Guest reluctant_numismatist Posted January 25, 2010 Posted January 25, 2010 I picked up a cheap pile of pennies in a bric-a-brac shop at the weekend, a couple of the Edward VII are quite nice, only some numpty has been at them with the Brasso. I don't mind them as fillers, but is there any way of toning the shiny polished surfaces down a bit? Quote
azda Posted January 25, 2010 Posted January 25, 2010 I picked up a cheap pile of pennies in a bric-a-brac shop at the weekend, a couple of the Edward VII are quite nice, only some numpty has been at them with the Brasso. I don't mind them as fillers, but is there any way of toning the shiny polished surfaces down a bit?Only my opinion, but if they are only fillers and you didn't pay to much why bother toning them down? Quote
Guest reluctant_numismatist Posted January 25, 2010 Posted January 25, 2010 Only my opinion, but if they are only fillers and you didn't pay to much why bother toning them down?Because they stand out like sore thumbs laid out next to their filthy neighbours! Quote
azda Posted January 25, 2010 Posted January 25, 2010 Only my opinion, but if they are only fillers and you didn't pay to much why bother toning them down?Because they stand out like sore thumbs laid out next to their filthy neighbours!Lol, nice, polish the neighbours ;-) (Just kidding) Quote
RLC35 Posted January 25, 2010 Posted January 25, 2010 I picked up a cheap pile of pennies in a bric-a-brac shop at the weekend, a couple of the Edward VII are quite nice, only some numpty has been at them with the Brasso. I don't mind them as fillers, but is there any way of toning the shiny polished surfaces down a bit?Only my opinion, but if they are only fillers and you didn't pay to much why bother toning them down?Azda,You can buy a Bronze / Copper retoner called Deller's Darkener. It will retone shiney B/C coins. Practice on some old coins first though. <ggggg>. Quote
azda Posted January 25, 2010 Posted January 25, 2010 I picked up a cheap pile of pennies in a bric-a-brac shop at the weekend, a couple of the Edward VII are quite nice, only some numpty has been at them with the Brasso. I don't mind them as fillers, but is there any way of toning the shiny polished surfaces down a bit?Only my opinion, but if they are only fillers and you didn't pay to much why bother toning them down?Azda,You can buy a Bronze / Copper retoner called Deller's Darkener. It will retone shiney B/C coins. Practice on some old coins first though. <ggggg>.Would that be considered "cleaning" a coin though? Quote
£400 for a Penny ? Posted January 25, 2010 Posted January 25, 2010 You can buy a Bronze / Copper retoner called Deller's Darkener. Wow. Never heard of that before, is that for real ?Where can you buy it - Middle Earth ? Quote
azda Posted January 25, 2010 Posted January 25, 2010 You can buy a Bronze / Copper retoner called Deller's Darkener. Wow. Never heard of that before, is that for real ?Where can you buy it - Middle Earth ?No, America lol Quote
Gary D Posted January 25, 2010 Posted January 25, 2010 You can buy a Bronze / Copper retoner called Deller's Darkener. Wow. Never heard of that before, is that for real ?Where can you buy it - Middle Earth ?No, America lolDoes this stuff actually tone, ie build a layer of oxide, or is it just paint? Quote
Red Riley Posted January 25, 2010 Posted January 25, 2010 Try Tourmaline from Alec Tiranti and Co of Theale, Berks. or at least that's where they used to be. Will certainly improve the coins, but you may have to practice a bit first. Alternatively, you could always bury them in the garden for 10 years... Quote
Red Riley Posted January 25, 2010 Posted January 25, 2010 Alternatively, you could always bury them in the garden for 10 years...At the expense of talking to myself, I would add that this is something I am trying at the moment. It was only meant to be 18 months, but the inevitable has happened and of course I can't find the bloody thing! Shame, it's an 1864 plain penny in a high end VF that some twerp had been at with the Duraglit. Sadly I might have to leave it to subsequent generations of numismatists to see whether the 'dirt treatment' really works or not... Quote
£400 for a Penny ? Posted January 25, 2010 Posted January 25, 2010 A sunny windowsill works as well doesn't it Red ?Mind you, if you live where I do, there is no such thing. (south London)Want to borrow my metal detector ? Quote
