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 Replies: 18 / Views: 4,716 |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
3831 Posts |
I'm quite shocked that this happened but if you say that this is cleaned, 10 out of 10 will say so.  But if I said I was conserving this coin by putting it in olive oil for about a week or so, would you believe me? This was what it was originally  It's a rather scarce coin and thought if I could get rid of the verdigris, it would be better. But not when it looks cleaned. I didn't do anything special to the coin - just took it out from the container that had olive oil and washed it with water. But when I pat it dry - patina just stripped off. Came as a shock to me. It's not the first time I've conserved copper coins - I have some coins that have been in olive oil for more than 1 month and one up to almost a year and I have changed the oil regularly. This one took me as a big surprise - it shouldn't have happened but it CAN happen. I guess the moral of the story is to look at your coins a bit more often if you are conserving. It's a shame, this is one coin that I cannot upgrade easily or even downgrade to start out with. |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
4411 Posts |
Maybe the oil was a little more acidic than you usually use  I've never had this issue using olive oil but I suppose this serves as a warning. |
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Pillar of the Community
 Australia
3831 Posts |
It's extra virgin olive oil enworb. Don't have the brand handy but I know I did a couple others at the same time. This was the only coin that got affected but I suppose the level of verdigris is very different.
My partial coin collection http://www.omnicoin.com/collection/gxseriesMy numismatics articles and collection: http://www.gxseries.com/numis/numis_index.htmRegularly updated at least once a month. |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
4411 Posts |
Its has the same salmon like colour that copper gets from vinegar  Its a shame. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1796 Posts |
If you're using olive oil, you want to use filtered second or third press oil. Extra virgin has many (delicious) impurities that can tarnish as much as skin oil, and some acid from the olives.
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
Olive oil is slightly acidic. It has a tendency to darken coins. That may be OK for you, especially when it comes to ancients.
Best to anticipate this darkening tendency before you start.
I have only ever used olive oil on low valued ancient coins.
My experience is that it sometimes works, sometimes does not. You just have to consider the risk vs. benefit before using.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
2448 Posts |
Wow, never thought it would do that. I sometimes use the pure extra virgin oil sparingly. Tri Vedi-care, it's worked wonders for me.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
I've mentioned this before. Olive Oil is a man made product. It can and does vary in consistancy from manufacturer to manufacturer and even with the same one from batch to batch. Two jars side by side in a store can be completely different even with the same lable.
Always remember that almost anything man made may vary from one time to another. The Olive Oil you use now may be so different the next time, it could completely ruin your coins. It's all like no two cars are the same although they may have the same name nad made in the same year.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
4208 Posts |
Whats probably happened is that dirt was highlighting the coins features and the oil has done away with that dirt
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19964 Posts |
Olive oil is best used on salads and NOT on coins. Never use olive oil on your coins people!
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
7096 Posts |
Quote:
Olive oil is best used on salads and NOT on coins. Never use olive oil on your coins people!  It is also the best oil to cook your favorite steak in as well  put your coins in this and the result is a gamble  Olive oil is a major part of the pantry, dont waste it on coins  |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
3831 Posts |
I wouldn't use olive oil for frying to be honest due to the low smoking point.
Again, it's pointless to talk about "you shouldn't have..." "could have done this etc" since the damage is already done.
What I'm trying to illustrate here is while olive oil might be the popular solution to 'preserve' copper coins with verdigris, it's not the silver bullet to all problem coins. To be honest, this did not stop me from culling all other coins that I have in containers that I'm trying to conserve.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Quote:
It is also the best oil to cook your favorite steak in as well
put your coins in this and the result is a gamble ? Putting coins in a steak? BAd for teeth.  Quote:
To be honest, this did not stop me from culling all other coins that I have in containers that I'm trying to conserve. Hopefully all the replys here should make you reconsider using things for cleaning or conserving coins. In so many instances people have ruined, not only coins, but many items that should be only attempted to preserve by experts. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
965 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3486 Posts |
Before I consign about eight ancients to a long bath in Olive Oil:
The label states that the acidity is 0.03%
Vinegar runs 3%.
How do I interpret this information?
And I always rub olive oil on steak before broiling.
Keeps it from drying out.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
Quote:
The label states that the acidity is 0.03%
Vinegar runs 3%.
How do I interpret this information? It means that if you soak them in the olive oil and they don't turn out well, they would have been 100 times worse if you had used the vinegar. |
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Replies: 18 / Views: 4,716 |
Posted 09/02/2012 09:41 am
