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 Replies: 9 / Views: 4,352 |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
899 Posts |
Have some dark Canadian large cents that are naturally dark.. Does any one know of proven methods without doing any damage to the coins that will lighten them up just a tab bit so the details can be seen.? Example as per picture...  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10982 Posts |
I would not recommend trying it. People have had success with cyanide but others have died trying!
It is naturally dark, but I've seen a lot darker, and would leave it as is.
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Moderator
 Australia
16806 Posts |
If you want to "lighten them up just a tab bit so the details can be seen", I'd recommend scanning or photographing them and manipulating the image, rather than trying to alter the coin itself.
Old copper coins are supposed to be dark. Let them stay dark.
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
Philippines
1156 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
 Canada
899 Posts |
Thanks every one.. As a rule I never clean any coins and this dark patina will stay. Nic.. thats a great picture which shows the details...
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Pillar of the Community
Philippines
1156 Posts |
thanks d23, the pic programme is included in standard microsoft office. Go to microsoft office tools then it's microsoft office picture manager. Here's the lightened image of your coin, some colors added   |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Quote:
I would not recommend trying it. People have had success with cyanide but others have died trying!
HMMM, now that is new for cleaning coins. I guess you would wet a brush with your saliva, dip in Cyanide, brush the coins and do that continuously. Eventually that coin would appear with a halo around it but may not be the coin. For the older ones here remember a long time ago when to make a watch dial glow, they would brush on radioactive material using that system. Not only did the watches glow, but imagine the tongues at night. Meanwhile, leave that coin alone. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
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HMMM, now that is new for cleaning coins. Actually it's old. Cyanide dipping was a common method of coin cleaning back around the turn of the 20th century. But as mentioned it was dangerous and it did kill people if they weren't careful. |
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Valued Member
United States
372 Posts |
I remember when I was little and had my grandfathers extra wheat cents that I used a normal pencil eraser on them and it lightened them up quite well.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
Using a pencil eraser would be the equivalent of shining a coin with sandpaper- sure, it will make it "nice and pretty" but you will also scratch the heck out of a coin as well  |
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Replies: 9 / Views: 4,352 |
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Posted 12/01/2009 02:59 am
This copper coin is actually almost as dark as your coin, image was lightened with contrast and brightness using microsoft picture editing 
