1723 Half Penny Ireland - Restoration

Been a few weeks since my last restoration, health complications . I did this one a few weeks ago, but forgot to post it.

This one was almost lost to verdigris and to be honest, I didn't think much detail would be left under such a nasty looking verdigris case.

Proves how first impressions of the coverage can be either detail destroyed or detail sort of preserved, you just never know.

Obverse especially has provided more detail.






More on their way soon.....................

Wow Fluke! You Really Outdid Yourself This Time! This Is An Amazing Restoration!

Who would believe that much detail would have been reviewed from a coin in that shape. Great restoration Lee.

This is a prime example of detail not being preserved, I did this one the same time as the half penny.






Nasty pitting much deeper than it looks.

The results look like the old king got caught in the hen house and the farmer shoot him full of buck shot.

As a collector, what value would you put on coins cleaned in this way?
Or, do you only do this to badly corroded coins and, therefore, value is not an issue?

Quote: "OldCurrencyExchange"​As a collector, what value would you put on coins cleaned in this way?
​Or, do you only do this to badly corroded coins and, therefore, value is not an issue?

​
Aesthetic attraction is key for me. This is more restoration than cleaning, as it doesnt result in the traditional scratch marks etc. As such it's an individual decision on the basis of the coin, the rarity, and how much I want it.

The damage in these cases come from the verdigris, not the restoration. I don't think the restoration negatively affects value in any way.

The coin in the OP, I'd be ok with the obverse but the reverse would put me off. Too much detail lost.

Exactly, It depends on what is left underneath whatever corrosion there is.

As usual I do stress that any restorations are done on coins heading for death or of very low value. I would not do it on any coin that holds high value. My method does not damage the coins, it merely exposes what is under the corrosion, in this case it is a very strong coverage of Verdigris, meaning there was nothing to lose. The green coated version would be worthless, where as the restored version could still keep the coin desirable so some.

Sometimes even very low value coins loss what tiny value they may have if any, the farthings pictured above are prime examples of heavy verdigris corrosion.

All of the above are very good points.
As a dealer, I do not clean or attempt to improve coins (dipping) but it's nice to see what can be done.
Of course, collectors have a free pass on this one.

That is the whole point of it.

Collectors may have a coin in their collection they like which is of low value, but it may be on a path to death faster than it should be. That is where I can come in and help stop the decline for that collector, they can then put it back in their collection and continue to age throughout the life of their current owner. Another example is a coin so badly covered it makes it hard to identify it.

I have said many, many times that this should never be done on any coin with value. Just like the coin in the original post. If I did not fire it and remove the complete verdigris cover, then there would be nothing left of it within a couple years. So even though you can see in the image it looks cleaned (Only because you can see the before and after) It has a purpose, that is to preserve what little detail is left.

You wouldn't be a very good dealer if you cleaned coins to sell, unless you were the dodgy type selling to collectors with little experience.

I started as a collector, and I met the good, the bad and the downright ugly when I was collecting.
As a result, once I started to sell (way back in the 70's), I promised myself that I would be one of the good guys.
I was also mentored by a really nice dealer, who liked the wholesale lots I brought into his shop in Dublin.
He gave me tables at his fairs and it took off from there.

He was full of good advice and always took the longer term view.
His favourite saying was "if you treat your customers well, they might come back ... but if you don't, they definitely won't and neither will any of their friends"

His customers were devoted to him!

I do not plan on selling coins and to show I am not the low life type, I bare all and openly show coins I have "Restored". This is another reason I have no swap list, I would not want anyone thinking I have altered the coins appearance and then put them up for swap.

You sound like a honest dealer, but of course even the dodgy dealers protest they are honest. The best way is as you point out. Keep it legit and they will come back as you rightfully say.

That goes for all dealers, treat them right and they will come back, common sense 101.

Word of mouth is the best form of advertising ;)

It's a bit like Christianity - the ones that constantly go on and on about it, usually aren't what they say they are.

I do have a funny story about one dealer. He's not dishonest but he is terrified of selling anything below top price. So much so, that anything I look at, he grabs, checks the price and then says "oops, sorry, that's a mistake" and shoves it under the table and takes it home - presumably to check other people's prices.

He's so paranoid, we take turns in asking him about items - he ends up hiding half of his inventory under the table and takes it home. LOL

My attitude is simple, make enough profit to cover expenses and its ok. If I make a mistake and sell too cheaply, its still ok because I have not lost money + it's a good thing to have collectors feel that they have got a good deal, It usually helps them forgive me for anything they consider expensive  :-)