And it has some gorgeous toning... apart from the tape marks on the reverse, on and around the woman. How do you deal with that kind of thing? I don't want to remove any of the toning around it just to make it stand out less, so is there anything I can do or do I have to just bear it?
There are different philosophies about cleaning. I am for the removal of any accretion that is not part of the patina. To remove tape marks and many other such surface accretions without removing the patina, I recommend acetone, as many professional numismatists do.
Here is an 1881 Newfoundland 50 cents which had been sealed with ugly tape marks, and since:
When I bought my bottle at the pharmacy, I was asked about my nails... So, yes, if you get a 100% acetone nail polish remover, you're set.
Here's a highlight of the tape marks (Not as visible on the photos I took, mainly because I was trying to hide them as much as possible; but believe me they're there, and far too angular to be toning variation IMO....)
So I see people are talking about acetone in the comments; I don't usually bother with my nails but I do have a bottle of the acetone polish remover stuff lying around. What exactly should I be doing, and I ask again if it might not be wiser to leave good enough alone? (i.e. what would you do if this was your coin?).
Cita: "Coinman48"I have found ultrasound cleaning machines, such as those for jewellery, do a good job on tape residue (and general dirt) without harming the patina.
Will
If you can tell me where to access one of those (jewellers' I presume?), I'd be glad to give it a go!
You could first try the acetone on some low value copper or silver coin and see what happens. That's what I did and there never was any problem. I just use a soft towel or cotton swab. That's what "Collecting Coins for Dummies" recommends for PVC and lacquer, but it works just as well for tape residue. Note that they recommend only 100% pure acetone.
I don't think a solvent will do much in this case because the tape or whatever it was blocked out the air and with that the oxidation.
Also, please refrain from using this women acetone unless you want a flowery or fruity smelling coin for a while (most nail polish removers contain partume and dies).
Only time will cure the uneven toning ... or cleaning
If I understood Sophie well, there are traces of the tape left, and that's what she wants to remove. Then, acetone will work. But I agree that the angular toning will not disappear with the acetone, whether there are traces of tape or not.
And yes, make sure you're using 100% pure acetone.
Cita: "Camerinvs"If I understood Sophie well, there are traces of the tape left, and that's what she wants to remove. Then, acetone will work. But I agree that the angular toning will not disappear with the acetone, whether there are traces of tape or not.
And yes, make sure you're using 100% pure acetone.
About that, I think I should have clarified; there are no traces of physical tape, it's the angular toning that bothers me.
Guess I'll just be living with it until it tones naturally, then...
Cita: "Idolenz"I don't think a solvent will do much in this case because the tape or whatever it was blocked out the air and with that the oxidation.
Also, please refrain from using this women acetone unless you want a flowery or fruity smelling coin for a while (most nail polish removers contain partume and dies).
Only time will cure the uneven toning ... or cleaning
Probably true.... and I don't want to destroy the rest of the tone!
Ultrasonic cleaning machines can cost under $40 US and are widely advertised and available on Amazon and eBay. They have a little basket you can put coins or jewellery in and then put the basket in a reservoir of water and run the machine for several minutes. Like I said it cleans general dirt off and I removed tape residue and stickiness from several coins with no problem. They can also be used for cleaning eyeglasses and DVDs, the DVDs with a special attachment, I think. I haven't used mine in quite awhile as I have had other priorities.
This kind of alcohol is used to clean delicate surfaces, I used it before to clean camera lenses. Usually lenses have an anti-reflectant coating, that is easy to scratch, but Isopropyl alcohol would soften tape remains, same as any kind of grease, like fingerprints or other similar marks, but not affecting the coating.
Of course, you need to use a very soft cloth or cotton swabs, not to scratch the surface, but this alcohol is like magic, fresh tape remains are dissolved or softened in less 1 minute, if tape remains are too old, so they got hard, would need some minutes or maybe 1 hour to soften it, and then you will be able to remove without problem.
Sometimes, the soft remains can be removed using fresh tape, just put on it, and remove a few times, and you will see tape takes out the dirt. (homeopathic treatment, maybe? ). the most important is no to rub the surface, just try to place vertically and remove in the same way.
Just 10 options: you understand binary, or you don't.
Catalog Referee Coins, Banknotes & Exonumia: Uruguay, Cuba, Bolivia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru, Paraguay, Costa Rica, Venezuela, Panama, Ecuador, Zamunda, Parva Domus and more.
Cita: "doc_man"Nice coin ! Maybe will be good idea to update the photo in numista.
Thanks Damian! I will crop it later and make the request.
I'm seeing a lot of good advice on how to remove tape residue, which may come in handy in the future, but just to be clear, the issue with my coin here isn't the actual tape, or any residue; it's just that I can still see where it was based on the unnaturally angular toning, which I have decided to leave alone. (Come to think of it, the only way is really to remove the rest of the toning).
I second adanieluy's recommendation of isopropyl alcohol, especially the 99% version. I had a coin I absolutely could not identify, not even the country or language, due to accumulated grime. Some wiping with the alcohol and it became identifiable as a Colombian circulating commemorative coin, brass, if I remember correctly.
No way to remove the toning difference sadly, other than dipping the coin to remove all toning and make it even. Acetone works well to remove the actual tape, but not nail polish remover.
Cita: "Arusak"No way to remove the toning difference sadly, other than dipping the coin to remove all toning and make it even. Acetone works well to remove the actual tape, but not nail polish remover.
Aye, that's what I feared.... and I'm certainly not planning on doing that!
would 10 years be enough?
I have read that one of the key ambient influences of the colorful toning of silver is sulfide compounds. In the decades since 1970, we have reduced anthropogenic sulfur air emissions by 90+% .
It seems that silver toning will be harder to achieve, now, simply by letting nature take its course, than in the period 1900-1970.
Say also, that the dramatic toning/tarnishing on silver we enjoy (at least i do) may be a signal of the worst environmental impact of the industrial revolution.
Jamais l'or n'a perdu la plus petite occasion de se montrer stupide. -Balzac
Fascinating stuff, Mr. Midnight. From a quick Google search it looks like China would be the best place to be to accelerate the toning. I suspect it's also true of India.
I remember reading somewhere on the forums that people usually take coins like ASEs and do something to them that results in a multitude of rainbow toning all over the coin.
I have no intention of ever doing this to my 2 Kroner, but it would be interesting if anyone could dig out how it's done.
Cita: "CassTaylor"I remember reading somewhere on the forums that people usually take coins like ASEs and do something to them that results in a multitude of rainbow toning all over the coin.
I have no intention of ever doing this to my 2 Kroner, but it would be interesting if anyone could dig out how it's done.
). only tonal variance. 
... or cleaning 
