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 Replies: 25 / Views: 2,687 |
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Valued Member
 Canada
204 Posts |
Finally, just got off work :) Wow that coin really cleaned up nicely! should I keep the lid on the jar or remove it once the coin is in the distilled water? That one bid pushed me to my max. I got lucky he didn't go a couple bucks more! I placed the bid before I walked into the Ford plant (because I don't get service :() Shift starts at 4pm, auction ends at 4:03pm LOL http://www.ebay.com/itm/As-CALIGULA...p=true&rt=ncI found this one as well, how would this compare to mine.. http://www.ebay.com/itm/30202843348...RK:MEBIDX:ITEdited by NorthSideTy
08/03/2016 01:47 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3443 Posts |
Yes keep a lid on the jar. Won't hurt to gently agitate the jar once a day either. The acetone will leave the surface 'bone' dry and the distilled water will slowly penetrate the greyish surface dirt and make it more agreeable to the brushing. Remember patience is always your best choice ! Once 'stuff' has been removed you cannot put it back on ! The goal is to reach the hard surfaces (visible in fields before Caligulas charming face) without going through them ! Think of a beautiful bronze statue that stands in a public square. If you strip it down to bare metal it would look horrible. You want to keep the black and green surface patina which the past two thousand years have slowly laid down on the surface.
The other coin is not bad .......
But the portrait is not even close to the one you acquired.
Rough surfaces ! Has a corroded sort of look. The reverse is very nice but let's face it ...... when buying a Caligula it is his charming face you want to see, not Vesta !
The Spanish issues also seem to frequently have excellent depiction of the hair styles ! I rate the portrait on your coin as at least a 7 (out of 10).
I purchased one with a better portrait 25 years ago and paid triple what you paid. Yours has a better patina too !
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3443 Posts |
Two of my three Caligula portraits  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
36844 Posts |
Thanks FVRIVS RVFVS for the lesson on safely cleaning these.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3443 Posts |
Thank you for the compliment
First century bronze has always been my passion. I started collecting back in the late 70's when the BBC production of " I Claudius " was running on PBS. I ran to the book store to get the novels and picked up copies of Suetonius and Tacitus while there.
As I often like to quip ........
To me
The first century will always be number one !
My first goal in collecting was to find the first five emperors (Julio Claudians). Everything else was secondary.
One last cleaning tip
Once the coin has been well soaked a bamboo skewer is good for rubbing in around the letters and around the portrait and other details. Sometimes you can get small pieces of the greyish dirt to crumble away. Alway double check if something does come off !
As long as it is not dark material you are safe.
Edited by FVRIVS RVFVS
08/03/2016 10:43 am
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Valued Member
Canada
204 Posts |
Thanks for everything FVRIVS I really appreciate it!! I can agree that the caligula's charming face was my main priority :P and I'm also a big fan of first century Rome. I will most definitely post before and after pics in a few weeks so stay tuned  |
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Valued Member
Canada
204 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3443 Posts |
Well it looks real at first glance
But looks can be deceiving
I see things I like very much about it
I also see things which make me take pause ......
The coin condition is ........ museum quality !
But I see some things about the patina which give me reason to think it is artificial.
We know that ancient coins (esp bronze) require some cleaning and 'conservation'. The patina though shows what looks more akin to a 19th century bronze coin being thicker in areas around the legends and the depictions of Caligula and Vesta. Almost as if the patina were affected by usage (i.e. Circulation). We know the coin has not been used in nearly 2,000 years so that is not what we should be seeing.
The letters in the obverse legend also remind me of the fake Nero which has been popping up so frequently in places where it should not be ! Especially legitimate auction houses of superior reputation !!!! (CNG just to name one)
I don't think I would touch this coin concurring it is being sold by someone of unknown reputation and the coin (despite appearing to be an XF plus plus) is photographed in a rather amateurish manner on shiney red vinyl.
Too many unknowns !!!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3443 Posts |
Upon further review
Fake fake fake fake
I have yet to see a real Roman coin where the emperor is depicted with an "Adams apple".
(Edit)
With an Adam's apple like this one.
I have an Octavian bronze with one but I do not believe Caligula bronzes depict such !!!
High quality fake so I would actually say it is probably worth something
Maybe even $100
As the current bid is over that I would not lose any sleep
Edited by FVRIVS RVFVS
08/13/2016 2:57 pm
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Valued Member
Canada
204 Posts |
Thanks for the confirmation!
I had my suspicions as well and because I'm unfamiliar with bronze I wasn't sure. It looks to good to be true and the patination threw me off. Nice catch with the adams apple :)
Thanks again FVRIVS, stay tuned for my before and after pics of the coin I bought!
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Replies: 25 / Views: 2,687 |
First Page
Posted 08/03/2016 09:21 am
