"Environmental damage" on coin--can it be "conserved"?

RevDrBlimber

The following coin came back as "environmental damage": http://www.greatcollections.com/Coin/40599/1840-O-Seated-Liberty-Half-Dime-No-Drapery-PCGS-Genuine-AU-Details

Any experts have an opinion on whether it would be worth sending to NCS to "correct" the problem? Thanks.

WTCG

Environmental damage is the result of the loss of metal due to corrosion. Conservation cannot restore the lost metal. It can only neutralize and stop the corrosion process.

MsMorrisine

<< <i>Environmental damage is the result of the loss of metal due to corrosion. Conservation cannot restore the lost metal. It can only neutralize and stop the corrosion process. >>



While respecting your knowledge, and going beyond this coin, would a recovered sea gold coin fall into the ED-but-potentially-conservable category?

RevDrBlimber

<< <i>Environmental damage is the result of the loss of metal due to corrosion. Conservation cannot restore the lost metal. It can only neutralize and stop the corrosion process. >>



Do you have any specific vis-a-vis this particular coin? I do not see it, just a little off-toning. Thanks.

MsMorrisine

what is that back splotch to the left of Liberty's head?

(which is hard to see because of the prong holder)

WTCG

<< <i>

<< <i>Environmental damage is the result of the loss of metal due to corrosion. Conservation cannot restore the lost metal. It can only neutralize and stop the corrosion process. >>



While respecting your knowledge, and going beyond this coin, would a recovered sea gold coin fall into the ED-but-potentially-conservable category? >>



If the coin "is all there" save for debris on the surface then the coin could be conserved. If some of the metal has been eaten away then conservation to the coin's original state would be impossible.

WTCG

<< <i>

<< <i>Environmental damage is the result of the loss of metal due to corrosion. Conservation cannot restore the lost metal. It can only neutralize and stop the corrosion process. >>



Do you have any specific vis-a-vis this particular coin? I do not see it, just a little off-toning. Thanks. >>



From the photos it appears the surfaces have a porous texture, which is the most obvious sign of corrosion. Except for contact marks and evidence of handling the surfaces should be smooth.

The porous texture and yellow color tells me this coin was once most likely very darkly and thickly toned, so thick that the toning ate away metal at the surface. When someone dipped the toning off the environmental damage was exposed.

ColonialCoinUnion

You could certainly send it to NCS and ask, but I think they would tell you essentially what WTC already has.

RevDrBlimber

Thanks very much for the feedback on this.

TwoSides2aCoin

Once a coin is identified as having an issue, the greatest value is the tuition paid. It won't necessarily help the coin, but it does assist the collector.

messydesk

The coin in question is probably lightly pitted. You can't unpit a coin.

lkeigwin

crypto79

<< <i> >>



That coin is fine how it is, no need for NCS

PerryHall

NCS would probably tell you that there's nothing they can do to improve that coin enough to get it into a non-problem graded slab.

GrumpyEd

It's hard to tell exactly from the pics but maybe it already was conserved and what's left is some pitting from where surface corrosion was removed.
So now the color is off, there's still a spot next to her head. On the rev it looks like there might have been some corrosion (green spots) removed near the mintmark, U of united, M of dime, above AL of half. Probably can tell more in hand.

With that said, I doubt it can be improved much.

ricko

Wei has diagnosed the issue very well... The coin is as good as it will ever be. Cheers, RickO