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The E-Sylum: Volume 23, Number 18, May 3, 2020, Article 24

VOCABULARY TERM: MAHOGANY FINISH

Dick Johnson submitted this entry from his Encyclopedia of Coin and Medal Terminology. Thanks. I added images. -Editor

Nathaniel Greene mahogany finish medal obverse Nathaniel Greene mahogany finish medal reverse
Nathaniel Greene mahogany finish medal
https://forums.collectors.com/discussion/1007285/mahogany-versus-the-yellow-bronze-finish-for-medals-and-the-nathaniel-greene-medal

Mahogany Finish. A deep, dark patina finish which ranges from chocolate brown to red-brown. (The color closely resembles that of mahogany wood, hence the name). It was extensively used by the United States Mint on all its bronze medals in the later half of the 19th century but was phased out (beginning 1900 and ceased by 1910) because it was so labor intensive and time consuming. It was accomplished by a double-heating process known as fire-bronzing. (It is said one could have ordered medals from the Mint in either the dark mahogany or the lighter patina finish during the 10-year transition period at the buyer's option.)

Fire-bronzing predated the highlight-by-oxidizing-and-relieving finishing process, developed by the French in the 1880s, which the U.S. Mint adopted in place of fire-bronzing. (Numismatists called this later finish yellow-bronze). A close approximation of the mahogany color was achieved in 1930 by the Medallic Art Company for the Second Issue of the Society of Medalists, Dionysus, by Paul Manship. It accomplished this dark brown bronze patina with chemicals (ferric nitrate) but this was still not the exact deep mahogany color that results from red lead and fire-bronzing used in the 19th century.

In addition to fire-bronze, fire-bronzing, see also patina, finish and finishing.

Reference:
M37 {1977} Julian, Introduction, p XXXV-XXXVII (35-37).

Book lovers should be word lovers as well.

Looking for the meaning of a numismatic word, or the description of a term?  Try the Newman Numismatic Portal's Numismatic Dictionary at: https://nnp.wustl.edu/library/dictionary

Or if you would like a printed copy of the complete Encyclopedia, it is available. There are 1,854 terms, on 678 pages, in The Encyclopedia of Coin and Medal Technology. Even running two a week would require more than 19 years to publish them all. If you would like an advance draft of this vital reference work it may be obtained from the author for your check of $50 sent postpaid. Dick Johnson, 139 Thompson Drive, Torrington, CT 06790.



Wayne Homren, Editor

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