| Author |
 Replies: 9 / Views: 1,782 |
|
|
New Member
United States
23 Posts |
Before I begin: yes. I know you're not supposed to clean your coins.
I purchased a cleaned silver Prussian coin recently. The photos all showed it in fantastic condition. I read that aside from dropping the value (I'm not worried on this count as I don't plan on selling the coin) that cleaning can damage the coin. If the coin was cleaned a while ago, is whatever damage (or lack thereof) already done? Or will the coin... err... deteriorate? The seller is reputable and has only positive feedback so I'm trusting the photos were accurate.
Thanks!
|
|
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21788 Posts |
You will almost certainly damage or eliminate mint lustre and / or patina with cleaning most coins.
The only real exception where cleaning coins maybe a good thing is where ancient coins need to be cleaned after burial in soil, for perhaps more than 2,000 years. Even then, a potential very valuable coin should be cleaned and restored by an expert. Poor cleaning methods can reduce the value of an ancient coin very significantly.
Let's hope that the seller's image matches that to the coin you receive. You may have a case against the seller if you don't.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1436 Posts |
Once cleaned, the damage is already done and it is doubtful if stored properly, the coin will become "more" damaged. Cleaning a coin may leave hairline scratches, remove the coin's original luster. or discolor it.
|
|
Bedrock of the Community
13014 Posts |
Personally if its a bullion coin I dont see the harm in cleaning it. But assuming they didnt use something weird it shouldnt do anything else to the coin it didnt already do
|
|
New Member
 United States
23 Posts |
I'm still fairly new to coin collecting... a bullion coin would be one from a precious metal like silver, right? How much silver content does it need to be considered bullion? I know this coin is 90% silver 10% whatever else.
Thanks!
|
|
Pillar of the Community
Australia
4411 Posts |
If the numismatic value (collectors value) is less than the value of the silver contained in the coin then it can be considered a bullion coin.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
1119 Posts |
What Enworb said with the addition of once the composition of a coin gets to less than 50% of precious metal it is then considered a billon coin. Like a War Nickel or a 1965-69 JFK. |
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
3670 Posts |
Cleanin silver is bad, real bad mmmm k....
|
|
Valued Member
United States
385 Posts |
If the coin has good details, I usually perform electrolysis for about 1-2 minutes. For success the coin must be of 90% silver or more. Also, I've had bad experiences using electrolysis with copper coins.
|
|
Pillar of the Community
United States
965 Posts |
|
| |
Replies: 9 / Views: 1,782 |
|
Posted 08/21/2012 10:08 pm
