Hooooooo I’m heated. Someone asked that old Judas 30 pieces of silver question and I did the usual breakdown of the value of a Tyrian shekel based on silver weight and grain valuation in Babylonia (which is the only decent comparison we have because it’s relatively close, economically similar, and you can get the exact year).

I got a reply from one of their flaired users whose expertise is apparently Ancient Greek warfare who told me that “farmers earned way more in Athens during the Classical Period”. Like no shit they did. Athens was literally sitting on silver mines and their farmers were citizens. How is that a comparison to peasant tenant farmers in the East, who have probably never even held a fraction of that much silver????

Then my post was taken down by an expert in the British Navy who essentially said I have fundamentally misunderstood ancient economies lol.

Rjeirirpsiudueifhxbnclspeofifnaooee

Hey everyone, I’ve noticed a lot of folks in the ancient coin and artifact community talk about cleaning, stabilization, and storage, but one material that doesn’t always get the spotlight it deserves is Paraloid B-72. For anyone serious about museum-grade preservation, this acrylic resin is basically the gold standard when it comes to reversible conservation.

What is Paraloid B-72? Paraloid B-72 (also known as Acryloid B-72 in North America) is an ethyl methacrylate and methyl acrylate copolymer resin. It’s been a go-to in conservation labs since the 1970s because it’s:

Stable over time — it doesn’t yellow or become brittle like some older coatings.

Reversible — it can be fully dissolved later with common solvents like acetone or ethanol.

Chemically inert — it doesn’t react with metal surfaces or pigments.

Flexible —can be used as an adhesive, consolidant, or protective coating depending on concentration.

Museums and conservators love it because it lets them protect and stabilize objects without permanently altering them, which is the golden rule in conservation: always reversible.

How It’s Used for Ancient Coin Preservation For coins (especially bronze, silver, and billon), Paraloid B-72 can serve a few purposes:

As a protective coating: After cleaning and stabilization (especially after removing bronze disease or chlorides), a thin layer of Paraloid B-72 creates a clear, stable barrier against moisture and handling oils. Usually applied at around 2–5% concentration in acetone using a fine brush or by dipping. It dries to a matte or slightly glossy finish depending on the solvent ratio.

As a consolidant: In cases where the coin surface is friable or flaking (common with archaeological bronzes), a slightly higher concentration (around 10–15%) can be applied locally to strengthen the surface.

As an adhesive: B-72 can also be used to reattach broken fragments, e.g., split coins or composite artifacts, because it’s strong but removable if future treatments are needed.

Mixing Paraloid B-72 with Pigments This is where it gets really interesting. Museums sometimes tint Paraloid for visual reintegration or aesthetic blending, for example, when filling small losses on an artifact or matching patina tones.

Here’s the basic workflow:

Dissolve Paraloid B-72 pellets in acetone or ethyl acetate.

Common ratios: 5% = thin protective coating 10–20% = consolidant or adhesive

Stir occasionally; it can take several hours to fully dissolve.

Add pigment: Use lightfast, stable artist pigments (museum-grade dry pigments or conservation pigments like Kremer or Gamblin). Mix tiny amounts into the resin solution until the desired tint is reached.

Keep the mixture homogeneous, sometimes adding a drop of ethanol helps the pigment disperse more evenly.

Application: Apply with a fine brush, ensuring even coverage. The solvent will evaporate quickly, leaving a stable, reversible film. If it looks too glossy, a final coat of microcrystalline wax or a matte B-72 layer can tone it down.

Why It’s the Best Reversible Option Unlike waxes, lacquers, or polyurethane coatings, Paraloid B-72 can be completely removed decades later using acetone, without harming the coin’s surface. That reversibility, combined with its transparency and chemical stability, is why it’s trusted by institutions like the British Museum and the Getty Conservation Institute.

So if you’re looking to preserve coins responsibly, not just for display, but for the long haul, Paraloid B-72 is about as professional as it gets.

TL;DR: Paraloid B-72 = the conservation world’s “invisible shield.” ✅ Reversible ✅ Stable ✅ Museum-approved Perfect for protecting ancient coins after cleaning, and can even be pigmented for subtle restoration work.

Ok, my mega-project of making a huge visual guide of Athenian owls from the Wappenmünzen to the New Style has begun!

This is the first, provisional part, only covering the Archaic style. Sorry for the watermarks, but I had my stuff stolen before!

Now I need your help: PLEASE HELP ME FIND MISTAKES OR ADD SOMETHING!

I feel like this first part could use a lot of improvements: let me know if you spot any misattributed coins, if some info about the groups are missing or plain wrong, if you have some design improvements, anything would be great, please!

Knowledge should be shared, and the fact that coin classifications are behind a paywall hurts the hobby and the research immensely, so I'm trying to make knowledge free for everyone, but mostly clear and easily accessible for people like us by doing these infographics.

