#4. 1878-CC Morgan Dollar

Unc Details - Cleaned (looks polished, not dipped)

Still a better date and mintmark. CC Morgans are always popular, whatever the grade.

Got it. Help me to understand the difference between polished and dipped. What are the PUP's.. Thanks.

AU details, harshly cleaned.

Dipped coins look overly bright, with unnatural luster that appears to be "all over" the coin instead of cartwheel luster. Dipping does not create hairlines or scratches that weren't already there or other signs of cleaning (unless improperly wiped afterwards.) A thin layer of metal is chemically stripped from the surface.

Polished coins show clear signs of mechanical or other forms of abrasive cleaning, usually hairlines or scratches. They can be unnaturally reflective, sometimes having almost a mirror-like finish. Metal from the coin's surface is actually physically moved, which can lower the coin's relief in the center and "spread" it outwards towards the rims.

Google is your friend here; you can find plenty of examples of dipped or polished coins by which to compare.

The halos of luster around the obverse stars are indicators of mishandling. Whatever cleaning process was used has diminished the luster in the open fields. The protected areas around the stars were less affected and so retain more luster.
A coin like this might be flagged as "altered surface" if submitted for grading.

Looks to me as if there might be some PVC residue also in which case it wouldn't get encapsulated without 'restoration".
But maybe I am wrong about the reside as no one else seems to have mentioned it ...

a couple comment dowhat

there are different levels of dipping. dipping is used to remove surface flaws. it can range between a light dip and overdipped. there is fine line between whether a coin overdipped to the point where a TPG would detail the coin. it can take years of experience of looking at slabbed coins that were dipped to have a good understanding as to what an overdipped coin looks like. overdipped coins where the original surfaces have been totally removed leaving just a dull look to the entire coin would probably pull a details designation which could significantly reduce its value. a light dip grading straight may just affect eye appeal and luster and would lower the value a small amount or even none at all.

a polished coin would have occurred when the coin was rubbed either manually or by mechanical means pretty much making the coin uncollectable with the exception of rare coins. these coins would see swipe marks left on the surfaces to an extreme melting of the devices where they appear to have been flattened and almost melted look.