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 Replies: 19 / Views: 2,125 |
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Pillar of the Community
 Italy
1130 Posts |
@Numis and @Albert thanks for your responses. . . I have been around the antiques and reselling trade a bit through the years - only heavily involved myself for the past two or three years - and only into coins for about six months; but even as a complete novice, before I ever owned a single coin, I was under the impression that a cleaned coin was bad; scarlet letter bad. In Rome, I find there seems to be absolutely no difference in listing between a harshly cleaned, dipped, heavily polished, lightly polished, or completely natural, uncleaned coin; most listings do not state a coin is cleaned in any way. Personally, I do not like the look of cleaned coins. A 150+ year old coin should not look like it was minted last week. However, the overwhelming majority of what I look at is cleaned . . . sometimes harshly polished. Something feels very artifical or fake about a 150+ year old coin with a shiny surface . . . What do you think of the coin I posted? From looking at ebay, it looks like it can be had very inexpensively. |
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CCF Master Historian of USA Commemoratives
 United States
12263 Posts |
Quote:
I imagine you'd pass on the coin I posted above? @Roma2021: Yes. From your images, the coin appears to be polished. It's not a rare coin, so I would wait to find one with fewer (if any) issues. Collecting history one coin or medal at a time! (c) commems. All rights reserved.
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Pillar of the Community
Italy
1130 Posts |
I agree. I passed, of course... But I'm trying to wrap my head around why someone would take a 150 year old coin and think ...'the needs a harsh scrub and chrome-like appearance'
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
7936 Posts |
I think it is the difference between an antique dealer mindset and a coin dealer mindset.
As for the coin you posted, if it is appealing to you and the price is low, why not buy it? If you later decide you no longer like it, you will only lose a few euro on re-selling it.
(though I also agree with @commems ... I can find some on ma-shops without this unnatural shiny look, at about the same price).
Edited by tdziemia
03/06/2022 2:13 pm
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Pillar of the Community
Italy
1130 Posts |
@tdz... That is a good point. In trading in antiques, I have learned that touching patina
... Outside of dusting... Is a terrible idea.i have also noticed polished coins sell in Rome... To each is own? I haven't met many collectors, but do some coin collectors prefer polished?
Most of what I read and watch is American or american-centric regarding coins...
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Pillar of the Community
Russian Federation
1557 Posts |
I wouldn't buy cleaned coins. Are there exceptions to the case when a coin with an original field is too expensive for my wallet. Believe me, uncleaned coins will only grow in value. You have to be patient and buy only the best samples. I would buy coins with a lower condition but with the original field.
Many collectors recommend doing nothing at all with the coin. The maximum is soap and water.
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
3831 Posts |
It's really up to you. If it's priced close to melt value or is a scarce type why not.
I have a couple of cleaned and damaged coins that are quite scarce. I've tried to upgrade them for the last decade and they just do not appear in the market.
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
With modern commemoratives, even a tiny 'cleaning' can result in a drastic loss in value.
With World coins generally, it depends how much damage has been caused by the cleaning.
Rarity may also be a factor that has to be considered before deciding to buy.
With ancient coins, a whole different range of factors come into play and have to be considered before a decision to buy can be made.
Almost all ancient coins have been cleaned at some time or other, most often after recovery from ground burial.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1912 Posts |
I watched a program on TV some years ago about the Smithsonian. There was a guy there who's job it was to clean and polish the coins in the collection. Apart from having a high tolerance for some particular coins from some particular locations, in cases where coins were more plentiful, I usually accepted those with the best eye appeal. Now here's and interesting deviation: If I had a page of common Morgan dollars with one space to go, I would decline a coin if it was brillliant or had the strongest eye appeal because it would stand out from all the others. In other words the coin was so nice it didn't fit in with the rest of those on the page. So I bought one that looked about the same as the others. |
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Pillar of the Community
Italy
1130 Posts |
Thank you everyone for your responses. I have only been casually buying coins and the few I have bought that were cleaned I am buying at 1-3 euro over melt. I am comfortable with that spread for now ... While, of course, keeping an eye out for better coins, uncleaned, at higher prices.
As a further anecdote, a consignment shop near worked asked my opinion on a customer's coins today... A few common date constitutional silver coins... Nice detail, but highly polished.
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Bedrock of the Community
United Kingdom
17914 Posts |
I was in Greece a few years ago and looked in antique / souvenir shops for coins for my collection - not ancient coins, but specifically the Georgian copper coins with Britannia on them issued for the Ionian Islands when under British rule. Lots of shops had a handful of copper and bronze coins, usually in VG to VF condition, but they were invariably polished, and often stuck directly onto card with Scotch tape!
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Pillar of the Community
Russian Federation
1557 Posts |
I would go around souvenir shops. There are often very inexpensive coins and in very poor condition. Usually they are sold in sets and decorated with colored cardboard with drawings of the country. And yes, as you said, they are all wrapped with tape or even glued to it with glue.
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Pillar of the Community
Italy
1130 Posts |
That reminds me .... Framing coins ... By literally gluing them onto felted cardstock ... Is very very common here....
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New Member
United States
1 Posts |
My first post I have a very high tolerance for cleaned old coins. I primarily collect or hoard foreign silver and appearance is important. I would not ever clean a numismatic significant coin but previous work is fair game. It's my hobby and enjoyment is the plan
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Pillar of the Community
Italy
1130 Posts |
@Bbe... Are you a new collector? I am and I have bought a few cleaned coins at slightly over melt; I figure it's worth it to handle and learn more ...
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Replies: 19 / Views: 2,125 |
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First Page
Posted 03/05/2022 7:59 pm
