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 Replies: 32 / Views: 10,256 |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10029 Posts |
Just thought I would share this and wish, at the time I did this, I had taken some before and after pics. A few years ago I had a rather expensive coin that had some sort of grime in the crevices in the lettering on the back. I could see under my microscope that it looked like some sort of a greasy substance. Not wanting to dip the coin or use any other cleaner, I was pondering what to do when it hit me!  I had been squirrel hunting a few days before this time and had gotten some porcupine quills (safely - another story for another forum). These quills will not scratch the metal b/c they are too soft, yet are needle-thin. In fact I have a couple of different sizes of them (different areas of the critter have different diameter needles). They are perfect for getting into those little spots in the letters. I can even scoop the gunk out of a n S or a D mint mark with no lasting effects/marks.     Think they might sell these at a coin supply shop?  And yes, it takes awhile. But when it is a better coin, it is worth it to me.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
597 Posts |
Extra Extra This just in! Earle strikes it rich on ebay. |
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Moderator
 Australia
16806 Posts |
In principle, and if done with care, your procedure has merit, and is not without precedent. A rose thorn is a traditional tool for cleaning "gunk" out of crevices of uncleaned ancient coins, for exactly the same reason you describe: it's sharp, but not hard enough to scratch metal.
That being said, the surfaces of a high-grade modern coin are much more fragile than those of an ancient one. It's much easier to mess things up. Your fingernails are similarly "sharp, but not hard enough to scratch metal" but they can still leave a mark behind on a pristine coin surface.
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
3345 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
2830 Posts |
Ha ! In Australia, we put a porky-pine on our coins - see our 5-cent piece ... it's actually an echidna, but they have quills too.  For removing crud from in and around legends, I use an ordinary toothpick, which are usually made of bamboo, as far as I am aware. |
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Bedrock of the Community
 United States
10029 Posts |
Quote:
Peter THOMAS
Ha ! In Australia, we put a porky-pine on our coins - see our 5-cent piece ... it's actually an echidna, but they have quills too Does this mean the Land of Oz has created a self-cleaning coin? Sap: interesting about the rose thorn - makes sense to me! |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
2448 Posts |
Why is it that I find this really interesting? Do I need to see a doctor? "Calling Doctor Howard...Doctor Fine...Doctor Howard!"
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Valued Member
United States
260 Posts |
Hmmm. Now where can I find me a porcupine?  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10029 Posts |
Quote:
HeadsIWin said:
Hmmm. Now where can I find me a porcupine? Next one I run into (well - hopefully not literally), I plan on making quite a harvest. Certain years they are more numerous than others. One year it was nothing to find them as roadkill in NW PA. If I ever have the opportunity I will get enough for anyone who wants them (just don't hold your breathe). It was amazing when getting these quills b/c it seemed that there was a never-ending supply on this little beastie. He had just as many quills as hairs. I wonder if a local zoo might be able to help out? How much squash could a Sasquatch squash if a Sasquatch would squash squash? Download and read: Grading the graders Costly TPG ineptitude and No FG Kennedy halveshttps://ln5.sync.com/dl/7ca91bdd0/w...i3b-rbj9fir2 |
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Pillar of the Community
Thailand
1509 Posts |
Very interesting topic. The kind that makes one google.
I know we have porcupines in Thailand (having seen them in zoos) but apparently we also have hedgehogs, although I've never seen one here. I wonder if you can use their quills? I'm not sure if they shed them naturally if not it's going to have to be road-kill.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
One could just use a bird's feather, sharpen to a point and use that.
Or go to a chinese restaurant, keep the chop sticks, go home and sharpen those and use them instead.
Naturally get a job at a local zoo and steal those porcupine quills.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1733 Posts |
Dead porcupines litter the road here all summer. Along with skunks you can't goa mile before seeing a dead one. Looks like I am going to be doing a brisk business in "Ugly's custom coin cleaning technology". I could take it a step further and fill the hollow quills with a weak Benzotriazole solution and a wetting agent to specifically attack and seal some types of verdigris , that way would I could call them "Ugly conservation quills". Maybe my marketing needs work. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19931 Posts |
Genius!
Lincoln Cent Lover!VERDI-CARE™ INVENTOR https://verdi.care/
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Valued Member
United States
260 Posts |
Earle42, please keep me in mind next time you run into some of these quills. I would enjoy trying it out. I would think it would be much easier to manuever than a rose thorn.  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10029 Posts |
Quote:
Earle42, please keep me in mind next time you run into some of these quills. I would enjoy trying it out. I would think it would be much easier to manuever than a rose thorn. Glad to - like I said though - it might be awhile. If I ever do, I will just make a general post here to let people know they are available. just carl said: Quote:
...bird's feather, sharpen to a point and use that... chopsticks... These might be a good idea, but I find it hard to sharpen anything to be literally as small as a needlepoint. These quills are naturally this way. Also, since the bird feathers are hollow, I am not sure they could be made small enough. You would end up with very flexible half-tube that may be too soft to use. Hey, I know, let's submit a bill to congress to do a $30,000,000,000 study on what type of bird feather could be adapted for this purpose. This kind of thing would be right up their alley  thai-vic said: Quote:
The kind that makes one google.  I tried it and it worked! I made a "Googlewhack!" BTW - this quill also worked great last night on some 1943 nickels - almost all of them had the bottom loop of the 3 clogged with grime. I was checking the bottom loop of them while trying to find the elusive 43/42 - no - none found  Guess what... http://www.bluewhalearts.com/embell...upine-quills - 8.00 a bag! How much squash could a Sasquatch squash if a Sasquatch would squash squash? Download and read: Grading the graders Costly TPG ineptitude and No FG Kennedy halveshttps://ln5.sync.com/dl/7ca91bdd0/w...i3b-rbj9fir2 |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
2830 Posts |
free enterprize sure is a great system, eh ?
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Replies: 32 / Views: 10,256 |
Posted 05/09/2011 5:50 pm
