If you are buying a coin that’s already on the market as a fully attributed coin then yeah you don’t want to clean it. I buy coins that are “fresh” out of the ground so they’re literally caked with mud. They look like this so they require cleaning. Properly cleaning 2000 yr old coins is a months long process involving microscope and very deliberate & precise application of effort. For some reason I find it very relaxing, almost like a form of meditation. It’s a hobby that I’d love to share the results and talk about with others.
Wait… If pawn stars taught me anything… Don’t you not want to clean ancient coins?
If you are buying a coin that’s already on the market as a fully attributed coin then yeah you don’t want to clean it. I buy coins that are “fresh” out of the ground so they’re literally caked with mud. They look like this so they require cleaning. Properly cleaning 2000 yr old coins is a months long process involving microscope and very deliberate & precise application of effort. For some reason I find it very relaxing, almost like a form of meditation. It’s a hobby that I’d love to share the results and talk about with others.
Shameless plug: You can see some of my Before/After pictures over at !ancientcoincleaning@lemmy.world :-)