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 Replies: 25 / Views: 2,973 |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
3327 Posts |
Thank you for all the replies and suggestions. I will get photos of the token in its current state. The jeweler offered to try the "antiquing" finish at no charge so I may give that a shot. I figure it probably can't be damaged any more than it is currently. I'll post after images for future reference.
The moral of the story (I suppose) is to make your expectations known very well before anything is done to one of these old tokens. I thought that when we discussed having a sterling silver bezel made in order for it to ultimately match the toning on the coin, they would understand that the toning was important - I wasn't clear enough obviously.
"Nummi rari mira sunt, si sumptus ferre potes." - Christophorus filius Scotiae
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Moderator
 United States
189120 Posts |
Quote:
The jeweler offered to try the "antiquing" finish at no charge so I may give that a shot. I figure it probably can't be damaged any more than it is currently. I'll post after images for future reference. I hope it works out.  |
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Valued Member
United States
417 Posts |
Quote:
You can darken the coin, though, by putting it on a paper towel in a piece of sealed Tupperware with a crushed hard boiled egg for a couple of days. Turn the coin after a day or when the reverse (start there) darkens. This is best done when harsh cleaning is best covered up by any toning at all. I read this, and tried it on a couple low-price silvers.. and wow does it work. It's a sort of metallic bronze with a faint rainbow. You don't need a couple of days, a couple of hours and the thing looks really nice. I'm sure it wouldn't fool PCGS , don't want to start a AT vs NT war, but sure better than bleach white. Cheers! Edited by TimNH
06/04/2020 12:26 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3327 Posts |
I just returned from taking the token back to the jeweler. They applied some of their "antiquing" sauce to the coin and brought it back out to me. Certainly isn't as pretty as pre-disaster, but I must say it isn't half bad. We agreed to have them apply a real treatment and, while they're at it, I'm having three garnets mounted where the enamel paint used to be. There are mounting prongs on the token so I think there were stones there in the past that were removed and the holes painted in.
I'm sorry that I neglected to snap a "before" photo as promised, but just imagine what a shiny, cleaned 1891 seated Liberty would look like and you get the picture. Hope to get "after" photos if that'd be any consolation.
"Nummi rari mira sunt, si sumptus ferre potes." - Christophorus filius Scotiae
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Moderator
United States
189120 Posts |
Sounds like a decent ending. Quote:
Hope to get "after" photos if that'd be any consolation. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3327 Posts |
The token is in mid-mount, but the jeweler sent photos to confirm bezel size. The antiquing finish is made of marcasite. It isn't finished, but I have to say it isn't as awful as I had imagined. They say it will soften after they finish the other work including mounting the garnets. I also asked them to fill in the old necklace hole (not treated yet.) Finished pics will follow when the work is complete. Edit: When I was discussing what the token should look like, I told them to look up "circulation cameo" on the internet and use that as a guide - I think they really took that to heart and made a valiant attempt.  "Nummi rari mira sunt, si sumptus ferre potes." - Christophorus filius Scotiae
Edited by Bump111
06/09/2020 5:08 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
Not bad. Any idea what the jewels were that were originally set in it? I also think the love token side is set turned about 90 degrees in the bezel. Did the jeweler do that or was it already set that way?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3327 Posts |
Quote:
I also think the love token side is set turned about 90 degrees in the bezel. Did the jeweler do that or was it already set that way? You know, I hadn't considered that the token side should show the vine vertically. Interesting point and probably correct. No idea what was originally mounted gem-wise. When I got the token, the drill holes were painted with enamel paint. The token isn't yet mounted - they just wanted to put the coin in there to show the size of the bezel we're having made for it. So, I could get them to mount it vertically. What are your opinions of the "antiquing" job? "Nummi rari mira sunt, si sumptus ferre potes." - Christophorus filius Scotiae
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3327 Posts |
 Hmmmm... What do you think? Mount it this way? "Nummi rari mira sunt, si sumptus ferre potes." - Christophorus filius Scotiae
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Moderator
United States
189120 Posts |
It does look better than I expected.
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CCF Advertiser
United States
1533 Posts |
The egg in a Tupperware I have used whenever I buy a blast white cleaned coin. It can come out nice, but most of the time it just comes out dark. Don't leave it in too long or it will be charcoal black. I have also tried putting silica gel or Drierite in with it to minimize humidity which can result in water deposition on the surface. Natural toning is via vapor, not solution, so I wanted to minimize condensation on the surfaces.
The humidity present or absent affects the speed by a large amount.
Edited by Andrew99
06/10/2020 1:46 pm
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
I do think that orientation looks better. My guess is that there was some kind of jewel, in those settings and after one or more was lost they probably replaced them with droplets of enamel. With care those droplets could probably be replaced. Were the leaves enameled as well?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3327 Posts |
Quote:
Were the leaves enameled as well? No - the leaves were just engraved. I thought it would look good with green enamel. The jeweler says that mounting cut stones is a no-go without creating larger prongs and I don't want to take any more chances altering the token. SO, we are looking at a flat-bottomed stones such as cabochon. The lady to whom this belongs decided she liked Lady Liberty upright in the mounting - so we are going with that. I do agree that it looks interesting in the 90 degree position. Thanks everyone for your continued comments. "Nummi rari mira sunt, si sumptus ferre potes." - Christophorus filius Scotiae
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
What will happen after wearing it for a while?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
8517 Posts |
Post a pic when it's all done !
Oregon coin geek.....*** GO BEAVS ! ! ! ***
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Replies: 25 / Views: 2,973 |
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First Page
Posted 06/01/2020 11:48 am
