Cleaned

[Mark Stilson]

Just wondering. Here is one of the coins I finished cleaning. The actual color is darker then the picture. I lightened it up the original so you could see the detail. The actual color is almost a brown black. Would this be considered acceptable patina?

 

 

Here is it sitting next to a new (Has a little discoloration) cent.

 

 

 

Yes those a small nicks on the edges. Filing down the clips later today to keep that down.

[thedeadpoint]

Hi Mark,

 

Why are you filing clips down on the Ancient?

[Mark Stilson]

Hi Mark,

 

Why are you filing clips down on the Ancient?

 

 

See the little bright spots on the coin's edge. On the obverse at 1:00, 3:00 and 6:00. Reverse they only show up at 3:00. That is from the clips. Really they aren't bad if you consider the size of the coin is a little larger then a cent and the scrapes aren't that large. These are a starting point to try to refine the use of the zapper. There is a pretty good discussion going in ancients cleaning about damage to patina using a zapper. I think part of the problem for some was over powering it. I.E. too much amperage. Some were talking about 1/2 amp. I'm running a little less then 10 milliamp per coin. Also most power supplies have an small ac current. With a ac ripple voltage half a cycle the current may be swapping polarity. (Now it could just be cycling from zero to negative xx voltage. My meter is just showing peak to peak.) Using extra diodes in it helped mine clear the ripple up some. I could see that in a before and after test with my meter. It is a good meter but, I don't have anything other then a fluke meter to show the ripple. I would like to see a normal charger under an o-scope to see the swap.

[jlueke]

Why zap instead of using other cleaning methods?

[Mark Stilson]

Why zap instead of using other cleaning methods?

 

 

I've actually had these for awhile. Just had not posted anything since there was not anything other then clods of dirt. Also they weren't making any headway. These had actually gone thru distilled water, olive oil, a short time with mineral oil, toothbrush, wood tooth picks (Wood was scraping off the pick.), and finally some metal picking. I started trying to use the metal pick on a smaller coin that did not look like a decent one first. Even now looks to be a almost blank. after making a nice scar on it I put the metal pick away. Even after zapping the follis had some really tough crystal looking stuff on there. I went ahead and tried the metal pick a little but it really wasn't doing much good. Hit it with a little more time and it dropped off then. Also if these were some of the higher dollar uncleaned from kersh they would probably be taking a year long bath.

[Vfox]

Sodium Bisulfate will work and give a very similar look to the coin. The problem is, it's a gross pink color that needs retoned afterwards. You can find it in the pool cleaning supplies normally, but we use it to clean metal jewelry (no stones) at school.

[jlueke]

I've actually had these for awhile. Just had not posted anything since there was not anything other then clods of dirt. Also they weren't making any headway. These had actually gone thru distilled water, olive oil, a short time with mineral oil, toothbrush, wood tooth picks (Wood was scraping off the pick.), and finally some metal picking. I started trying to use the metal pick on a smaller coin that did not look like a decent one first. Even now looks to be a almost blank. after making a nice scar on it I put the metal pick away. Even after zapping the follis had some really tough crystal looking stuff on there. I went ahead and tried the metal pick a little but it really wasn't doing much good. Hit it with a little more time and it dropped off then. Also if these were some of the higher dollar uncleaned from kersh they would probably be taking a year long bath.

 

 

Ahh I see. I go for some more agressive chemical agents besides olive oil if that and soap and water don't work.