What would you do about this crud on my new mameita/bean?
Stork
Posts: 5,205 ✭✭✭✭✭
By new I mean old of course 
It's from the Genroku 'Original Happiness' era (1695-1706) which fell under the reign of the Emperor Higashiyama. The shogun was Tokugawa Tsunayoshi--who (according to Wiki) instituted animal protection laws, particularly for dogs.
I was buying off photos, which were a bit less clear than these. Taking the picture I noticed the bunch of organic appearing crud in one of the flan cracks. Not sure that would have changed my buying it...in my new found fondness for these I hadn't had the chance to get one this old before. The little red fiber was from my sweater.
Anyway, opinions on what the crud it is? Looks kind of woody.
Would you do an olive oil soak and toothpick treatment here? Would you leave it? Do something else? Or, for giggles send it to NCS or PCGS's conservation just to see what they make of it? That would not be cost effective and I have frightened thoughts of it coming back blast white.
Comments
Isn't it just loose foreign material that lodged in the crack?
If so, pluck it out.."out out damned spot and bother me not".
Otherwise, an acetone bath with a cue tip rolled gently over the surface.
is that you end up being governed by inferiors. – Plato
Acetone, if not, maybe just leave it? Don't want to open a scab and cause it to get bronze disease or something.
That's what I'm sort of guessing (it's pretty small and my bifocals only tell me so much, even with the camera's help). I'm just wondering what are the odds that it's actually something I should leave alone. I guess if there was an itty bitty tiny termite I'd know. Then again, an itty bitty termite would probably fix it for me.
In theory it's .640 silver, but the fineness controls were not exactly strict IIRC. It was also a period where there had already been some debasement. In any case, that's what I'm chicken about...what if it's better left alone?
what if it's better left alone?
Stork, think of it as a cavity-they grow.
And then what?
We'll need a young Steve McQueen to save us.
is that you end up being governed by inferiors. – Plato
I'll bet you $20 that it's peanut butter
Highly enthusiastic about world coins, contemporary circulating counterfeits and unusual stuff
Split a tooth pick and I suspect you could get that out. I would leave the rest of the coin as is...
Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.
The rest of coin needs to be unmolested
. Olive oil soak first I'm thinking.
Yep. Toothpick treatment, after a soak to soften the crud up.
Actually, since it is a Japanese coin, you could use a bamboo skewer. I use those for such surgeries occasionally.
PS- I thought George Washington Carver invented peanut butter here in the good ol' southern USA.
Funny, didn't know they had it in early 18th century Japan. Learn somethin' new every day. LOL.
In my experience, peanut butter tends to find itself in the most random of places. I can't even rule out time travel at this point.
Highly enthusiastic about world coins, contemporary circulating counterfeits and unusual stuff
Plus, it was residing in Europe (at least at the time of purchase...). Hmm, I wonder what it really is.
I use bamboo toothpicks, which are available at your local Asian grocery. (While you're there, you can pick up some yummy foods too!)
YES! I've been trying to get my hubby to make some real yakisoba for awhile, maybe I can convince him to do so. Conveniently there is a local coin shop in the same little strip mall...
Edited to add:
This coin has a potentially very interesting history, if only I could know what it is. I bought it a few weeks ago from a Heritage Auctions Europe sale, which occurred in the Netherlands (thank you Sixbid).
When Japan was 'closed' there was a small trade enclave permitted in Nagasaki with the Dutch East India Company. So, was this a souvenir from an original Dutch trader or from a newer collector???
Definitely a coin to take good care of.