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 Replies: 8 / Views: 1,237 |
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Valued Member
United States
319 Posts |
Here is a better image of the copper As I recently acquired. I previously highlighted this coin in an earlier topic ["The Hellenized Portraits Of Hadrian"], but that image was taken by the Seller, and I don't feel the pic did justice to the coin (in hand). Upon receiving the coin today, I was stunned by the bright reddish copper finish. Even this new image fails to adequately represent the beautiful tone of this specimen.  As previously noted, the portrait is impressively Hellenistic in character...but my starry eyes failed to pick up on the filled hole above the emperor's head. Not that such a detail would have dissuaded me for purchasing the coin. On the contrary. I am quite impressed with the skill of the repair. It appears to be an exact match for the rest of the coin. Even showing wear and surrounding patina. Could this be an ancient repair? If so, why would someone go to such efforts to "repair" what was once used as a good luck charm? Holey mystery, Batman! Any learned opinions? Edited by circusmax120
03/08/2022 2:52 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Russian Federation
5172 Posts |
Quote:
the bright reddish copper finish ...maybe it's different in hand, but on the pics, this coin looks overcleaned. |
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Valued Member
 United States
319 Posts |
Hmmm...yes, january1may. I too suspected a bit of harsh cleaning. The fields around the portrait are low areas, yet lack the same darkened patina as other low points. That certainly would account for the unusual brightness of the coin. My initial reaction upon seeing the coin was to suspect it was a fake...but I see no telltale signs to indicate it is anything but genuine.
Edited by circusmax120
03/08/2022 3:00 pm
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Valued Member
United States
319 Posts |
I just spent an hour trying to photograph this coin in a way that accurately demonstrates the copper finish. I must say, with very limited success. This is the best I could manage.  The lens simply failed to decern the pinkish tones surrounding the shiny highlights. Result: the images tended to make the coin appear bronze-like, rather than copper. I tried a variety of lighting and angles to no avail.  We all understand that cleaning a coin is a big no-no. Removing patina is, at the least, a removal of the coin's protective layer, and part of its life-story. At worst, removing patina risks the loss of compromised areas of the material body of the coin. If, as january1may has suggested, this specimen has been cleaned...the question is "why?" Without knowing the coin's original condition, it is difficult to understand the reasoning. That being said, this particular coin seems to have survived the treatment fairly well. Does it's cleaning make it less desirable? Perhaps to most, but not for me. The portrait is very, very nice, and honestly...aside from gold, how many times do we get a glimpse of the original lustre of a coin? In my opinion, I'm looking at the coin at a point in it's existence when it had only been four or five years in circulation. Whatever the story is...I think this coin is a beauty! Edited by circusmax120
03/09/2022 4:31 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United Kingdom
725 Posts |
It's not wrong to clean a Roman coin that's been in the ground for 2000 years. Every one of them has been cleaned to some extent. All come caked in soil that can be encrusted on the coin, depending on its composition. If they were in a hoard, they're often welded together, with metals from the other coins leaching all over them. If they weren't, they often come off even worse.
Bronze in particular reacts with the surrounding soil and coins, and quite often needs a lot of cleaning to get the details to come out.
That's not to say you can't over-clean an ancient coin. But 'over-cleaning' would presuppose some knowledge of what the coin was like when found.
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Valued Member
United States
319 Posts |
That's true, John. The meaning of the word "clean" is a relative one. Removing encrusted deposits and the buildup of minerals on a coin is certainly acceptable. The unnecessary removal and/or alteration of the natural patina is, however, a very risky decision. Not saying it is wrong. Just...inadvisable. The Hadrian above is a good example of a coin that has retained it's beauty despite what appears to be an over-cleaning. Who knows. Maybe it was necessary. The "Cleaner" is the only one who can give an explanation. Regardless...the coin is marvelous, and I'm pleased to be its new steward. I will enjoy the beauty of it while I can.
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Moderator
 Australia
16808 Posts |
I'm not entirely sure it's a "repaired hole". I think it more likely that it was holed in ancient times to turn it into an amulet, and the ring of the amulet broke off but a small piece of the ring was retained, stuck in the hole. Perhaps it then spent more time in circulation as a coin, before eventually becoming buried. So, an "accidental repaired hole", where no-one was deliberately trying to patch the hole - the hole just sort-of patched itself. The similarity of metal between the coin and the "plug" would therefore be a coincidence. A happy coincidence, as dis-similar metals would likely have caused far more severe corrosion around the hole. Just my guess, though.  Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Valued Member
United States
319 Posts |
Sap, that is a fascinating theory. You are perceptive...and imaginative as well! I can see exactly what you are saying. Perhaps you have experience in the jewlery trade...in a past life? *smile* The attachment ring of an amulet/pendant. Brilliant!
Edited by circusmax120
03/10/2022 1:30 pm
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Valued Member
United States
319 Posts |
It finally occurred to me that the best way to demonstrate the copper lustre of this Hadrian is to provide a comparison alongside another copper coin of similar lustre. So here is a new image, including a 2017 Lincoln-head penny.  Photographed in daylight, rather than the artificial light I previously used in other images.  |
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Replies: 8 / Views: 1,237 |
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Posted 03/08/2022 2:56 pm
