Verdigris is the green patina that forms on copper. Yes, there is golden brown shiny copper under all that nasty green. Restoring the statue to its original condition, and preserving it that way, would create a lot of jobs and be a shiny symbol of freedom, peace, hope and change.

Or it could be the worst idea since New Coke.
-- Spacecoyote, Jan 31 2009

Q: What color was the statue of liberty before it turned green? http://www.endex.co...questions.htm#solq2
[jutta, Jan 31 2009]

Coke could be used as the cleaning agent.
-- DenholmRicshaw, Jan 31 2009


bare copper is incredibly pretty but after all this time it might be the patina that's holding it together.
-- FlyingToaster, Jan 31 2009


I seem to recall that freshly cleaned copper (unoxidized) is pink in color. The "golden brown shiny" color results from oxidation.
-- csea, Jan 31 2009



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