Wreath Crown - Horrible Discolouration

[Coys55]

Anyone know what the uneven, patchy discolouration on this wreath crown could be and if it may be possible to rescue it (i.e. clean it) from its present sorry state?

It doesn't look like normal extreme toning to me and if it had been left in a draw for almost 100 years I would have expected the discolouration to be more one-sided than almost completely even. 

Although it looks horrible like this, beneath the crud it looks pretty good. Maybe even EF+?

Oh and I'm assuming it's OK...

 

 

Edited 17 hours ago by Coys55
Errors

[wlewisiii]

It pings like silver I suppose? Perhaps have it tested to ensure it is actually 50% silver? I wonder mainly because that appears to be 1936 and there were only 2473 of them minted so it would be a prime target for fakes, then and now. 

Presuming it's real, there is ~40% copper in the alloy of these, perhaps that's what is causing corrosion? It's just a guess as I've never seen a coin look like this. 

[Coys55]

It’s a 1932, mintage 2,935. 

I don’t own it,  but am thinking of bidding if it’s probably OK (although I’d be covered if it wasn’t) and recoverable from its present state. 
 

it would be a pity if it is OK but not restorable. 

Edited 16 hours ago by Coys55

[1887jubilee]

It looks like it has been stored in one of the early cases with foam lining. The gasses given off produce the horrible uneven toning.

NEVER CLEAN COINS        Silver Dip works every time.

[Coys55]

1 minute ago, 1887jubilee said:

It looks like it has been stored in one of the early cases with foam lining. The gasses given off produce the horrible uneven toning.

NEVER CLEAN COINS        Silver Dip works every time.

Ah that’s a thought; I once had a nice set of technical drawing instruments in a foam-lined case and when I opened it after about 40 years in storage it was a horrendous mess. It was so bad I just binned the whole lot.

But no, I wouldn’t clean it myself in anything other than soap and water, and I assumed that silver dip would fall into the cleaning category and be a non-starter.

Do you think that silver dip get that stuff off, if that’s what it is?

[Coys55]

Would silver dip even get under the foam if it's covering most of the surface? I've been googling the "degraded foam" issue and some people suggest bathing in acetone. I can see why that may work if the fone is plastic based and I believe it's safe for silver coins becasue it's not a polish or abrasive.

Any comments?

Edited 9 hours ago by Coys55

[Paddy]

If any plastic is still adhering to the coin, then Acetone will probably clear it and you can then review progress. It won't do any harm.

 

[Coys55]

48 minutes ago, Paddy said:

If any plastic is still adhering to the coin, then Acetone will probably clear it and you can then review progress. It won't do any harm.

 

That’s what I thought. I wonder what the chances are of getting all that stuff off? Difficult to know without knowing exactly what it is unless we’re sure it’s degraded foam. 

[Citizen H]

a small test area on the outer edge may be an option before hitting of either of sides .... may be ethanol just a thought please see below 👍 

Ethanol can clean silver, but it is important to use it cautiously.

Isopropyl alcohol can help remove light tarnish and grease, but it may damage certain finishes. 

Pure ethanol is generally considered safe for silver, but avoid using denatured alcohol or those with additives. 

Prolonged exposure to alcohol can lead to subtle changes in silver's surface properties, so it's best to use it sparingly. 

For optimal cleaning, consider using 70% rubbing alcohol or an alcohol-based cleaner, ensuring no harmful additives are present. 

Always test on a small area first to prevent any potential damage.

[Peckris 2]

9 hours ago, Coys55 said:

But no, I wouldn’t clean it myself in anything other than soap and water, and I assumed that silver dip would fall into the cleaning category and be a non-starter.
Do you think that silver dip get that stuff off, if that’s what it is?

Tip: place the coin GENTLY into the dip for ONLY TEN SECONDS. retrieve gently and rinse thoroughly in clean water, then dab dry gently with a clean lint-free cloth. If that doesn't remove all the discoloration, learn to live with it.

[wlewisiii]

3 hours ago, Peckris 2 said:

Tip: place the coin GENTLY into the dip for ONLY TEN SECONDS. retrieve gently and rinse thoroughly in clean water, then dab dry gently with a clean lint-free cloth. If that doesn't remove all the discoloration, learn to live with it.

I have a jar as part of my tool kit and tested it on a gothic florin with a lot of damage from being ex-jewelry so that if it was bad, I hadn't harmed anything especially valuable. I took a shallow bowl, poured in a bit of the dip and used it like you describe. Within it's limits, it's a good tool in the arsenal.