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 Replies: 15 / Views: 4,838 |
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Valued Member
United States
462 Posts |
Does excessive hairlines imply the coin has been cleaned ? I have seen detail grades specifically mention cleaned.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
4944 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
5417 Posts |
Generally, yes. Not always though, sometimes with older proof's they may have been struck this way. Otherwise, some older German and Austrian Coinage tends to have hairlines even in Problem-free MS condition. It's just how they were struck.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5825 Posts |
And there are other possibilities.
Die polishing often results in hairlines, but generally only in the fields.
And make sure you don't confuse metal flow lines with hairlines.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2368 Posts |
 with everyone |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
Quote:
Die polishing often results in hairlines, but generally only in the fields. Hairline are very fine scratches in the coin (incuse on the coin) lines from die polishing are scratches in the die (raised on the coin) two totally different things but they can look similar and confusing to the novice. Edited by Conder101
07/19/2014 10:01 am
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Pillar of the Community
Korea, Republic Of
1881 Posts |
I think the TPG graders are experienced enough to distinguish raised die polish lines and incused hairlines. |
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Valued Member
 United States
462 Posts |
so when a TPG says excessive surface hairlines, means the coin is deemed cleaned ? If so why would they have a separate designation for cleaned ? Thanks. Example XF excessive hair lines,   |
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Pillar of the Community
Australia
852 Posts |
Condor is not quite right. Die polish lines are mostly raised, but not always. If the working die has polish lines then the coin ends up with raised polish lines. If the hub that struck the dies had polish lines then the lines on the coin can be incused.
The hub polishing lines are normally identified by finding the same lines on coins from different working dies. If you know a particular series well and have access to plenty of coins then you can spot the lines and other hub markers.
As the graders are unlikely to be able to identify hub die polishing lines from a simple glance they will assume the lines are from cleaning.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1156 Posts |
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why would they have a separate designation for cleaned I have many raw 8 reales that I sent to NGC and got back with "Surface hairlines", a few "Excessive Surface Hairlines", one "Polished". I will speculate that the graders have examined the surface under high magnification and determined that a cleaning process produced a pattern of parallel hairlines ("surface hairlines"), or patches of parallel hairlines ("excessive surface hairlines" or a swirling pattern of hairlines ("polished"). You might get "improperly cleaned" if several types of cleaning were applied perhaps including surface etching. These are just semi-educated guesses but if someone has more informed answers I would love to hear them. ~jack |
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Valued Member
United States
462 Posts |
So I a m seeing more and more surface hair lines coins on ebay and tempted to bid on few that seems to look fine from the pictures. Is AU details with surface hair lines worth lessthan say XF 45 ? Edited by plonker
08/01/2014 2:50 pm
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7631 Posts |
If hairlines, or any other problem a coin has bothers you before you buy a coin, those problems will bother even you more once you own it.
A problem coin is worth what someone is willing to pay for it. A coin may technically be AU but I've seen XF's that had better eye appeal. I like eye appeal.
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Moderator
 United States
23522 Posts |
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Is AU details with surface hair lines worth lessthan say XF 45 ? Yes, in my opinion, unless that coin doubles from XF-AU. Hairlines are about the most annoying thing one can find on a coin - they drive me around the bend. I'll sell at a loss before keeping a hairlined coin. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4692 Posts |
Hairlines are not necessarily due to cleaning. They can be created by album plastic slides rubbing over the coin and scratching it.
Die polishing lines are completely different and often seen on PL coins.
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Valued Member
United States
462 Posts |
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Moderator
United States
23522 Posts |
The trouble with cleaning hairlines is, they're usually only an imposition at one lighting angle. They're not visible at all coin tilts and light angles, but when you turn the coin the right way....
So I've no idea what the hairlines on that coin actually look like, and unfortunately neither do you. A straight-on shot doesn't normally show them to their fullest extent.
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Replies: 15 / Views: 4,838 |
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Posted 07/18/2014 07:48 am
