British Coin In Back Yard

[Valens Legacy]

29 minutes ago, phrunt said:

The smell gives it some character ?

That smell is like a pack of skunks run over in the middle of the road in 100 degree weather, and you just had to walk through it. I have washed my hands at least 50 times and they still smell.

 

[PimentoUK]

If you'd boiled your oil in Nigeria, no-one would've batted an eyelid, they would assume you're just making a big pot of delicious skunk, tripe and fish head stew, they may even come over offering recipe suggestions. " You need more chillies in it!"

[GB_Amateur]

9 hours ago, Valens Legacy said:

There are 3 more coins left to clean, and they are the 2 larger silver coins with just a single gold one.

I don't know if that will make the experience worthwhile, but it ought to go a long way.  Be careful about over-cleaning until you've been able to value the coins.  You've now blown by me in terms of quality of coins (large silver and gold!).

One solvent used by numismatists to remove plastic oils, etc. from coins is acetone.  You can get it (typically quart-size can) at hardware stores, lumber yards, etc.  Keep in mind that it isn't the greatest thing to breathe (probably better than rancid whale oil, though) so best to use it outside.  It also will steal water from your skin so wearing surgical gloves (cheap kind is fine) is also a good idea.  Try it on your 2-cent piece first and see if that helps remove the stench.  If you have a clean glass jar with lid just put enough acetone in it to completely cover the coin (say by about 1/4 inch) and close the lid.  Leave it for a day and see if there is any improvement.  Acetone is very volatile so definitely need a lid.  Also, the acetone will probably eat the lid seal away if it's plastic/rubber, so I'd minimize the contact of the liquid with that seal, just to prevent more messes.

After following my advice to soften the previous gunk, though, what I say now is likely going quickly in one ear and out the other, if it even makes it that far.  ?

[Jim_Alaska]

7 hours ago, Valens Legacy said:

I could send the bottle to you for a smell to see what you think it is, but I think the USPS would have me arrested.

The markings had a company by the name of NYE or something like that, I think that is who started the company.

They are still in business I think and are out of the New England area.

Although i sincerely thank you for your most generous offer, I believe I will decline it at this time. I was a trapper for a lot of my adult life and at times had to make up some serious 'stinky' for my trapping lure. Rotted whale oil would fit that category very well.

[kac]

I wouldn't clean them up any more than you did with the detail they have. You could send it out and have them professionally cleaned.

The oil is probably a good thing as it is keeping the copper from getting a patina.

[GB_Amateur]

41 minutes ago, kac said:

I wouldn't clean them up any more than you did with the detail they have.

I think getting the stench off them is a minimum requirement.  No one (V L, a collector, an auctioneer, the Smithsonian!...) is going to put up with that.  But, yes, cleaning can be (and often is) a detriment to value.  It should always be taken seriously, IMO.

43 minutes ago, kac said:

You could send it out and have them professionally cleaned.

Easy to say, but...  When I've looked into what this really means in terms of numismatic cleaning, the result was quite murky.  I concluded that was just a place holder when someone persisted with the question to a numismatist.  ("What can I say to get this person off my back?  Oh, I'll defer to the magic word -- 'professional'!")

44 minutes ago, kac said:

The oil is probably a good thing as it is keeping the copper from getting a patina.

Maybe up to this point, but this coin is no longer in the ground.  Typically coins that never were exposed to the damaging effects of soil do just fine without any coating.  What we detectorists typically deal with (badly corroded coins) is the exception, and something V L's recent coins were already protected from.  Here on out they should be fine without a protectorant, IMO (once the stench is gone, that is).

[kac]

Acetone like GB mentioned should degrease it but might make it dull, danatured alcohol is also an option. Either way a soft cloth rather than paper would be less abrasive. Amazing how well an old t-shirt can work unless you fancy polyester ?

Very good point on professional cleaning.

[GB_Amateur]

11 minutes ago, kac said:

Acetone like GB mentioned should degrease it but might make it dull, danatured alcohol is also an option. Either way a soft cloth rather than paper would be less abrasive. Amazing how well an old t-shirt can work unless you fancy polyester ?

Well, I'm going to disagree again.  Acetone is what the professional grading services use.  (I don't expect alcohol to be a problem either, but most store bought alcohol contains water and when the alcohol evaporates a film often remains.  If you've had to clean eyeglasses as much as I have you'll know the annoyance!)

As far as cloth goes, even cotton can scratch plastic eyeglass lenses.  Microfiber cloth typically included with eyeglass cleaning kits is much more forgiving.  But as always, careful (minimal) use/application is preferred.  Blotting is preferable to wiping.

[kac]

You can have a film left behind with acetone too, I worked with these chemical over the years extensively. You can use a jewelry mix of amonia, water and couple drops of dish liquid as well then rinse with clean water after. Not sure if the amonia will be strong enough to degrease whale fat though. Heavy detergents can react with copper and cause it to patina if left on the surface.

Another option would be to use 91% IPA. I use that on my laser optics with a pec pad but no need for a pec pad, trick is to continually roll the cloth so your not smudging but rather constantly using a clean portion of the cloth over the surface.