainly.
Can it be RIC 462, or 367 ?
Second, what to do to keep it preserved as it is? It sat on one of the early plastic 50x50mm closed with staples, until the plastic started crumbling apart. And has a case of green corrosion showing where that happened.
This photo was after I had taken it out and rotated about 30 degrees left. The corroded bit was under the hole in the plastic but the hole can be better seen this way. Beware leaving coins too long unattended in those old holders.
I have moved to adhesive 50x50 years ago in all new coins I acquire but should I bath this one in acetone before moving to one of those? I do not think those old 50x50 used PVC. And it was stored in a box not an album.
The corrosion must have been slow and is not producing the powdery copper of bronze disease form.Should I still put it though sesquicarbonate and distilled water just in case it has some chlorine facilitating that green corrosion? Or isolate it with some wax?
If the old 50x50 protected the surfaces except where it crumbled apart, the newer adhesive 50x50 should be airtight enough to avoid corrosion?
Posted Today 59M ago
