Identification method of ancient money 1. Look at the copper.
Most coins in ancient China were cast in the form of copper alloy, so coins showed different colors due to different alloy compositions. The copper quality of coins in different times is different, and because of the different ancient smelting techniques, the ancient coins cast in different regions are also different, and each dynasty has its own characteristics.
For example, from the Han Dynasty to the Tang and Song Dynasties, most coins were made of bronze, which was characterized by a bluish, white and reddish color. In the pre-Qin period, the casting market was dominated by copper-tin alloy, and copper was bluish red with hard texture. Five baht money in Sui Dynasty was called white money because of its large tin content and white copper. Five years after Qianlong, casting money and tin is called green money.
Second, look at the color of rust.
There are only two kinds of coins now: one is unearthed and the other is handed down from generation to generation. Excavations have been buried underground for many years, and the surface is covered with bronze rust. Handed down products are also covered with copper rust due to oxidation in the air, showing black or copper color.
Copper is a relatively stable metal, which is not easy to rust at room temperature. It takes decades or even hundreds of years to produce copper oxide and basic copper carbonate. Copper oxide presents different colors due to the different particle sizes, such as yellow, orange red, bright red and dark brown, commonly known as? Jujube skin red? 、? Chestnut shell? Wait a minute.
Third, look at the inscription of the casting city.
A major feature of China metal casting market is inscriptions. It can be said that the font of each coin has its own characteristics, and the writing style of coin inscriptions in different times is also different. In addition, while paying attention to various characteristics of Qian Wen, we can also find the evolution process and changing law of Qian Wen. For example, Qin Banliang is quite famous among ancient coins. Its money body is heavy, its copper is excellent, and Qian Wen is magnificent. Two? In the world? People? The word is majestic. If you find Qian Wen Ping, you will know it is a fake at a glance.
Fourth, listen to the sound.
Nowadays, many numerologists and collectors like to identify ancient coins by listening to sounds. Due to the texture of ancient coins, the older they get, the more angry and oxidized they are, and the dumber they sound when thrown on the concrete floor. Generally speaking, knives, cloth and money in the pre-Qin period were silent. After the Ming Dynasty, coins were relatively new, without deep oxidation, but their sounds were crisp and loud. If we throw the coins of the pre-Qin period on the ground with a crisp sound, then the money is not very reliable; On the other hand, if the Ming and Qing coins are dumb, it will also make people suspicious.
Five, understand the casting method
The casting of major coins in China has probably gone through several stages of development, such as sub-mold (earth, stone and copper), mother mold (brick and copper) and sand turning.
Various casting methods, whether real money or fake goods, will leave corresponding marks on coins. These marks are a powerful basis for us to identify the authenticity of coins today.
Six, smell the smell
This method is the simplest in the identification of ancient coins. Because counterfeit money is mostly decorated with chemicals, it often emits an unpleasant and pungent chemical smell, while real money does not have this smell.
Seven, look at the version.
The most important way to distinguish between ancient coins and editions is to look at the money spectrum, get in touch with real coins in different dynasties, and pay attention not only to rare products but also to a large number of ordinary varieties.
Different cleaning methods for coins of different materials 1, cleaning methods for gold coins.
In fact, gold coins don't need cleaning. If they get dirty, just wash them in warm soapy water, then rinse them with clear water and put them in two soft cloths to absorb water. Under no circumstances are any rubbing actions allowed. Even soft cloth will leave tiny scratches on polished coins.
2. Cleaning method of silver coins
The cleaning method of silver coins first depends on the oxidation degree and color of silver coins. The oxides generated on the surface of silver alloy with high silver content have different characteristics from those generated on the surface of silver alloy with low silver content.
If a coin with high silver content is left underground for a long time or influenced by other unfavorable factors, a thick layer of oxide will be formed on its surface. At this time, the coin should be soaked in ammonia solution 1 hour (composition: 90% water, 10% concentrated ammonia water). If there is no ammonia solution, sodium carbonate solution can be prepared instead (30g of edible soda is dissolved in100g of water). Put the coin in the solution for several hours until the oxide is completely dissolved.
