Welcome guest, is this your first visit? Click the "Create Account" button now to join.
Page 1 of 2 12 LastLast
Results 1 to 10 of 15
  1. #1
    Registered User simonm's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    san francisco
    Posts
    6,398
    Post Thanks / Like
    Rep Power
    1820

    Conservation for large cent

    Hi guys,

    I'm trying to conserve this large cent. It has some ugly green spots on the obverse. A few treatments of verdi-care and some picking with a toothpick have not done much to improve it. Do you recommend anything in particular, or is this coin beyond saving?
    Attached Images Attached Images

  2. #2
    Administrator Maineman750's Avatar
    Join Date
    Apr 2011
    Location
    Fayetteville,Pa
    Posts
    11,978
    Post Thanks / Like
    Rep Power
    2817
    Have you tried a long soak in Verdi-Care ?
    I also have heard it is pretty common to soak these old cents in mineral oil....but I don't know the details.

  3. #3
    Registered User simonm's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    san francisco
    Posts
    6,398
    Post Thanks / Like
    Rep Power
    1820
    Quote Originally Posted by Maineman750 View Post
    Have you tried a long soak in Verdi-Care ?
    I also have heard it is pretty common to soak these old cents in mineral oil....but I don't know the details.
    I did not fully submerge the coin in verdi-care, but I left some drops to treat the visible areas for about 24 hours with not much of a noticeable improvement.

  4. #4
    Member BadThad's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    2,988
    Post Thanks / Like
    Rep Power
    581
    Personally, I would left it like it is. The verdigris is heavy and the surfaces underneath will not be attractive. I have removed this type of verdigris using acid (carefully) as I found that is the only way. Unfortunately, I found rather deep pits and the acid left those areas bright and shiny.

    Coins that have had the verdigris advance to this stage are essentially goners. The best thing you can do is use VC, let it dry and then put it into an airtite. As they say "it is what it is".
    VERDI-CARE™ ALL METAL CONSERVATION FLUID

  5. Thanks simonm thanked for this post
  6. #5
    Member BadThad's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    2,988
    Post Thanks / Like
    Rep Power
    581
    Quote Originally Posted by Maineman750 View Post
    Have you tried a long soak in Verdi-Care ?
    I also have heard it is pretty common to soak these old cents in mineral oil....but I don't know the details.
    Mineral oil will not remove verdigris since it (verdigris) is a salt. Verdigris is insoluble in all aliphatic solvents. The old "like dissolves like" principal. It would be akin to using turpentine to remove a salt film that has dried on the metal surface, it ain't gonna work. LOL

    The reason people use oil is the make the coin appear nicer since oil will artificially bring out the details, just like if you put water one a coin....yea, it looks better.... until it's gone....oil just lasts longer. However, oil will help prevent corrosion, but that will diminish with time as the oil evaporates and "runs off". It's not actually adhered to the coin, it's just sitting on it and eventually thin spots will develop and allow the corrosive process to continue.

    One of VC's tricks is that it forms a polymeric layer as it dries. While it can be easily removed, it actually adheres to the surface and mildly cross-links to form a barrier. Combined with the ReAcT2™, it will offer excellent, chemical corrosion resistance over the long-term.
    VERDI-CARE™ ALL METAL CONSERVATION FLUID

  7. Thanks simonm thanked for this post
  8. #6
    Registered User admrose's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Berks County, PA
    Posts
    1,077
    Post Thanks / Like
    Rep Power
    237
    I'd leave it. It'll still fetch a good price.

  9. Thanks simonm thanked for this post
  10. #7
    Registered User simonm's Avatar
    Join Date
    Sep 2010
    Location
    san francisco
    Posts
    6,398
    Post Thanks / Like
    Rep Power
    1820
    Quote Originally Posted by BadThad View Post
    Personally, I would left it like it is. The verdigris is heavy and the surfaces underneath will not be attractive. I have removed this type of verdigris using acid (carefully) as I found that is the only way. Unfortunately, I found rather deep pits and the acid left those areas bright and shiny.

    Coins that have had the verdigris advance to this stage are essentially goners. The best thing you can do is use VC, let it dry and then put it into an airtite. As they say "it is what it is".
    Thanks Thad. I'll give it one more treatment and then put it in a flip or something to protect it.

  11. #8
    Registered User Gunnovice09's Avatar
    Join Date
    Aug 2013
    Posts
    1,050
    Post Thanks / Like
    Rep Power
    134
    Can verdigris spread from one coin to others?

  12. #9
    Registered User GrumpyEd's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2013
    Location
    Arizona
    Posts
    7,229
    Post Thanks / Like
    Rep Power
    1017
    However, oil will help prevent corrosion, but that will diminish with time as the oil evaporates and "runs off".
    For that reason I would soak it in mineral oil, maybe repeat it every few years. It's not going to reverse the damage but it will slow down any new corrosion.


  13. #10
    Member BadThad's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Ohio
    Posts
    2,988
    Post Thanks / Like
    Rep Power
    581
    Quote Originally Posted by Gunnovice09 View Post
    Can verdigris spread from one coin to others?
    YES! I call it "contact corrosion". Verdigris needs feed materials to grow and it can actually supply feed materials to other coins. Keep all coins with verdigris isolated.
    VERDI-CARE™ ALL METAL CONSERVATION FLUID

 

 

Posting Permissions

  • You may not post new threads
  • You may not post replies
  • You may not post attachments
  • You may not edit your posts
  •