Details Or Lower Grade For The Same Price?

I find the rule in coin collecting that "cleaning=bad" to be artificially imposed. Most old dirty things, you want to get cleaned, why are coins any different? Of course a harsh cleaning that removes metal or makes the coin unnaturally shiny is different, but just a gentle old cleaning? I can envision an alternate universe where there is no such stigma. And in the OP example I'd probably take the F-details (though still waiting on pics :) )

If I were to crack several of my coins out of their slabs, they would lose their artificial "details" stigma. A coin is a coin is a coin IMO. The slabs are useful for authentication though. My VF details cleaned 1795 dollar will stay in its slab.

I inherited my grandpa's old partially completed Whitman books of Lincolns and Buffalos. When I was a kid, that was coin collecting. Condition wasn't as important as filling the hole with something you got in pocket change. As a county treasurer for 40 years, my grandpa got to see LOTS of change. But he didn't ever fill all the holes, and few of the coins in the holes would pass the "details" muster. The coins I collect today are ones he would NEVER have found, in any condition.

As a collector of many things(coins my most novice), there are always 2 types. The kind who like what they have,and the "one-uppers".
Anything with historic value seems like a fake to me when it's unused or too nice.
I like loose or details grade coins. But I am just a collector and not an investor. I feel they both have their place for someone. Although it is nice when you find out pieces you undervalued are desireable. A details flowing hair is on my hunt list.
Feed your passion,

I agree with all of the OP's comments.
Just make sure that when considering to buy a 'comments' coin be it cleaned, damaged or whatever, that the price is very advantageous to you, considering the price of such other coins with equivalent damage severity in the marketplace.

Most all very early American coins seem to have at least a minor and less damaging, or major, and more damaging cleaning at sometime or other.
Indeed, most ancient coins need to be cleaned after recovery, before they are sold.

Cleaning, just like all other sorts of damage, be it major or minor, can be seen very differently by the buyer and seller.

I have an interesting collection of U.S. minor silver, British Maundy, and Islamic silver coins, all holed, most probably for jewelry purposes. All were bought for very little money over their silver value.