If silver coins with high silver content are only slightly oxidized, it is best to make them into paste with ammonia solution, sodium carbonate solution and toothpaste for cleaning. This paste should be soft to the touch without fine hard particles. The method is to gently smear it on the surface of the coin with your fingers or a soft brush. After the oxide is dissolved, rinse it with clear water.
Silver coins with low silver content and copper as the master alloy will turn green when severely oxidized. This kind of coin is best washed with 5% dilute sulfuric acid solution. When the green rust layer dissolves and recedes, the silver coins with high silver content will be washed again. But if the oxide on the surface of the silver coin is uniform, there is no need to clean it.
The green rust on silver coins is usually copper rust. Most of these silver coins are hoarded silver coins, which have been put together with copper coins for a long time, so it is normal that there will be green rust on them.
It is also the standard to judge whether this silver dollar is hoarded. If the corrosion on the silver dollar is too heavy or the surface is black, it needs to be cleaned in time. Traditional silver dollar cleaning and rust removal generally use weak acid, white vinegar is ideal, and the soaking time depends on the degree and quantity of rust. After soaking, gently wash with a soft brush, and generally rust stains can be removed. For the firmly bonded attachments, if the soft brush doesn't work, you can use a wooden cone to slowly remove them along the edge of the silver dollar pattern until they are clean. Remove the attachments on the surface of the silver dollar, and avoid using hard objects such as metal, teeth and bones, so as to avoid scratching the surface of the silver dollar and reducing its appearance. Do not use abrasives such as toothpaste when removing rust. At the same time, try to keep the original patina of the silver dollar. For some slight rust that does not affect the appearance, even weak acid is best not to be used. At present, many silver dollar lovers who don't know much about it can't wait to wash their hard-earned old silver dollars like newly issued commemorative coins. Such thankless work completely damaged the gentle and elegant beauty of ancient silver dollars. Washing the surface of the silver dollar almost loses its value. Wash white? Yes
3. Cleaning method of brass coins
Time often leaves a layer of oxide on the surface of copper coins, which is brown, dark green or black depending on the environment and age. If the oxide is uniform and the metal is not corroded, it is best not to clean it. Because the uniform oxide layer makes the copper coin have an appearance commensurate with its release date, it can also make the copper coin not easy to be corroded. Therefore, the only thing that can be done for the copper coin with uniform oxide layer is to wash off the grease and sweat stains with warm soapy water, and do not scrub hard when cleaning, so as not to damage the oxide layer.
It is best to use a slow reaction solution (such as 5% dilute sulfuric acid solution) to clean the oxidized coins, which can gradually wash away the corroded and damaged coin surface and keep the intact parts from being damaged. The soaking time of coins in solution mainly depends on the surface state of coins, that is, the degree of oxidation. The deeper and thicker the oxide layer, the longer the soaking time should be. Seriously oxidized coins can be soaked in the solution for several days and nights, while slightly oxidized coins only need to be soaked for several hours. In the soaking process, the dissolved oxide can be washed in warm water with a soft cloth, so that the solution can better act on the newly exposed corrosion layer. Remember to wear rubber gloves and use them when cleaning.
The quality of coins after cleaning can be improved, but we should be mentally prepared for the corrosion pits and scratches exposed after cleaning. With experience, we can decide whether the coin is worth cleaning, whether the cleaning will damage the coin, and whether the small part of the coin pattern will be washed away with the oxide after cleaning.
4. Cleaning method of bronze coins
The cleaning method of bronze coins is the same as that of brass coins. It is easier to restore the luster of the coin by applying a little toothpaste on the surface of the coin in advance and washing it with warm water. Do not use strong sulfuric acid or nitric acid solution to clean copper coins and silver coins. This solution will also destroy the coin itself, especially the subtle parts of the coin pattern, and wash away the oxides at the same time.
If copper coins and copper-nickel coins are seriously corroded (even black, dark green oxide layer or thick black shell appears on the surface of coins), then they can be cleaned with concentrated sulfuric acid or nitric acid solution. Of course, this cleaning method is only for coins with no special value.
