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 Replies: 8 / Views: 1,002 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1853 Posts |
I am looking to see if anyone here uses a conservator's wax such as Renaissance Wax to protect and seal their coins and what opinions are about doing such a thing. I would think it would be beneficial in helping to limit the spread of verdigris.
*** Moved by Staff moved to a more appropriate forum. ***
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2365 Posts |
Waxing is an old method to protect ancient coins. Others have used shellac and even lacquer. When sealing the outside of a coin, if there is active verdigris inside the coin it could still do damage. Some heat coins in an oven at a low temperature to get rid of any moisture then seal them.
I've never used wax so can't comment about it. But I've used a product called Verdicare which has helped stop corrosion on a few of my ancient coins.
I've only treated coins that have corrosion problem. I don't treat any that have stable surfaces. It's wise to store coins in low humidity environment.
Edited by livingwater
01/21/2024 11:50 am
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
1853 Posts |
I had a metal de-corroder to use but it needed to be used sparingly and carefully otherwise the patina would get destroyed as well..
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21794 Posts |
Almost all ancient coins need some sort of cleaning after recovery.
The highest valued ancient coins that find their way to the international auction market have been professionally cleaned.
As a collector, all that needs to be done after that is to enclose them in 2x2 , with full attribution and auction record written on the cardboard. Coins in archival quality coin album.
Can't do that if the coin is slabbed, unfortunately,
and that is the main reason why none of the coins in my collection (ancient or modern), are slabbed.
With some of my most highly valued coins, for extra physical protection,
I cut two squares of acrylic sheet and insert them each side the coin inside the 2x2 .
The clear acrylic sheet is recovered from food packaging, and is thoroughly cleaned before use as coin protection.
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Moderator
 Australia
17038 Posts |
If you are storing your coins in an old-fashioned coin cabinet or similar coin trays, then waxing would be of benefit, especially if the coins are being stored in a climate where there is high humidity or broad temperature swings (frequently shifting from hot to cold). If you are using a modern plastic housing such as a 2x2 or a 2x2-sized flip, then waxing adds no benefit and could cause added complications if the wax and the plastic are incompatible.
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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Pillar of the Community
United States
1853 Posts |
I don't think there would be any interactions with plastics. Its different from more traditional waxes. Renaissance microcrystalline wax was developed by a scientist from the British Museum and is used in museums all over the world. I have read though that applying it to acrylic can cause the wax to retract before it sets (which is very fast) causing pock marks in the wax.
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Moderator
United States
34575 Posts |
Hmm interesting discussion about wax. I haven't used it before and as with @liv, I'm now pretty good about only working on coins with BD. The vast majority are stored in 2x2s.
"If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Moderator
Australia
17038 Posts |
I think it's more that if the wax and the plastic are prone to sticking together, then sliding a waxed coin in and out of a plastic flip is likely to smear the wax across the plastic, making it hard to see the coin while it's in the flip. I don't know for sure, since I've never tried it, but it seems a possible outcome to me.
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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Pillar of the Community
United States
1853 Posts |
I only ever put it on 1 coin. My first coin (near mint bronze coin with a black patina) and I kept it in a plastic flip. I don't have the coin anymore though. Think of car wax with this wax - apply it and buff it right afterward and done. The coin has a hard shell on it. But if you never handle the coin directly, it wouldn't matter really.
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Replies: 8 / Views: 1,002 |
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Posted 01/21/2024 3:01 pm
