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 Replies: 18 / Views: 508 |
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New Member
United States
39 Posts |
Not sure if I should post this here, start a new thread, or search other threads and post there. is the scratching on this coin from a bad job of cleaning or expected wear given the age of the coin?  |
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Pillar of the Community
Russian Federation
4935 Posts |
Looks like an overcleaning, yes. It's normal for ancient coins to be cleaned (they tend to come out of the ground pretty dirty...), but this one does look like it's been just straight-up whizzed.
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Moderator
 United States
32709 Posts |
Quote:
Not sure if I should post this here, start a new thread, or search other threads and post there. Best practice is to start a new thread for each new coin, so I've split out your post plus @j1m's reply into this thread. Also, this looks like a Tet from Athens, but please correct me if I've mis-identified the coin. Thx. Added: As to your question, @j1m is 100% correct. This amount of surface modification though borders on field smoothing with an intent to bring up features that have long worn away. I have tons of coins that have been whizzed in my collection as they came to me from my father and his father, but I generally wouldn't seek out a coin with this problem.
"If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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New Member
 United States
39 Posts |
Spence, Thanks for moving the topic and info! Yes, it's an Athena Owl tetradrachm I think I saw on ebay. So this level of cleaning would decrease a coin's value, correct? |
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Moderator
United States
32709 Posts |
Yes, but it isn't because it is cleaned vs. uncleaned but rather that someone has unethically tried to move metal around to add back details that time and use have worn away. At 2000+/- years old, all coins have been cleaned to some extent.
"If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Moderator
Australia
16181 Posts |
For many ancient coins, there is a fine line between "cleaning" - the removal of encrusted debris - and "tooling", the re-engraving of lost details onto a worn or corroded coin.
On some ancient silver coins, "horn silver" or silver chloride can form. This can only be removed by either harsh chemicals or by physically hacking at it with diamond-dusted dental tools. I suspect that is what has happened here. The question then becomes, has this crossed the line from "cleaning" to "tooling". I am concerned it has in fact crossed that line.
Don't say "infinitely" when you mean "very"; otherwise, you'll have no word left when you want to talk about something really infinite. - C. S. Lewis
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Pillar of the Community
United States
663 Posts |
I see no attempt at tooling...merely what looks like aggressive cleaning. A full picture would also be more helpful.
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New Member
United States
39 Posts |
Here ya go...  |
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New Member
United States
39 Posts |
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New Member
United States
39 Posts |
Oops... messed that up!  |
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Moderator
United States
32709 Posts |
Hmm in addition to potential tooling around the feet, I'm also really not liking that porosity on the obv. You don't have a shot of the edge do you?
"If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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New Member
United States
39 Posts |
I'll try to get some edge photos. What does "porosity" mean as it relates to coins. Is it the holes in the coin?
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
15757 Posts |
Porosity literally means porous, or full of tiny holes. Cast coin often are porous from gas bubbles in the finished product.
Spence, if this coin is cast, whoever worked it over with the wire brush probably removed any seam or sprue material.
Inordinately fascinated by bits of metal with strange markings and figures
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New Member
United States
39 Posts |
I found another coin, but in the description of the coin the dealer (USA) says, "Obverse has unpleasant encrustation. EF." To my newbie, untrained, uneducated eye it looks great! What am I missing?  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1017 Posts |
any coin shops in your area---if so check them out---what you are willing to spend you should find something nice--good luck---
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Moderator
United States
32709 Posts |
Quote:
unpleasant encrustation Perhaps there is horn silver in front of Athena's face? Hard to tell from the seller's pics though.
"If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Replies: 18 / Views: 508 |
Posted 02/20/2025 10:42 am