The cleaning process is as follows: pour nitric acid into glassware, prepare soda water, and put coins into nitric acid solution with tweezers. The oxide will dissolve quickly. After the surface of the coin is cleaned, immediately pick up the coin with tweezers and put in soda water. Then, you can take out the coins by hand, rinse them carefully with warm water and dry them. It should be pointed out that nitric acid can not only remove oxides, but also change the number of coins.
The washed copper coins look unnatural. Over time, copper coins will still turn black and oxide layers will reappear. But we still can't guarantee that the copper coin will generate a uniform new oxide layer and there will be no black spots on the coin surface. Therefore, it is best for the cleaned copper coins to naturally generate an antique oxide layer, giving people a sense of time.
The simplest way to make the coin naturally produce oxide layer is to soak the clean coin without grease in 10% sodium dithionite solution 10-20 seconds, take it out, rinse it, and dry it with a soft cloth. Copper coins soaked in sulfite solution will give off a pleasant bronze luster and generally will not be corroded again.
Coating varnish on the surface of coins is helpful to the preservation of copper coins and copper-nickel alloy coins. It is best to use glossy furniture varnish, which is easy to clean with acetone. Before putting new coins (silver, copper, copper-nickel alloy, brass coins) into the collection box, clean the places where your fingers have touched. We find that rust always starts where your hands touch.
A misunderstanding that needs to be avoided in the collection of ancient coins is that money is hidden without a name.
Ancient coin collectors' meeting? Five baht, Apocalypse, Bao Tong, Taihe, Chongbao? It is understandable that some well-known famous coins are the main direction of ancient coin collection, but this kind of collection behavior will continue for a long time, which will make the road of all friends' collection narrower and narrower! Because ancient coins are vast, famous coins are few after all, and it is impossible to appear in the eyes of all friends often. Then, as a collector of ancient coins, we should broaden our horizons, shouldn't we? Gu Quan 50 Jane? Other ancient coins have no collection value. If you put it on your back? Shaanxi? Xuanhe Bao Tong, put it on your back? River? Carry it on your back? Home use? Wanli Bao Tong, put it on your back? Photos? Or? Handsome? Daming Bao Tong, put it on your back? Pass? Dashun Bao Tong, etc. , also belongs to the category of treasures, with high collection value and appreciation space. Once found, don't miss it!
Myth 2: Don't hide it unless it's copper coins.
There were many kinds of metal coins in ancient China, such as copper, iron, tin and silver. Among them, copper coins are the largest and most common, so some spring friends mistakenly think that only copper coins are the mainstream of ancient coin collection. This is a misunderstanding. Iron coins and tin coins cast in many dynasties in history also have high collection value, such as those cast in the Song Dynasty? Song and Yuan Dynasties Bao Tong Taiping Bao Tong Huangsong Bao Tong Tiansheng Yuanbao Ming Dow Yuanbao Jingyou Yuanbao Suggestions Bao Tong? Such as iron money cast and issued during Xianfeng period of Qing Dynasty? When five is ten, when fifty is a hundred and when five is a thousand? All iron coins are rare treasures. Especially? Xianfeng Bao Tong? Xiaoping Tieqian, is Qian Wen similar? Thin and golden? , the most popular among collectors.
Myth 3: Don't hide all your money.
Some spring friends blindly stare at the collection of ancient coins with complete appearance, and ignore the ancient coins with incomplete appearance, which is biased. As we all know, in the long-term social development process, due to the characteristics of metal, ancient metal coins often appear rusty, incomplete outline, vague coin surface and other phenomena. The appearance of collecting ancient coins is on the one hand, and more importantly, the historical and cultural information and social materials attached and carried by ancient coins themselves! Although some ancient coins are slightly inferior in appearance, they carry too much historical and cultural information and have extremely high collection value! Rainbow Mang in Han Dynasty and New Dynasty? Goods spring and cloth spring? For example, coins are sealed with vertical needles, a 10% discount seal script cast during Renzong's reign in the Northern Song Dynasty? Quanti Bao Tong? , is the earliest calligraphy in China. These ancient coins, no matter what their appearance, are treasures of ancient coins. Don't miss meeting them.
Myth 4: Don't hide big money.