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 Replies: 24 / Views: 4,553 |
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Valued Member
477 Posts |
Poll Question
Some may find this to be a stupid question but I'm curious where the majority stand on this.
If you had a choice between a cleaned (Not talking about whizzed to death but apparent from some hairlines or a very old cleaning) high grade coin or a straight low grade (say the cleaned is an AU and the straight is a F-VF for example) which would you prefer?
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Valued Member
Taiwan
192 Posts |
As long as the cleaning does not destroy the details and the price is reasonable, I'm OK with it. Most dealers and some collectors in Indonesia clean their coins (particularly silver coins)  so it's rather hard to get "straight" coins.  |
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
Coin grading, after all, is about the amount of detail left on the coin.
It is inevitable that value will be lost with cleaning.
We all know this, but TPGraders must at least offer a "details" comment. It is understandable that some TPGraders will not even bother to grade a coin, if the cleaning is harsh enough.
Nevertheless, TPGraders will always grade a problem free coin, irrespective of the grade given
There are some of us here in the CCF, who will not even bother with a cleaned coin, irrespective of the grade. I, for one. will still at least give a cleaned coin consideration.
We MUST assess for ourselves what value we may place on a "details cleaned" coin, graded or ungraded.
Personally, I would place a much higher value on a cleaned MS coin, than I would on a equivalent VF or less coin, BUT that would also depend on how badly the coin has been cleaned.
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Valued Member
 477 Posts |
 100% but I wanted to see how other felt. The reason behind me asking is that I am looking at 1878 and 79 CC Morgans and my budget is around 150 - 175 at most and that would be a stretch. It seems for that I can either get a obviously cleaned, but still pretty, high AU - Low MS or a straight high F-VF. I personally am leaning towards as high grade and eye appeal cleaned coin, but wanted to get other's take on the subject. I hope more will chime in with there opinions and their reasons for those opinions Thanks, Blair Edited by throughtheireyes
10/23/2017 04:28 am
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
I've purchased many cleaned coins. Usually the prices are much better that way and if not harshly cleaned, makes little difference over the years.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
5241 Posts |
I voted "cleaned", but in reality I would have preferred to have voted "other". I think it is a little less straightforward.
Ultimately it boils down to:
1. How bad the cleaning is in terms of eye appeal
2. The price of the coin. The cleaning will effectively knock the price down to that of a coin with a lower grade level. Maybe 1/2 level, maybe 2 or 3. A 3 level price drop for a lightly cleaned specimen would interest me greatly, if it was something I really wanted but was not prepared to pay the uncleaned price. I would certainly take all the harshly cleaned pre-Morgans at bullion value, should they be offered. In other words, there will always be a price point I would buy at.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5825 Posts |
Too the best of my knowledge I do NOT have a cleaned coin.
I know I have one DETAILS coin but that's because of graffiti.
I will take a lower grade coin with original surfaces but not a cleaned coin (so far).
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Rest in Peace
United States
18456 Posts |
with kanga , I do not like cleaned coins . If it were a semi-key that I needed and very lightly cleaned as to be questionable ,then I might go for it . But if you showed me an S-VDB in F-VF nice brown no problem coin against a light pink cleaned AU ,there would be no question which one I would want .  |
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Valued Member
Belgium
186 Posts |
I'd definitely go for a straight grade in most cases, though not when the grade difference is extreme (ex. AU-55 Det. Cleaned coin vs. FR-02 coin at same price).
As for your example I'd definitely take the VF over the cleaned AU.
Edited by TheCoinDom
10/23/2017 12:31 pm
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Rest in Peace
United States
17900 Posts |
The type, extent, and the light to harsh range of the cleaning might change the answer depending on the coin. A 1799 Bust Dollar in VF cleaned might still be market acceptable. A proof 1956 Franklin half would be hard to sell with even a soft cloth rub. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7375 Posts |
I assumed it was for my own collection, so I said straight. If I was selling it, either would do if I could make a few bucks.
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Pillar of the Community
Norway
1358 Posts |
Cleaning used to be a common thing to do for coin collectors in The Netherlands, just like spraying them with some varnish to 'protect' the coins, especially copper ones. So there's a lot of coins out there for my Dutch type set which have had cleaning in the past. Looking for straight coins is a very very tough job, so I have to give in there. In that case, a cleaned coin goes above a low grade.
Modern cleaning, like the Norwegian Samlerhuset does, is an absolute no-no. They really kill any coin they get their hands on and sell it to the unknowing at ridiculous prices. HOrrible company.
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Moderator
 United States
188560 Posts |
I did not vote. For me, eye appeal is everything. I would have to compare them together before I made a decision. That is, I neither prefer nor rule out either choice site unseen.
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Bedrock of the Community
13014 Posts |
I can go either way just depends on the coins in question. There's plenty of cleaned coins that actually look attractive and wouldn't bother most collectors, really though the most important aspect is that not all details coins are made equally and I could easily see the cleaned coin being the more pleasing one even though it wouldn't be assured of that.
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Valued Member
477 Posts |
Thanks everyone! This is an interesting topic and kind of a hot one that the answer to is personal but has changed over the years. Not that long ago it was accepted that as soon as you get a new coin for your collection you would clean it... and even shellac it...
it would be interesting to see how the trend is moving... but for that we would have to sample a MUCH larger segment of the coin collecting community with lots of other info like age of the person answering... time in the hobby etc.
I guess the bottom line though is: "It's your collection so buy what you like!"
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CCF Advertiser
United States
1533 Posts |
I was at MSNS where a dealer had a draped bust half that was so cleaned it was shiny. It had XF details and we were both wondering just how much it ought to sell for. I asked would you prefer a problem free G over this XF? No, how about a problem free VG? No, How about Fine? This is where both of us kind of hesitated. So I guess a scrubbed up XF is worth Fine money, at least for that series. Two full grades down. A lot of people don't really get just how much the value is hurt in these cases.
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Replies: 24 / Views: 4,553 |
Posted 10/23/2017 04:19 am
