Nicholas Posted April 22, 2014 Posted April 22, 2014 (edited) I was surprised to see some of the things the British Museum are doing to their coin collection. Here is 2 treatments undertaken on an Ormonde issue civil war Irish crown. Treatment date3 May 2000Treatment proposalLight clean and lacquer where necessary. ConditionLight, surface coating of dust and tarnish. Surface changes with a dull, matt appearence due to conversion of silver chloride to silver.Treatment detailsCleaned using Acetone (propan-1-one/dimethyl ketone) applied on a soft brush. Lacquered with a 5% solution of Paraloid B72 (ethyl methacrylate copolymer) in 50;50 Industrial methylated spirits (ethanol,methanol) and Acetone (propan-1-one/dimethyl ketone) applied with a brush. This was done to help prevent further conversion of silver chloride to silver.Treatment date9 September 1996Treatment proposalClean coinConditionDirt and grime covering a heavy silver sulphide corrosion layer.Treatment detailsSwabbed with IMS and Acetone. Lightly polished with Goddard's long term silver cloth (comp. unknown). Edited April 22, 2014 by Nicholas Quote
TomGoodheart Posted April 23, 2014 Posted April 23, 2014 And ... here's the result: Not quite as bad as one might imagine from the description! My Father-in-Law sometimes asks why I don't visit more museums as 'surely they have the best coin collections'? Despite my explaining that museums seem to have different aims and often end up with a random selection of donated items they want to look nice, rather than a proper collection that can be used for study and comparison, I'm not sure he gets it ... Quote
Nicholas Posted April 23, 2014 Author Posted April 23, 2014 Yes Tom, I hope the restorers didn't accidentally put that hole in the coin... Quote
Nicholas Posted April 23, 2014 Author Posted April 23, 2014 (edited) Oh yeah the holes don't match. I can definitely see some residual silver cleaner in rim devices! And an uncertain lacquery shine ...I recall two Carlisle siege shillings sold in a recent spink auction with similar characteristics... Edited April 23, 2014 by Nicholas Quote
Nordle11 Posted April 23, 2014 Posted April 23, 2014 I think Azda is right you know, it doesn't look like those holes match up! Quote
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