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 Replies: 14 / Views: 1,669 |
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Valued Member
United States
282 Posts |
I purchased this coin based on pics and notice what looks like a fingerprint mark on the obverse. From the pics I had thought it was on the slab. Can that really be a fingerprint? And wouldn't a feather-light wipe with a cloth or something like that have been the smart move by PCGS before they sealed it in the slab? It's in a straight PCGS AU 55 slab. I'm thinking of cracking it now and resubmitting it, perhaps to conservation first. Any suggestions?  |
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Valued Member
 United States
282 Posts |
Problem is I like the old, dirty original look and don't want to lose that.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12437 Posts |
The fingerprint is old and toned so easy removal is not possible. Conservation service would be the only way to remove it but you are most likely going to lose the original patina as well.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
2843 Posts |
Likely- the fingerprint is now a permanent mark on the coin. No light wipe would get rid of it.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
 It is now a part of the coin's history - leave well enough alone. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
8904 Posts |
It's a good looking coin. The prints are now a part of it!  |
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Bedrock of the Community
Australia
21786 Posts |
Any treatment applied to this coin will be very obvious.
Best left well alone.
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Valued Member
United States
282 Posts |
If the fingerprint is from the 1800's I would be thrilled as that would be some nice history. Maybe I should send it to the FBI to check in their database.  Edited by syeb
07/25/2016 7:36 pm
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Valued Member
United States
294 Posts |
Leave the fingerprint as it is; trying to mess with it will only disrupt the patina and whole coin will become a big mess.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4415 Posts |
The coin is a beauty, and I don't find that relatively light fingerprint to be all that detracting. Indeed, I think it bespeaks the originality of the beautiful toning. It also gives the coin some personality, a marker for originality that encourages conversation among those who view it.
Those who like pristine coins will tend to take issue with a coin like this; especially so, if they want to buy it and try to negotiate a price. Some future owner of this coin may well do a crack-and-clean on this coin, buy I prefer seeing it retain its originality ... like a counterstamp, if you will
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Valued Member
United States
384 Posts |
I wonder who's fingerprint that was!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4589 Posts |
Unfortunately, the FBI wasn't fingerprinting all Americans in the 1800s, so we'll never know.
I like it and find it just part of the minimal handling that made it AU55.
-----Burton 50+ year / Life / Emeritus ANA member (joined 12/1/1973) Life member: Numismatics International, CONECA Member: TNA, FtWCC, NETCC, EveryCountry (online) coin club Owned by three cats and a wife of 40+ years (joined 1983) Author: 3rd Edition of the Sample Slabs book, https://www.sampleslabs.info/ |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1748 Posts |
It could be Andrew Jackson's fingerprint!  Seriously, I doubt it, but it is a part of the coin's history and I would leave it alone. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4932 Posts |
The only way for this fingerprint to be removed, as far as I'm concerned, would be by doing one of the following: - Taking a wire brush to the coin, completely destroying all value. - Taking polish and rubbing it all over the coin, also destroying all value. - Heat it up so it turns into a burning ball of silver, then douse it in cold water. OR..... just leave it alone...  |
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Replies: 14 / Views: 1,669 |
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Posted 07/25/2016 3:10 pm
