Dealers And Coin Cleaning Products - Coin Community Forum

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Author	Replies: 8 / Views: 2,045
North of 49 Pillar of the Community Canada 617 Posts	Posted 03/26/2015 4:40 pm Just came back from a local coin dealer (first time). All their coins were nice and shiney looking so I asked if the coins had been cleaned and they said they used a cleaning solution ( dip 'n glo or something like that, $4.00 a bottle ) and only patted dry. Is this common with coin dealers? Are there coin cleaning products that don't damage coins? Most important is this a place a should stay away from? Report this Post to the Staff

AgHoarder Pillar of the Community Canada 818 Posts	Posted 03/26/2015 5:01 pm The owner of my LCS has explained to me that the attitude has changed quite a bit in recent times regarding dipping coins and this includes most TPGs as well. There are many on here who would never even think of doing such a thing and I can understand why. I've done it with a couple of coins and I was not impressed with the look it gave the coin so I will no longer do it. From my limited experience it seems that as long as you don't over do it, dipped once or twice in the life of the coin and rinsed very well with water and only patted dry with a non-abrasive surface, you should be ok if you were to get it graded and not come back "cleaned". I'm sure many people disagree with these statements. I'm still on the fence with it and look forward to people's replies as well. Report this Post to the Staff
AgCoinAu Pillar of the Community Canada 3049 Posts	Posted 03/26/2015 5:02 pm I'm sure it happens a whole lot more than you think.. I was at one shop awhile ago and there was a very large bottle (3-4L) with a "unisafe" logo on it.. I couldn't read the label from the distance but I certainly could smell it! And I knew that they were probably dipping coins. Now the whole topic of dipping coins is a touchy one... dip in an acid solution too much and BAM you get a "burnt" coin... but in some cases dipping can improve eye appeal. (Now what do you think a dealer who has to move product in interested in?) In short.. save the risk for the dealer.. if you do it.. your coin may lose value.. let it be for the dealer unless the benefits outweight the risks... Report this Post to the Staff
AgHoarder Pillar of the Community Canada 818 Posts	Posted 03/26/2015 5:05 pm As far as staying away, I would say no. I bet most dealers do it. Any raw coin that is 100+ years old should have some form of tarnish as there are many impurities in the air so if you see a coin on ebay or at your LCS that is perfectly silver in color, to my understanding, it has been cleaned in some form. Report this Post to the Staff
ChildOfTheWheat Pillar of the Community United States 5828 Posts	Posted 03/26/2015 5:31 pm Ag horder, that isnn't always true. There are bags upon bags of Morgan silver dollars that have never been cleaned ever and still have marvoulus color. Report this Post to the Staff
nickelsguy Pillar of the Community Canada 2301 Posts	Posted 03/26/2015 6:21 pm Run away from that dealer!!! Report this Post to the Staff
colonialtokens Pillar of the Community United States 840 Posts	Posted 03/26/2015 10:54 pm On another note, many Vicky cents and early colonial tokens are found having decades of grime and crud. It is nearly impossible to ascertain specific die varieties when the diagnostic markers are buried under a mound of crud. Some consider even soap and hot water cleaning. Careful and proper cleaning is essential on such coins. Also, some coins have corrosion. Left unattended, the corrosion will eventually expand and engulf the entire coin. But heaven forbid if one uses WD 40 to retard the corrosion from getting worse. doug Report this Post to the Staff
Neo13x Pillar of the Community United States 604 Posts	Posted 03/27/2015 09:18 am Personally if a dealer is cleaning coins with anything other than acetone I would stay away from them. To me a circulated coin should show signs of its history from being in circulation but of course an ancient coin being properly cleaned is a different story. Report this Post to the Staff
North of 49 Pillar of the Community Canada 617 Posts	Posted 03/27/2015 6:55 pm I think I'll contact other dealers to ask if they do the same sort of thing. Just to see. I don't think I mind a coin being cleaned if its done by someone who knows what they're doing. But I sure wouldn't be happy if it hurts the value. Report this Post to the Staff
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