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Verdigris Growth... Unbelievably Speedy!

BroadstruckBroadstruck Posts: 30,497 ✭✭✭✭✭
So I bought a raw bronze medal in 2014 and transferred it to a new Saflip Mylar holder.



I had a collector friend visit me last fall who wanted to see the medal in hand.



As we went out to dinner afterwards I sorta just placed it in the bottom of a drawer and instead of taking it back to the bank and just forgot about it.



Moving forward 6 months or less....



While in the drawer last week I discovered the medal and could see there was a whitish green spot on the reverse stating to escalate into a tiny mountain.



The base of the drawer is luan and I'm wondering if the adhesives in this plywood product are to blame of not?



I've had it soaking in mineral oil since and just checked it.



The white mountain is gone and there's now just a thin coating of green on the surface which should vanish with more time spent soaking.



To Err Is Human.... To Collect Err's Is Just Too Much Darn Tootin Fun!

Comments

  • kazkaz Posts: 9,246 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Seems odd that just one spot would be affected by vapors from the luan. Maybe there was a tiny pinhole in the flip?
  • BroadstruckBroadstruck Posts: 30,497 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: kaz

    Seems odd that just one spot would be affected by vapors from the luan. Maybe there was a tiny pinhole in the flip?




    Not sure as the flip was tossed prior to being inspected as I considered it contaminated.

    To Err Is Human.... To Collect Err's Is Just Too Much Darn Tootin Fun!
  • kazkaz Posts: 9,246 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Even though it was a new flip maybe there was a speck of some chemical inside it that reacted with the bronze. I have coins sitting in a drawer with luan bottom (some copper) in saflips for a long time with no apparent damage. Very unusual. I'll be interested in how the mineral oil treatment works out.
  • BroadstruckBroadstruck Posts: 30,497 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: kaz

    Even though it was a new flip maybe there was a speck of some chemical inside it that reacted with the bronze. I have coins sitting in a drawer with luan bottom (some copper) in saflips for a long time with no apparent damage. Very unusual. I'll be interested in how the mineral oil treatment works out.




    You might very well be correct that there was a speck of something in the flip which was not noticed.



    Or something microscopic on the edge of the medal fell into the flip while placing it in?



    Mineral oil should remove it all... It just takes time.

    To Err Is Human.... To Collect Err's Is Just Too Much Darn Tootin Fun!
  • rickoricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yep... should be ok... if no surface damage.... Before and after pictures would have been

    interesting though...Cheers, RickO
  • TopographicOceansTopographicOceans Posts: 6,535 ✭✭✭✭
    Was it stored in your underwear drawer? image
    That could explain a lot.
  • lkeigwinlkeigwin Posts: 16,893 ✭✭✭✭✭
    You might find it a little shiny underneath that verdigris, once its removed. Should tone over again.



    I used Verdigone (now Verdicare) on this. One application and a rinse.

    Lance.



    imageimage
  • CaptHenwayCaptHenway Posts: 32,632 ✭✭✭✭✭
    For those unfamiliar with the term "luan," as I was:



    http://ths.gardenweb.com/discu...s/2646884/what-is-luan
    Numismatist. 50 year member ANA. Winner of four ANA Heath Literary Awards; three Wayte and Olga Raymond Literary Awards; Numismatist of the Year Award 2009, and Lifetime Achievement Award 2020. Winner numerous NLG Literary Awards.
  • BroadstruckBroadstruck Posts: 30,497 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Originally posted by: ricko

    Yep... should be ok... if no surface damage.... Before and after pictures would have been

    interesting though...Cheers, RickO




    It's just growing atop the surface as the green that remains is somewhat transparent.



    Sorry I didn't take a picture before soaking image



    However once I noticed the growth doing a show-n-tell thread was the furthest from my mind.



    To Err Is Human.... To Collect Err's Is Just Too Much Darn Tootin Fun!
  • BroadstruckBroadstruck Posts: 30,497 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I peeled back the plastic wrap once more last night used to keep dust particles out.



    While still submerged in oil I gently without any pressure swept the spot with a well soaked q-tip and the verdigris is gone.



    Still leaving it in mineral oil for awhile until I pad it dry to degrease.
    To Err Is Human.... To Collect Err's Is Just Too Much Darn Tootin Fun!

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