I have been doing some reading up on electrotypes....

ambro51 · June 25, 2011 9:13PM

And realize that I have all the chemistry and equipment in my workshop to give it a try.

....sounds like a fun project for a boring sunday~~

AUandAG · June 26, 2011 12:28AM

Yes, can't wait to see the results. Should be a learning experience!

bob

llafoe · June 26, 2011 12:31AM

First blow-torch toning... now electroplating... what's up Doc?

coinsarefun · June 26, 2011 12:57AM

Many people including dealers collect electrotypes. I find them fascinating

NewEnglandRarities · June 26, 2011 1:49AM

Electrotypes are very collectable in the colonial coin field, and many collectors have studied who made them based upon their manufacture. Crosby was an expert electro maker, and his work (at least what is considered his work by plate coins in his book and fabric of electrotype) are extremely collectable, as well as extremely rare. Here are two cool pieces.

1787 NJ Maris 72-z. Crosby Plate Coin Electrotype.

Here is an unfinished project most likely by Dr. Maris. Must have quit when noticing how bad the electro was turning out!

CaptHenway · June 26, 2011 1:57AM

An interesting learning experience. Just be sure to keep tight control on the results, lest somebody else use them to defraud.

When I was a member of the Shelby County Coin Club in Sidney, OH, we had a member who was a retired U-Boat Kapitan. After he was settled in in America, he attempted to re-acquire all of the decorations he had received during the war, but lost when he surrendered to the British Navy.

He started making plastic reproductions of the ones he had to use as trading stock. He used a type of plastic that did not exist during the war, so that nobody could ever be fooled by them.

One time he traded several of these reproductions, identified as reproductions, to a dealer at a gun show for one genuine original medal. A few months later, he was at another show and saw the same dealer selling the plastic copies as originals. He told the dealer that the pieces were copies and the dealer, apparently not remembering that he had gotten them from him, insisted that they were originals.

So, have fun, but just be responsible for what you make.

TD

ambro51 · June 26, 2011 6:27AM

Did not get a chance to do anything yet today.....wrapped up in normal shop work.

That NJ electro is amazing, it even has the 'warmth' of an old copper piece. But of course, the weight will be 'off' and the seam will show on the edges...that is always the case with these. They are not meant to fool collectors...

The second NJ piece shows minute air bubbles trapped on the surface of the mould. That makes the raised lumps.

There is considerable science involved in this, but all in all a rather simple chemical reaction. I find if fascinating that a 'whole object' can be created from some liquids. Much the same as when I make a tintype...a perfect photograph created with a few liquids and sheet of metal.

....experiments and results hopefully to come~

NewEnglandRarities · June 26, 2011 7:43AM

<< That NJ electro is amazing, it even has the 'warmth' of an old copper piece. But of course, the weight will be 'off' and the seam will show on the edges...that is always the case with these. They are not meant to fool collectors... >>

Actually, in the case of the Crosby NJ, the weight is almost spot on (slightly on the light side) with very little evidence of the seam on the edge. Crosby was a true expert, sometime even putting a small piece of glass inside the electro to make the piece ring!

Most electrotypes I have seen from the Dr. Maris collection (he made these with help from Crosby) are very much overweight. I purchased a group of electrotypes that belonged to Maris many years ago, and all are over 200 grains in weight. All the Crosby pieces I have seen are between 100-130 grains.

ambro51 · June 26, 2011 7:50AM

They are beautiful, amazing pieces of craftsmanship...to think, formed by ions. Amazing. I suppose if the shells were joined with solder, lead...the weight would be over. If joined with a non metallic substance, under. Perhaps if the non metallic substance was epoxy with a percentage of lead filings in it....weight could be matched.

Of course, all for naught since the "ring" of a struck coin is totally absent.

This has "science project" written all over it.

Hopefully the end result will be an copper electrotype of that super well struck feuchtwanger 4E.

That would be Kooooool~!

NewEnglandRarities · June 26, 2011 7:50AM

Here are two more. Both are one sided electros as made by Dr. Maris for his famous New Jersey Maris Plate. The 57 obverse shows a hair trapped in the coin, possibly Dr. Maris' own!

1786 Maris 22 obverse.

1787 Maris 57 obverse. Hair in electro.

keyman64 · June 26, 2011 8:22AM

Please record all the steps in what you try and document them for the forum-folk. It would be very educational. I don't know the first thing about this but plan on doing a bit of reading. Thanks Ambro! I have a couple of 1994 1c Blank Planchets (the mint used to sell them coupled with the actual 1994 1c as I understand it). It would be interesting to try something.

kaz · June 26, 2011 9:04AM

A very neat project, please keep us posted.

ChrisRx · June 26, 2011 9:21AM

COPIES

Aegis3 · June 26, 2011 11:58AM

Wow, where's the real double struck 57-n (or realistically, an plated auction appearance)?

NewEnglandRarities · June 26, 2011 3:15PM

<< Wow, where's the real double struck 57-n (or realistically, an plated auction appearance)? >>

The real 57-n double struck is the Maris Plate Coin and plated there. Other than the Maris sale in the late 1800s, I do not know of another auction appearance. I believe it is still in a old time collection. Special coin for sure (or any 57-n for that matter!)

topstuf · June 26, 2011 3:22PM

I'd like to know how this was made.

Aegis3 · June 28, 2011 11:38AM

<< 

<< Wow, where's the real double struck 57-n (or realistically, an plated auction appearance)? >>

The real 57-n double struck is the Maris Plate Coin and plated there. Other than the Maris sale in the late 1800s, I do not know of another auction appearance. I believe it is still in a old time collection. Special coin for sure (or any 57-n for that matter!) >>

I decided to look at the Pennywise DVD for John Griffee's condition censi to see what it says about this coin. You're right, no recent auction appearences, and I guess I should have guess that it'd be in his collection.

Edit: "his" refers to who you would think about important New Jersey Coppers, not to John Griffee.

NewEnglandRarities · June 28, 2011 2:28PM

<< 

<< 

<< Wow, where's the real double struck 57-n (or realistically, an plated auction appearance)? >>

The real 57-n double struck is the Maris Plate Coin and plated there. Other than the Maris sale in the late 1800s, I do not know of another auction appearance. I believe it is still in a old time collection. Special coin for sure (or any 57-n for that matter!) >>

I decided to look at the Pennywise DVD for John Griffee's condition censi to see what it says about this coin. You're right, no recent auction appearences, and I guess I should have guess that it'd be in his collection.

Edit: "his" refers to who you would think about important New Jersey Coppers, not to John Griffee. >>

Yeah, he would be the one to own that beauty.

I have been doing some reading up on electrotypes....

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