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Can This Coin Be Cleaned?

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Gil-galad's Avatar
United States
2044 Posts
 Posted 01/29/2012  10:02 am Show Profile   Bookmark this topic Add Gil-galad to your friends list Get a Link to this Message Number of Subscribers
There is this coin that looks like it could have a lot of details under this buildup of some type of dirt, or is it corrosion. Question is, can it be cleaned and how?

Can-This-Coin-Be-Cleaned?


I am talking about the bottom left coin with the buildup on it. The coin has good detail, also some damage as well.
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TJsCoins's Avatar
United States
3229 Posts
 Posted 01/29/2012  11:03 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add TJsCoins to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
The two methods that I have been most successful with are the distilled water soak and the olive oil soak along with mechanical cleaning. I use a silver pick, brass pick, and diamond dusted dental pick (600 grit). Use tiny cicles.

I would start with distilled water (change the water every couple of weeks). If that does not work switch to olive oil. IMHO I think that the coin on the bottom left should clean up. From the pics the top of the coin looks restorable to me.
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echizento's Avatar
United States
23731 Posts
 Posted 01/29/2012  11:49 am  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add echizento to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
The deposits on the coin look like dirt that a soaking in olive oil should soften and you can use dental picks to lift off. You can also try soaking it in hydrogen peroxide, we have been getting good results with it.
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Tim Stroud's Avatar
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2661 Posts
 Posted 01/29/2012  12:13 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Tim Stroud to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
I took one that was cover in what seemed like concrete and soaked it in PB Blaster for a few months. Did this after water and a year in olive oil failed to do anything. I checked it every week or so until I was satisfied that I could get the rest off with dental and tooth picks. Worked very well and did not harm the patina.
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Archraz's Avatar
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3499 Posts
 Posted 01/29/2012  12:31 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Archraz to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Tim Stroud- Interesting! So what exactly is PB Blaster?
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ancientcoinguy's Avatar
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842 Posts
 Posted 01/29/2012  12:49 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add ancientcoinguy to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
Yes.....do tell! What is this PB Blaster?
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Gil-galad's Avatar
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2044 Posts
 Posted 01/29/2012  3:27 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add Gil-galad to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
I just looked it up. Apparently, it's similar to WD-40. It's a spray can solvent used to loosen up bolts and for other uses.
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DVCollector's Avatar
United States
10045 Posts
 Posted 01/29/2012  4:08 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add DVCollector to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply
There is a lot of promising detail on that coin--good luck!
Has anyone here researched what museums/convervators use to remove hard mineral deposits?
From what I've read, a lot of encrustations are lime-based, which basically produces concrete.
If lime can be removed without attacking bronze, that might be pretty effective.
Just thinking aloud here--I ought to buy a cheap crustie and expirement.
Edited by DVCollector
01/29/2012 4:09 pm
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biggfredd's Avatar
United States
9104 Posts
 Posted 01/29/2012  6:46 pm  Show Profile   Bookmark this reply Add biggfredd to your friends list Get a Link to this Reply

Quote:
It's a spray can solvent used to loosen up bolts and for other uses.


Car mechanics keep a bucket of brake fluid handy for loosening up frozen connections. Better than WD40.
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