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 Replies: 59 / Views: 7,267 |
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CCF Advertiser
United States
1533 Posts |
The question is what is it worth? I saw a Draped Bust Half at MSNS, AU Details, but so white and polished you could almost adjust your tie by looking in the fields. I figured it would be preferable to a problem free Fine, but not to a problem free VF-30. So maybe $1,000? Buying it at a small discount to AU or even a solid grade down would have been a big mistake.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10047 Posts |
I agree I don't like it when they have been dipped to make them lifeless. But it would be a hard one for me to decide on a coin with great details with no obvious cleaning marks and an uncleaned coin in lesser condition.
How much squash could a Sasquatch squash if a Sasquatch would squash squash? Download and read: Grading the graders Costly TPG ineptitude and No FG Kennedy halveshttps://ln5.sync.com/dl/7ca91bdd0/w...i3b-rbj9fir2 |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
I have many cleaned coins in my collection. Usually they were purchased at a massive discount from dealers that sold them as cleaned coins. As long as they are not overly cleaned leaving all sorts of tell tail marks, doesn't bother me at all.
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Valued Member
United States
294 Posts |
If a coin keeps its original patina and surfaces, that's preferable to me. Even if it's dirty, it can still look nice and original. Cleaning a coin invariably removes a layer, even a microscopic one, from it's surface and the coin has been altered. I personally don't allow cleaned coins into my collection.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1314 Posts |
It all depends on how you define cleaned. If the coin has chunks of mud, cigarette soot, hand oils with perspiration and dead body cells, I'll take the cleaned coin. If cleaning is good for million dollar art works, it's good enough for my collection. However if the coin has been visibly damaged by some dope wanting to make it look shiny, it better be something I need to fill a slot and at a heavily discounted price.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7375 Posts |
Cleaned coins get bad rap, and probably for good reason most of the time, but occasionally there's a good value to be had. Don't throw the baby out with the bath water...I think the saying goes.
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Valued Member
United States
321 Posts |
It all depends on the degree of cleaning. Buy the coin, not the slab.
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Valued Member
United States
314 Posts |
Is gently wiping dirt off a coin "cleaning"? One thing that makes me wonder about that is that sometimes after I get my change and I'm waiting to be served at a store, I'll glance at my coins, and on occasion I'll give an old copper a quick wipe just to shine it up. The coin goes from ugly to pretty. But let's say it's a collectible coin that I missed, maybe a weird variation I don't know about. A few days or months later, some young collector pulls it out of circulation. Is that a cleaned coin?
My question mainly applies to that gummy stuff that accumulates on old copper. What is that, anyway?
And purists, please don't yell at me. I don't clean collectible coins; I wouldn't know how.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
3058 Posts |
I will take any coin, that doesn't have a hole or acid on it!
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Moderator
 United States
16679 Posts |
Unless it's incredibly rare or desirable, hardly at all.
swcoin.ecrater.com
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
2781 Posts |
too many variables in the definition of "cleaned" to come up with a blanket yes or no.
90% of my interest is in 150-200 year old colonial tokens. that being said:
visible physical abrasions? = NO
unnatural toning via chemicals = NO
spot of oil to soften & remove a chunk of verdigris = OK
soft pick to clean out details/denticles/dates clogged with grime = OK
gentle soap and water soak = OK
if it's 200 years old and below AU there isn't much that hasn't already happen to that coin!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
666 Posts |
Quote:
if it's 200 years old and below AU there isn't much that hasn't already happen to that coin! Well said Wade!Edited by dd27
09/03/2016 11:48 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
992 Posts |
Michaelangelo's frescoes in the Sistine Chapel are cleaned. The Mona Lisa is cleaned. Nearly all ancient coins are cleaned. 90% of the Morgan dollars in slabs are cleaned, I'm told. Done properly, I think there is nothing wrong with cleaning up a dirty, stained coin and restoring it's eye appeal. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
666 Posts |
Excellent discussion y'all!  I like Chute's witty, perspicacious remark from a recent discussion: Quote:
Conservation is when people cannot tell what you have done. Cleaning is when the work is visible and people don't like it. Edited by dd27
09/04/2016 12:12 am
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10047 Posts |
 Wise words. |
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Replies: 59 / Views: 7,267 |
First Page
Posted 08/05/2016 9:26 pm
