Is there a way to reverse this doctoring?

coindeuce

1920 HK-450, the copper Wilson Dollar to commemorate the opening of the U.S. Mint facility at Manila, P.I.
This has been gilt to make it look like the ultra rare gold issue, with the gilding worn off of the relief, but the medal still has AU details, making it worth several Benjamins. I want to return it to the natural copper color over the entire surface, if there is an inexpensive, effective method. Could electrolysis accomplish this?

lasvegasteddy

things like this are truly a shame...
impulse...yeah i'd ponder some but return to my sanity...no help offered sorry
my wag is best left as is

ricko

Yep.. better leave it alone... electrolysis could destroy it. Cheers, RickO

PerryHall

Weren't there medals from that era that were gilt or gold plated? Gold is so much heavier than copper that I find it hard to believe that someone would take the time and effort to gold plate a medal that would be so easy to check for metal content. I would guess that this medal may have been gilted at the time of issue as an optional finish for those that couldn't afford the solid gold version. Of course I could be totally wrong---just thinking out loud here.

magikbilly

I agree with Perry - there were.
How is this gold applied? I have always wondered. In days gone by, there were several methods to gold leaf an object (a frame, sculpture etc.). Wet and dry gilding were among them. This, as it is obviously not on true gesso, could it be mordant gilding? That would be a fine layer of gold held down by a thin varnish tinted "gold" - this is allowed to become tacky and then the gold is applied. Now, this does not apply to coins - if so, a long rinse in acetone might...How were these and things like it gilded; post striking?

Best,
Eric

coinman420

yes it can be removed. like others stated above this may have been done when it was made and in that case it should be left as is.

it can be removed by reverse electrolysis. i did this years ago for a member here. he had a hawaii cent that had been plated.

i explained that after removing the plating you still end up with a coin that has been altered. in this photo some plating can still be seen around the lettering. i processed it again and got the last of the plating off. i recommend leaving it alone but if you really want it done send me a PM.



edit to add second picture.

coindeuce

I have found no evidence that the U.S. Mint would have gilt these 1920 medals. According to Hibler & Kappen there were 2200 silver and 3700 copper pieces made, with only 5 gold pieces reported, of which only 2 or 3 are known to have survived. Gilding was a practice in effect by the Mint in the 19th century, as witnessed on the 1876 Centennial Exposition CM-10 and CM-11 medals, but I believe the gilding on this medal is a post Mint alteration, perhaps as an extreme measure to preserve the copper surfaces. Many of the Wilson Dollars suffered the same fate as the Philippine silver pesos dated 1903-1912. They were dumped in to Manila Bay
just prior to the impending invasion/occupation by Japanese military in WWII. A major percentage of the original mintage of these medals have seawater corrosion. Not so with this example.