Retoning a bronze coin

MadMuffin

I recently got my hands on a small collection of world coins. Among them was a German 4 reichspfennig 1932 - brightly cleaned, unfortunately. The grade of the coin is quite nice, however - AU - so I have decided to try and save it. I'm a bit too impatient to wait for the next hundred years for it to retone, so is there an easier way?

I know that certain chemicals are avaliable in the US that could do the job, but they cannot be found in Denmark where I live.

Marcel

windwhispersintrees

Heat will darken the coin.
If you have a boiler or furnace in your house, try putting the coin near or on the flue pipe.
Or, put it in a toaster oven at a low heat for 10-15 minutes.
You can also put some wooden match heads nearby....the sulfur content will help darken the coin.

1jester

AT 101....

MadMuffin

Heat? That sounds easy enough for me

I will give that a try. Thanks!

Marcel

spoon

Be careful with the heat if you do try it.. I imagine if the heat element is small or radiates more strongly at a certain point on the coin you'll have dark lines on it or otherwise splotchy effects.

I've never experimented with toning copper (or anything for that matter! not on purpose at least) but I think you'd still be able to tell that it's been dipped afterward. There are chemicals that sculptors and construction workers use to tone copper, if you look in the right places (art supply store?) you might be able to find some up there?

Even so, that's a popular coin so you should be able to sell it for €12-15 at least even in a bright, dipped AU condition.

291fifth

If it is brightly polished then you will have to do something to get rid of the unnatural shine. Try gently brushing it with a toothbrush in a mildly abrasive solution until it loses the polished look. After that is done wash it gently in soap and water and rinse it. Place it in a small cloth pouch and pin it in your clothing under your armpit and start exercising. In a few days it should take on a more natural appearance. This is actually an old method that was used by large cent collectors a century ago. It may sound strange but it does work.

MacCrimmon

There is a conditioner called Deller's Darkerner which is intended to use in "toning" copper. I've never tried it, but I'm sure it has a sulfur compound in the liquid. Most coin supply businesses would carry it.

links to Deller's Darkener

bikemiked

I'd be wary I've got a rare coin from my great aunt who looked after it well (too well). as it is nicely polished it's worth nothing (financially)

Lloyd

If you're a particularly sweaty-betty kind of individual you could stick it in your shoe and wear it all day. Also sitting around with the coin stuffed under a sweaty armpit works. Mrs Roberts often helps out.

There are other places too....

L

NJMark1

Ok First I work in a sewage treatment plant I had a aussie penny that was polished to a bright shine and it got me thinking. New copper pipe that is installed in the plant darkens very quickly so I figured what the heck and placed the polished penny in a part of the plant that has a lot of Hydrogen Sulfide. In less then a week the penny was toned dark brown. Never tried this with silver yet. But it's on my to do list.

Mark

wybrit

I had some BU 1p and 2p coins from a business trip to the UK. Brought them back in my leather briefcase. Forgot all about 'em (because I really don't care a rat's about that decimal junk) and a year later they emerged very toned from being in one of the leather dividers.

In fact, those coins are for sale on my website.

Don't think I'll be buying any toned coins from Lloyd...

Aethelred

<< <i>If you're a particularly sweaty-betty kind of individual you could stick it in your shoe and wear it all day. Also sitting around with the coin stuffed under a sweaty armpit works. Mrs Roberts often helps out.

There are other places too....

L >>




Any thoughts that we Yanks might have had about the British being more proper have been thrown out the window!

dingding

put it in your shoes, the easy way..

MadMuffin

Hm... the suggestions are getting more and more advanced

It looks like I should try to polish some old, worthless Danish bronze coins and try the different methods. Thanks for your input everybody! I don't know if I have the nerve to put it in my shoe, though... I'm afraid the effect would be the same as putting a tooth in a glass of coca cola!

I don't expect the coin to get to look like it was never cleaned - but anyhting is better than the way it looks now

Marcel