Patina Issues on world coins?
YoloBagels
Posts: 154 ✭✭✭
Hello everyone,
I recently bought a fairly large lot of world coins for very close to melt value. While many of the coins were holed, damaged, or had other issues, these two were mixed in the lot.
I am hoping to get some guidance on how I can deal with the patina issues these two have.
First one is a Bavarian edition 5 mark from 1904. It shows signs of an old cleaning but still has some luster on the eagle side. However the obverse has some strange brown discoloration.
I was thinking to use e-zest for this one. Should I try diluting it with purified water first? Will probably use a q tip. Any other less harmful solutions are welcome.
Next is probably the most valuable coin that was included. An 1843 Russian Rouble, I grade AU58 without the damage. You can't see it in the pic but in person it has fantastic luster.
After taking a closer look, it seems to have the same corrosion that the five mark has, but it is somewhat stronger. My initial thought was horn silver but after closer inspection that doesn't seem to be the case. I am scared to experiment with this one as it is a pretty valuable coin and I have taken a huge liking to it.
Any recommendations for a safe way to preserve these coins are welcome!
My eBay page: https://www.ebay.com/usr/alvareznumismatics
Comments
I don’t think you can undo environmental damage such as this.
Latin American Collection
I personally wouldn't mess with it. If you don't want a coin like that, sell it and find another.
IG: DeCourcyCoinsEbay: neilrobertson
"Numismatic categorizations, if left unconstrained, will increase spontaneously over time." -me
If the coins have corrosion, nothing will change that. As far as the toning goes, there is likely no way to "even out" the color so that the darker areas match the lighter areas.
You could try MS70, which is a really strong soap (strong enough to burn your skin, so be careful).
Apply with a Q-Tip, gently rub, wait about 1-2 minutes, and then rinse for a few minutes in running warm water. Blot dry.
It may not work, but I doubt it would hurt that coin.
If the damage is from acid, it is etched in the surface of the coin and is not salvageable.
That is most likely the result of dip not being properly rinsed off a coin. Nothing you can do now but soak it in dip and make it a chalky white if you prefer.
The 1914 coin is exceptionally ugly. I'd try soaking it in distilled water for awhile and then gently rubbing the discolored area with a Q-tip to hopefully remove chemical residue that may itself have caused the discoloration. It can't get much worse looking than it is now.
A friend recommended me that yesterday, I think I'll order a bottle and experiment with that. At least see how it works on the rims.
Thanks, last night I used some run down e-zest to try to get the darkness off on the 5 mark, and it worked pretty well. While there is some slight discoloration, I am satisfied with the results.
One thing I found is that there is still luster in the protected areas where the toning was, so it must be a residue of some sort. I'll try your idea on the Russian coin.
My eBay page: https://www.ebay.com/usr/alvareznumismatics
Looks stained to me. MS70 should work. Have you tried acetone first?
8 Reales Madness Collection
Bavaria 5M - went from a ugly splotchy-tone coin... to an ugly dipped circ. coin. But honestly, the latter is my preference. Given some time and pampering, the coin can perhaps retone much more evenly/attractively. It was practically scrap in the condition it was in.
For the rouble... that's frankly a much nicer coin. Before the ol' dip n' strip, I personally would try to "spot-treat" with acetone first to see if those dark areas can't be minimized. To my eyes, they don't look as deep into the surface as the splotch on the 5 Mark was.