Advice Needed On How To Clean An Ancient Coin Please.

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Author	Replies: 6 / Views: 471
triggersmob Pillar of the Community Australia 9379 Posts	Posted 03/28/2024 8:11 pm Hi, this is my first time venturing into the ancient forum. A few years ago I received an ancient coin in a trade and it wasn't something that really interested me and I couldn't see any detail on it, so I just tossed it aside. Last weekend I decided to drag it back out and attempt to clean it. Is that the correct terminology or is it conserve? Anyway, I managed to bath it in hot water and attack it with a toothpick and got it to a stage where I can now see some detail. Looks like a Roman empire coin from Sirmium, a 1/2 Maiorina, but I would like your thoughts on this and also how I should proceed to conserve it further. Weight is 2.15g, diameter is about 16mm, seems to be bronze. I thought it might be this one, but that's listed as coin orientation, but mine is medal orientation. Being hammered I guess this could vary. https://en.numista.com/catalogue/pieces20467.html Any help would be appreciated please. Report this Post to the Staff

John1 Moderator United States 56855 Posts	Posted 03/29/2024 04:08 am http://goccf.com/t/268087 John1 Report this Post to the Staff
triggersmob Pillar of the Community Australia 9379 Posts	Posted 03/29/2024 07:39 am Thanks for the link John1. Report this Post to the Staff
Sap Moderator Australia 16810 Posts	Posted 03/29/2024 08:39 am As a general rule, if you're already seeing bare metal on an ancient coin, then the cleaning has already gone too far and further treatment is unnecessary. Ancient coins - especially bronzes - tend to be coated in a thick patina, and the "original surface" of the coin is fossilized in the patina, rather than in the underlying metal. Now, this coin is a relatively common emperor (it appears to be Constantius II, SPES REIPVBLICA reverse) and already has a few pieces missing, so it's not going to be a great rarity that would be ruined by a poor cleaning job. It's the kind of coin that a trainee coin cleaner might get some practice on - which may be why it's already showing some bare metal. 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 Report this Post to the Staff
triggersmob Pillar of the Community Australia 9379 Posts	Posted 03/29/2024 08:57 am Thanks Sap. Yes I'm definitely a trainee at this. I think the bare metal was caused by my use of the toothpick. Report this Post to the Staff
Seeker55 Pillar of the Community United States 634 Posts	Posted 03/29/2024 08:58 am Ultrasonic cleaning with hot water and detergent might possibly loosen some of the surface contamination. It's also possible that a prolonged soak in olive oil might help. Report this Post to the Staff
triggersmob Pillar of the Community Australia 9379 Posts	Posted 03/29/2024 09:03 am Thanks Seeker55. I don't have an ultrasonic cleaner, so that option is out. I did read about the use of olive oil, so that may be next. Report this Post to the Staff
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