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 Replies: 11 / Views: 1,342 |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
I have a tatty little Tetricus bronze which is worth about 50p and was about to be dumped into an ebay lot. However, I noticed that it is developing a blue hue. I have not noticed this with any other of my bronze coins. I have had this coin for months, kept in a coin safe flip. Any thoughts as to what might be causing this? It was kept for a period in a room where we have a log burner, but in the flip in an album. Photos are not meant to be in focus, but to try and capture the blue colour.   |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
The coin looks like it was cleaned down to bare metal and is starting to re-tone. I would imagne the coin is not copper but rather high copper content Billon or Potin. You wouldnt be the first person to tell me coins changed colors in a room with a log burner.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5155 Posts |
You can see similar on my billon drachm of Rujuvula Satrap of Chach (BC 10- AD 10)  |
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Pillar of the Community
 United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
Interesting Nate. I might leave a couple of other coins in the room with the burner and see if anything happens. Coin certainly looks like a bronze rather than billon, but I am no expert in these matters.
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Moderator
 United States
23731 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
It is not going to ebay now, I will see how it progresses. I will sort out a couple of other coins in different states and see how they get on. Probably the overcleaned ones will be better than those with a thick patina. We shall see, might be a new business for me. "Get your blue coins 'ere......" |
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Moderator
United States
16679 Posts |
Cleaned, quite harshly/retoning.
I've seen copper/bronze tone almost every color.
swcoin.ecrater.com
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Pillar of the Community
United States
513 Posts |
Shoot, I'd keep it out of the flip and on the same side of the room as the burner for a while, see what happens.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
4208 Posts |
If its been kept isolated then whatevers causing the toning is probably left over from cleaning (especially if nothing else is doing it).
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
Thank you Ben, I wish I know what had been used to clean it. I plan to keep it out of the flip, in a tub with some others, burner is in the dining room so it could be caused by burning the toast in the kitchen :)
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2044 Posts |
After a harsh cleaning like that, a thin coat of oil wiped on with a soft cloth would help protect the coin. I've had to do this a couple of times when I purchased a coin that had been over cleaned.
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
3626 Posts |
I have another one turning blue. This time an AE4 of Honorius, taken right back to the metal. Bought from a different seller, I have had it for around a year or so. I received it back yesterday after it had been on holiday to the Netherlands for several months.
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Replies: 11 / Views: 1,342 |
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Posted 02/09/2015 12:59 pm
