Byzantine Michael IV in XF 1034-1041

Danegeld

Here is a 25mm Byzantine Michael IV 1034-1041 I got in a lot from a fellow in Greece. It was one of 15 coins in a $25.00 lot. I cleaned it using electrolosis (sp) using a 9 volt battery and salt water. i only had it in for like three minutes and the crud on both sides just popped off and what I thought was a copper slug turned out REALLY COOL!!!

Take Care
Ben

Front
Back

ajaan

WOW! That looks nice. Great job of de-crudding.

Danegeld

Here is one I submitted to the Wildwinds site and it was an example they didn't have. Check out SNGCop 373. Here is the link to the page with Alexander II one of the Seleucid kings 128-123 BC. This was another one of the coins from the same fellow.

Alexander II

Take care
Ben

Bailathacl

Mental note: Try electrolysis on mystery crud-laden coins when olive oil fails... Ben, how does it work? Just drop some wires from a 9V battery into some tapwater with tablesalt? Any special recipe?

1jester

Beautiful coin, Danegeld!

Danegeld

<< <i>Mental note: Try electrolysis on mystery crud-laden coins when olive oil fails... Ben, how does it work? Just drop some wires from a 9V battery into some tapwater with tablesalt? Any special recipe? >>



You can take an old set of battery wires from any nine volt powered radio. Attach one to an old spoon and the other to the coin with alligator clips. I used about 4 TBS of salt to a pint of water (It doesn't have to be exact). Place both leads initally into the salt water connected to the battery and the one lead which bubbles is the one you want attached to the coin.

After trial and error you'll figure it out. Try it on coins in BAD shape first as it can really eat up the metal (pock-marked) and do a lot of damage. I've had luck with olive oil (like you said) too and then zapping them for like 2-5 minutes.

Have a stiff bristle tooth brush on hand too and be patient.

Have Fun
Ben

lordmarcovan

Here is a link from a metal detecting site, on how to make your own electrolysis setup.

I have used it on several coins I found with my detector (including my current icon coin). It usually works really well on silver.

On copper and bronze, it usually works well, but you have to be careful. If the coin's metal is totally porous or unstable, you can "burn it up" with electrolysis. The first US large cent I dug (identifiable as a Draped Bust) did not respond well to electrolysis. I made it into a featureless slug. Most of the time it is better than chemical or mechanical cleaning methods, though.

lordmarcovan

BTW, Danegeld- that's a really neat lookin' Byzantine piece.

coinrookie

This process does work. Just be careful. Electrolysis is actually a misnomer. What you are really doing is setting up the process of galvanic corrosion. A little bit can go a long way.


Steve

STLNATS

Congrats on getting a wonderfully detailed example of a coin which is normally seen with a great deal of wear and the barest details!

Danegeld

Thanks, I think it's pretty cool too. One of the earliest portrayls of Jesus Christ I've seen. The fellow I purchased these from had 5 lots of 15 large coins each and hasn't offered anything else since then.

Ben

trolling

Thanks for the info on electrolysis. Nice results on this pretty coin.

python

Nice coin and a great price.

Steve27

Super!