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 Replies: 7 / Views: 1,292 |
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Valued Member
 United States
326 Posts |
Hello everyone, I've been reading a thread about cleaning, grading, AU details, etc. That is a great subject and seems to have ( understandably) a lot of different opinions. To back up a step, for myself, I'd like to learn how to be able to make a "best guess" evaluation, sight unseen, just from looking at a well taken sharp coin photo (such as SOME on ebay) and determine whether the coin has been cleaned or simply shows normal expected wear and appearance for an AU coin. I say AU since, for me at least, it seems that judging that a MS coin has original mint frost or luster is easier than trying to decide whether a circulated, even AU, coin, has been cleaned. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3848 Posts |
This is tough to explain without examples. Do you have any example photos that we can discuss specifically about?
Suffering from bust half fever. Want to learn how to attribute early half dollars by die variety? Click Here: http://goccf.com/t/434955Shoot me a PM if you are looking to sell bust halves. |
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Moderator
United States
34396 Posts |
@gary, yes this seems to be a somewhat common topic here on CCF. I'm sure that you will get some good answers here, but please also extend your research to these prior threads. You can use the search box in the upper left corner of your screen with the keywords HOW TO TELL IF CLEANED and find multiple threads. Here is a link to one to help get you started: http://goccf.com/t/248912"If you climb a good tree, you get a push."
-----Ghanaian proverb
"The danger we all now face is distinguishing between what is authentic and what is performed."
-----King Adz
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Valued Member
 United States
326 Posts |
Thanks. I'll read through the threads that were suggested. For now, here is an1884 Morgan I'm considering buying and I'm wondering what the chances are it's been cleaned. It looks like a good AU candidate to me but sure looks very white and frosty for a circulated coin.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4468 Posts |
The coin does not appear to have been cleaned as there are no hairlines visible in photo. In hand there could be hairlines visible that do not show up in a photo. The coin may have been dipped as most silver coins over 130 years old tone. It is unlikely that the protected areas around the letters and stars would not have toning. Based on obverse the coin is market acceptable and would most likely straight grade. If you were trying to buy examples with original skin, then, it would be a pass on buying. Some collectors consider a dip as cleaning.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3848 Posts |
Morgan dollars are often found with no toning and original skin. The 1884 would be a good purchase for AU pricing. This coin seems to have minor handling scratches that could be more or less appealing in hand. Because of the hairline scratches, this coin is a problem uncirculated, or an AU-58 slider. I would not pay MS pricing, but it is not a bad AU. The right obverse field is a little concerning, there could be "cleaning" hairlines that appear. I would pass if I was looking for an uncirculated example.
Suffering from bust half fever. Want to learn how to attribute early half dollars by die variety? Click Here: http://goccf.com/t/434955Shoot me a PM if you are looking to sell bust halves. |
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Valued Member
United States
326 Posts |
Thanks to everyone for their input and suggestions.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
17884 Posts |
Identifying cleaned coins from photos is easy, IF the cleaning is blatantly obvious. But subtle, or very light cleaning will often not be discernable from photos due to the quality of the photos, the lighting, or just the fact that is is possible to high cleaning through careful photography.. Also for some very light cleaning you need to be able to tip and rotate the coin under a good light source watching for patches of haitrline that show up under one able but not another. You can't do that with a photo.
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Replies: 7 / Views: 1,292 |
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Posted 06/20/2022 5:59 pm