Guest reluctant_numismatist Posted January 25, 2010 Posted January 25, 2010 You can buy a Bronze / Copper retoner called Deller's Darkener. Wow. Never heard of that before, is that for real ?Where can you buy it - Middle Earth ?Sounds more like something from Hogwarts. Quote
RLC35 Posted January 25, 2010 Posted January 25, 2010 If you google for "Deller's Darkener" you will get a dozen of places that sell it. It is about $3.75 for enough to last 5 years of use! I don't know what kind of chemical reaction that it provides, but I do know, if you get it too dark, you can lighten it a shade or two by using Olive Oil on it. It is best to practice on a few older coins before using it on something of value. Quote
Guest reluctant_numismatist Posted January 25, 2010 Posted January 25, 2010 I can feel an experiment coming on... Quote
RLC35 Posted January 25, 2010 Posted January 25, 2010 I can feel an experiment coming on...Go for it Reluctant! LOL! Quote
Red Riley Posted January 26, 2010 Posted January 26, 2010 A sunny windowsill works as well doesn't it Red ?Yes, but not for badly worn coins. I did greatly improve a 1918KN in GVF which somehow had lost its tone, by spitting on it and leaving it on the window sill for a summer. Any offers? Quote
Peckris Posted January 26, 2010 Posted January 26, 2010 (edited) A sunny windowsill works as well doesn't it Red ?Yes, but not for badly worn coins. I did greatly improve a 1918KN in GVF which somehow had lost its tone, by spitting on it and leaving it on the window sill for a summer. Any offers?Sure - would you mind having a blood test first please? Seriously, if you're open to offers ... if you DM me pictures of it, maybe we could talk? Edited January 26, 2010 by Peckris Quote
Red Riley Posted January 27, 2010 Posted January 27, 2010 Sure - would you mind having a blood test first please? Seriously, if you're open to offers ... if you DM me pictures of it, maybe we could talk?I could have sworn I'd replied to this. I'm sorry Peckris, but I'm afraid my 'any offers' was purely rhetorical, this is actually the best KN I've got! Nonetheless, I did re-tone it as above. My logic was that as the most plausible explanation for carbon spots is that somebody sneezed in the coins vicinity, then if I could control the process I should be able to make nature work for me, and amazingly it did. I even left a little bit of untoned metal in the obverse legend. The reverse is absolutely spot on, but there are one or two small patches on the obverse. I suspect I should have rubbed over the entire coin with solvent before I started. When I get time I will post a photo. Quote
Peckris Posted January 28, 2010 Posted January 28, 2010 Sure - would you mind having a blood test first please? Seriously, if you're open to offers ... if you DM me pictures of it, maybe we could talk?I could have sworn I'd replied to this. I'm sorry Peckris, but I'm afraid my 'any offers' was purely rhetorical, this is actually the best KN I've got! Nonetheless, I did re-tone it as above. My logic was that as the most plausible explanation for carbon spots is that somebody sneezed in the coins vicinity, then if I could control the process I should be able to make nature work for me, and amazingly it did. I even left a little bit of untoned metal in the obverse legend. The reverse is absolutely spot on, but there are one or two small patches on the obverse. I suspect I should have rubbed over the entire coin with solvent before I started. When I get time I will post a photo.Sure! My best KN is a 1919KN in really strong Fine - the kind of coin that would have fetched a fiver a few years ago, but would probably go for £25 on the 'Bay nowadays ... Quote
Red Riley Posted January 29, 2010 Posted January 29, 2010 Sure! My best KN is a 1919KN in really strong Fine - the kind of coin that would have fetched a fiver a few years ago, but would probably go for £25 on the 'Bay nowadays ...Here is the coin. Hope it comes out OK. Quote
Peckris Posted January 29, 2010 Posted January 29, 2010 Sure! My best KN is a 1919KN in really strong Fine - the kind of coin that would have fetched a fiver a few years ago, but would probably go for £25 on the 'Bay nowadays ...Here is the coin. Hope it comes out OK.Beautiful! The reverse is almost as good as my 1919H - and the obverse is WAY better (On my 19H the obverse die was clearly still only in use with the help of a zimmer, Churchill stairlift, and Viagra) Quote
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