Debate: does cleaning artifacts actually destroy their value?

Had a guy from the local museum tell me never to wash arrowheads I find in the field cause you lose the patina. I've been cleaning mine for years with just water and a soft brush and they look fine to me. But my buddy said he ruined a whole collection of flint pieces by scrubbing off the surface residue that helps date them. So what's the real rule here? Do you guys clean your finds or leave them dirty?

3 comments

3 Comments

the_xena18d ago

Haven't you ever seen those museum pieces that look like they just came out of the ground though... that's part of what makes them valuable, right?

blair_martin17d ago

Gotta love how the "don't clean it" crowd makes it sound like you're committing a crime against history with a toothbrush. Next they'll tell me the dirt crust adds 50 bucks to the value.

patricialee17d ago

Did you ever notice how different collectors treat things like old coins or even vintage tools? There's a big split between people who want that untouched look and folks who prefer things cleaned up. My uncle once found an old musket ball on his farm, and he spent hours polishing it, really got it shiny. Showed it to a reenactor and the guy almost cried, said the tarnish and dirt is what makes it authentic and tells you it's actually from that era and not a modern replica. So maybe there's something to leaving some of that field grime on.