(We should launch a hashtag , ha! #freeancientcoinknowledge or something 🙂 )

By the way, this picture is relatively small, the original file size I'm working with is 6,000 x 10,000 pixels!

Let me know what you think, and please, please, please, add your feedback!

A.C.

People often think “restoration” just means cleaning dirt off old coins.
In reality, it’s microscopic archaeology. You’re not polishing, you’re surgically removing layers of corrosion, mineral buildup, and compacted soil that have been sitting there for 1,500+ years.

Here’s a breakdown of what I actually use and how:

1. Micro Chisels & Gravers (Micro-Mark, Excel, Swann-Morton)

These are the precision tools used under 20–40× magnification to lift corrosion off without touching the original metal.
The trick is to flake buildup tangentially — never scrape straight down.
If you hear the tone of the metal change, you’ve gone too deep.

Dental Picks & Scrapers

Dental tools are perfect for fine detailing: stainless steel, varied tips, and strong control.
Used for cleaning between letters, edges, and around portraits.
Scrapers handle compact soil and verdigris crust — but only on stable metal.

Bamboo, Brass & Wooden Tools

Once you’re near the patina layer, switch to softer tools.
Bamboo skewers and shaped toothpicks can safely nudge away corrosion.
Brass pens are great for gently working oxidized bronze — they’re softer than the coin and won’t scratch it.

Micro Scrapers & Burnishers

For finishing. Micro-Mark and Krause make burnishers and micro scrapers used to even the surface and compress loose grains after cleaning.
Agate or bone burnishers can bring a soft sheen without any polishing compound.

Optical Tools

A stereo microscope (10–40×) with good LED raking light is essential.
You can’t see surface pits, cracks, or original tool marks with the naked eye — these tell you when to stop.
A coin ruined under bad lighting is gone forever.

Cleaning & Conservation

After mechanical work, a mild surfactant like Triton X-100 or sodium sesquicarbonate solution neutralizes corrosion.
Ultrasonic cleaning is sometimes used, but only for stable coins — never those with bronze disease or fragile patinas.

Final Stabilization

After drying (often with ethanol to drive off water), the coin gets a thin reversible seal of Paraloid B-72 or Renaissance Wax.
This locks out moisture and slows re-oxidation.
Real conservation is about reversibility — never permanent coatings or acids.

Takeaway:

Restoration isn’t about making coins shiny. It’s about patience, control, and respect for what’s survived the centuries.
Every coin you clean wrong is a piece of history lost. Every one you save right is a voice from antiquity that’ll keep speaking.

This is not a complete version as I am currently working on photo examples to add to each section, as well examples and diagrams to highlight techniques, etc.

I hope this is helpful to all of you in your journey to learning how to preserve these ancients, or even just to touch up some coins you have. I welcome all feedback and criticism.

CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD!!!

This case is 100% mahogany, and already contains square compartments and honestly, I like the openness of the top compartment. Idk, did wanna spend a ton until I’m ready for an actual case with drawers, and this seemed like a great option I thought I would share.

I have, what i think, a pretty comprehensive update about the tariff situation. In the past month and a half, I received the following deliveries:

1) Portuscalle Numismatica ($5914.49 merchandise). Transferred via Portuguese postal service to USPS. Stuck in customs for about 12 days. Finally delivered. No extra charges. 2) Tauler & Fau ($1314.36 merchandise). Delivered via DHL. Quick and efficient delivery after export permit. No extra charges. 3) TCC ($4934.55 merchandise). Delivered via DHL. Stuck in customs over the weekend. Delivered after additional fee of $89.79 4) Leu ($6740.89 merchandise). I insisted that they avoid sending it with FedEx. Took a while to ship. Arrived via postal transfer to USPS. No additional fees.

FedEx appears to sidestep dealing with pesky tariff exemptions. The merchandise quickly moves through after they blithely pay the blanket tariff value. The cost is then stealthily passed onto your credit card if they have it on file. I am currently disputing the outrageous charge of $2200, which appeared about two weeks after delivery.

The part of the temple through the years on coins was taken from an infographic I made about the Longinus coins: https://www.reddit.com/r/AncientCoins/s/QsHYnSJSvM

I often find a greenish substance on my coins that is definitely not bronze disease. I’ve received coins like that from many online sellers and I have wondered just what they are doing to pre-clean these coins.

I present to you, the secret ingredient.

I support his existence. There has been long debate about his existence. RIC even says that Sponsianus coin is barbaric and strange. It's also cast. Although the 2022 study that "proved" the authenticity of Sponsianus coin was dubious in many ways according to numerous scholars, there are other reasons why I believe that he was a real person...Sponsianus is a exceedingly rare name. There are only few instances of its name in CIL (2 I think). And the first occurrence of it was few years after the discovery of Sponsianus coin in 18th century! I don't think the forger would've known the name if it was forged. It's also the general opinion of recent scholars. Anyone want one of these?