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 Replies: 25 / Views: 2,072 |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
3546 Posts |
This is why I really love these forums. So many subtopics can at times surface that can later be debated and decided upon: The photo below developed as a result of reaching the top rung of the polarity ladder: water, acetone and finally xylol which apparently dislodged some of the oil-based components within the porous make-up. Up until this point in the thread only water with some circular rubbing action of the porcupine quill had been involved. Does one see any change to the better or to the worse in this new shot?  The only section that I gently rubbed the quill was within formally pitch black slightly depressed field directly below the ear lobe straight down to the right and above the lower hair lock: none inside of the southwest quadrant encompassing Lady Liberty's exposed areas. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3546 Posts |
To the neophytes within our group including myself on several obvious subjects, the following photo depicts the same coin but with the camera lens tilted at a 45° angle (as opposed to a perpendicular 90° hit angle of incidence). Once again, here is the similar question posed as in the previous post: Does one see any change to the better or to the worse post-xylol cleaning in this same new shot?  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3546 Posts |
Quote:
. the angle of incidence and the angle of reflection are equal Remember this phrase to ensure that your light source is always pointing directly into the lens of your camera or into the iris of your eye. You'll be amazed at what has been hiding if not done correctly. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10982 Posts |
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Does one see any change to the better or to the worse post-xylol cleaning in this same new shot?
To the uninitiated the second set (that clearly appear cleaned to me) probably look better. I'm on the fence. As as album coin it was fine either way and your "work" does allow more the surface to be viewed. I can't see this piece straight grading but most people would not be concerned with that. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3546 Posts |
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.. this piece straight grading. There's so much subjectivity in grading and I've even heard that some professional graders at reputable TPG's will assign an unearned or earned higher grade depending upon how they physically feel that day: most probably not applicable on the high dollar coins but more possible on peanut coins like this one. That brings me to one of my biggest fears with cleaning and whether to waste the money to send it or not to a TPG. I've often heard that if a cleaning is "old cleaning", it likely will straight grade. I've never been able to be that much of an expert to nail down when an old grading period starts and to what degree these so called "old cleanings" will or won't affect a straight grade designation . Any tips on this gray area but would be welcomed. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
10982 Posts |
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I've often heard that if a cleaning is "old cleaning", it likely will straight grade. Also the age and relative rarity of the piece often play a roll. I've seen many coins that have retoned (second skin) after a cleaning as usually straight grading. Also light cleanings, even recent ones, often get a pass at TPG. Like you mentioned it's subjective with no solid guidelines to follow. |
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Bedrock of the Community
 United States
18700 Posts |
its a tough call as to whether what you did hurt or helped the coin. it definitely stands out more now. I think the quill caused some damage to the coin, however, the coin would have still detailed. how it affects value I guess is in the eye of the buyer. I probably would have left it as is.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3848 Posts |
 I would've left it alone too. The quill definitely scratched the surface of the coin, and that would be a turn off for me. 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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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
To me it appears you have further damaged the coin. A conservation expert likely would have done better.  |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
3546 Posts |
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..further damaged the coin. I will be the first to agree with CF that a mature and rigid quill applied with an excessive downward force can and will damage any patina. I personally have done that before and learned my lesson so that was something that I did not want to repeat on this 200 year old coin. If you look at the picture taken at a 45° angle, 98% of those scratches are straight and go from top to bottom. All of my strokes were done in a circular motion: both clockwise and counterclockwise. The scratches that appear in the photo were definitely present before I even began my dirty work! So I think the lesson here that I learned in this particular case is to carefully contemplate if the removal of a particular distraction is going to 'significantly' raise the probability of attaining the next higher grade. In retrospect, that was not the case with this coin. |
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Replies: 25 / Views: 2,072 |
First Page
Posted 11/15/2022 1:42 pm
