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 Replies: 15 / Views: 1,771 |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
Had this a few weeks. First the reverse, looks battered but OK.  The obverse is a different story. I am sure that the core is bronze, I have not had this pink colour coming through on any other silver coins. Fairly sure it is fake but was it done in antiquity or more recently. Any thoughts?  |
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
I think the coin is OK, just has environmental damage probably from being buried in moist ground.
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Pillar of the Community
 United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
What sort of chemical reaction is going on to turn silver pink? I have not tried to clean it, should I?
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Pillar of the Community
1121 Posts |
I think that you are O.K. on this one.
The 'high' spots are the first to 'wear' and there is no Bronze showing through there, so I would be 'happy'.
The pink could be a reaction to the chemicals in the ground when it was 'buried . . . . .or . . . .
it could have come from the previous owners attempts to 'clean' the coin?
Edited by Topcat7
12/12/2014 4:13 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
Can I get rid of the pink though?
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
4208 Posts |
If the coin has poor silver content then there are knds of corrosion that will reverse pickle the surface, removing the silver and leaving just copper behind. This is quite common when removing horn silver on Antoniniani.
However, where I'm seeing th epink come through is not where id expect this corrosion to occur. I'm not sure.
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Moderator
United States
23731 Posts |
Not a chemist, but I'm sure Anoob could shed more light on why the color. If there were some metal deposits in the ground chances are that it could attached itself to whatever was buried in it.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
Hopefully he will chime in later.......
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Valued Member
United States
234 Posts |
Maybe the coin was cleaned to harshly .I have cleaned silver coins to a point where it looked like a copper color was coming thru. If this is the case not sure the pink can be removed.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
I have had a couple of ants that I over cleaned. Horrible thin little things that went in silver and came out pink. I assumed that I had just got rid of the silver wash. This is supposed to be 2nd century BC, Stratonikeia, Caria. I would have thought it should be more silver than "other elements".
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Pillar of the Community
1121 Posts |
Do NOT try this until someone else agrees but a (short) stint in cola?
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
Coca Cola ? Ye Gods  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4964 Posts |
more billonish than silverish?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
Fake, I dont think so. The delamination of the silver looks quite ancient and the pink could be anyone's attempt to try to clean it in the past. This kind of surface can be the result of exposure to a brackish environment. Seem familiar in material...This is quite real.. Just happens to be not far away in time or place... A stater of Tarsus 379-374 BC.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
Thank you everyone, I am quite pleased!
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
Update - pink gone (mostly).
I received my silver bristled brush this morning, I am going to have fun with this thing. Anyway, I thought "here goes nothing" and gave the coin a bit of a brush. The pink colouring appears to have gone. Maybe tiny bits remain, but I have got rid of enough for my purposes. I doubt that I will actually identify the coin, I don't see enough lettering on the reverse, and I am not sure what is in the lower right corner. But it is real so I am very happy.
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Replies: 15 / Views: 1,771 |
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Posted 12/12/2014 4:09 pm
