Perhaps I should rephrase the header and ask that the coin's surface be left alone. I could have Zapped the coin or I could have scrubbed it until I rid the coin of whatever is on the surface. In fact, I could have stripped the surface and polished until the surface shone like gold!
There is something about this coin that is beautiful just as it is and my choice is to leave it as is. As an art instructor I taught my students that we knew a painting or design was complete when we could not add to or take anything away without diminishing the esthetics. The visual impact.
This coin has very little coin market value but often we encounter an artifact that transcends economic value. I spent a period of time searching my soul for what it is I like so much about this little coin. Sometimes the visual arts presents us with such a problem. This is what I have encountered... the esthetic moment. The encounter becomes a totally visual experience and words will not work.
My visual exercise is just that. Enjoy the coin for what it is and don't analyze it to death. Just let it be and the coin and we will be OK.
