Verdigris on wheats?

[Jeffro]

I just picked up a F/VF 1914D, but it has crud around the lettering. I was wondering if anyone has had any luck with taking this stuff off without touching the patina? Will silly putty or modeler's clay lift it? What to use to soften it up?

I have a bunch of wheats to experiment on to get a procedure down... just wondering if anyone can save me some time trying different things-

Note the crud on E Pluribus Unum especially-

 

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[buscadero]

Jeffro: I would seriously reconsider doing anything that would disturb the Patina on a 14D! You could possibly turn a couple of hundred dollar coin into a hundred or less Cleaned example! My .02

Joe

 

[Jeffro]

Thats why I said without touching the patina. The crud I am referring to is sweat and such that has accumulated around the lettering. I am not interseted at all in disturbing the coins surface in any way. Any ideas? I put in a close up of what I'm talking about... it should be simple and I have lots of coins to practice on. Not interested in chemicals, etc..... of course! LOL!

Just wondering if anyone has removed this stuff effectively without changing the surface?

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Try soaking in distilled water and a soft toothbrush.

 

[hollowpointred]

i agree. i would only soak it in distilled water. if that didnt work i would leave it as it is. just my 2 cents.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

Here is something to experiment with on other pennies:


Take a glue gun (the type that uses glue sticks and can be found in any arts and crafts store) and put a blob of glue on a coin. Let the glue harden and then remove it. The glue should be relatively easy to remove. If it works right, the glue will lift the dirt from the hard to reach areas. With a few reservations I can tell you that it works. When you pry the hardened glue off it pulls the dirt out of even the tiniest spot. It may not get all of it off with the first attempt so multiple applications may be needed. Make sure the glue has hardened before trying to remove it. The reservations are:

If you are working on a 'silvered' coin the glue may take the dirt and the silvering off at the same time. So don't use it on that silvered antoninianus.
If the coin has subsurface pitting, then the glue may expose the pits.
So, if you are careful about which coin you use it on, then this technique will work.

I would highly recommend that you practice on cheap coins first before working on the sestertius of Caligula that you've been wanting to touch up.

http://www.ancient-times.com/info/cleaning.html#techniquesb

 

[bk]

Thats how a circulated coin should look. I wouldn't do anything to it except put it in a protective holder.

 

[stoney56]

Thats how a circulated coin should look. I wouldn't do anything to it except put it in a protective holder.

I agree. Let the next person worry about it. In that grade (probably VF-20), a little dirt in the lettering is expected.

 

[l.cutler]

That is a great looking coin, leave it as is. Even if carefully removed, the surface underneath the crud may not have the patina and be a different color. that would leave it much worse than it is now.

 

[Bigcypresshunter]

When I was a kid, we collected coins from pocket change. I have almost completely filled books and never bought a coin. Those were the days. My Mom found a 1914-D in her change.