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 Replies: 16 / Views: 2,354 |
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Valued Member
United States
297 Posts |
Ok, I got a question.
How much does it detract from the value of a coin if it has been cleaned? I know it probably depends on the rarity of the coin in question but in general.
Also, other than having a well circulated 75 year old silver coin that looks all white rather than having darker coloring in the crevices how do you tell if it has been cleaned? I'm sure most coins over the years have been wiped off with a shirt sleeve at least once in there life or a copper penny dipped in some taco sauce (someone showed me that one many years ago)
As to details only graded coins listed as "improperly cleaned", what is the "proper way" to clean a silver coin. Yes, I know, never clean a coin but say you have a silver quarter that is already holed or say a dateless Type 2 SLQ that is only worth melt anyways.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1510 Posts |
its just a "look" they have--kinda weird, you just know its been cleaned.
Retired USAF 1983-2003
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Pillar of the Community
United States
870 Posts |
unfortunately, there is no straightforward answer. It depends on how much the cleaning detracts from the grade. The best way to look at it is, "what grade coin would I prefer to have without flaws to this one that is flawed". That generally gives you an answer as to how to value a coin with problems such as cleaning.
If you have an extremely nicely struck MS coin that has been slightly overdipped, you'd probably prefer to have a nice AU coin that wasn't dipped. If you have a nice AU coin that has been harshly cleaned by a wire brush, you'd probably *only just* prefer to have a VF coin that is honest and problem free.
The answer only comes with a great deal of experience, and it is very subjective to the coin and the collector.
So the answer, in general terms is if it's a light cleaning, it may only detract 30% from it's value. If it's more than light, probably 50%, if it's really bad, as much as 80%. Those are ballpark, and as you mentioned, can vary greatly depending on the rarity of the coin. Some common coins don't take much cleaning at all to make them worth melt. More numismatic coins require a fairly harsh cleaning to approach 2x melt.
As for proper cleaning - I'll leave that one for somebody else. Generally, any chemical other than a quick dip in acetone is not a good idea for silver coins.
Edited by delaner
09/22/2011 02:45 am
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Quote:
unfortunately, there is no straightforward answer. It depends on how much the cleaning detracts from the grade Kind of says it all. When it comes to cleaning a coin, there could be light cleaning, harsh cleaning, wirebrush cleaning, liquid soap cleaning and on and on and on. Then too as noted the coin's rarety also plays a part in value. In some instances cleaning could be a 10% drop in value and/or as much as 90% drop. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
968 Posts |
The higher the grade the easier it usually is to tell if it has been cleaned. Wiping a MS-63 coin with a soapy cloth will probably leave wear marks that will be pretty obvious. But doing the same thing to a VG-8 coin might not show up at all.
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New Member
United States
2 Posts |
I was always told if it's too good to be true, it usually is. That's why most coins that are descently priced on ebay are usually cleaned. Sad anyone would think to do such a thing. |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Quote:That's why most coins that are descently priced on ebay are usually cleaned. Sad anyone would think to do such a thing. Your probably right but not all cleaned coins are due to someone trying to fool people. Many, many kids and also adults clean coins in their collections to make them look pretty. Nothing to do with trying to fool anyone. |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4416 Posts |
IMHO, as collectors, we are conservators, akin to curators in a museum. Some forms of cleaning, like the use of acetone to remove PVC, are more aptly described as conservation. The longer that surface contaminants reside on a coin, the more likely it is that the metal will be infected. Proper cleaning as a form of conservation can increase a coin's value.
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Valued Member
United States
158 Posts |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4416 Posts |
That's definitely a keeper, Chewy, and its value was certainly enhanced by the Verdicare treatment ... a case on point!  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19961 Posts |
Nice conservation Chewyduck!
Please enable your PM's, I wanted to ask you a question.
Lincoln Cent Lover!VERDI-CARE™ INVENTOR https://verdi.care/
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19961 Posts |
I created before/after pictures.   Edited by BadThad
09/24/2011 5:39 pm
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Pillar of the Community
1028 Posts |
"cleaning" this coin has definitely upped its value. I can tell you as a collector of std. lib. quarters for some time how much cleaning effects values.
All the non-recessed quarters that stayed in circulation had their date worn off or at least became no better than ugly G-4's. Nearly all those that were saved were cleaned in some manor or another as this was the age of uninformed cleaning. It is at the point now where an obviously cleaning std. lib. only gets a slight deduction. One that's iffy goes greysheet. If anyone can find one that has clearly never had a cleaning, even an 80 year old one, the price goes through the roof.
My point I'd like to add is that cleaning deductions also depend on the type of coin we're talking about. I personally also take more offense to cleaned copper based coins, than silver ones.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2936 Posts |
I need step by step instructions on the use of Verdi-Care. I bought the larger bottle from Wizard Coins and I received - ta da! - a bottle of the stuff. No "How to, How not to, How now brown Lincoln" etc.... Just the bottle in a box with zero paperwork/instructions. Is there documentation available for its use? <Polish Salute>  Paleoguy |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
19961 Posts |
Lincoln Cent Lover!VERDI-CARE™ INVENTOR https://verdi.care/
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Pillar of the Community
United States
2936 Posts |
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Replies: 16 / Views: 2,354 |
Posted 09/22/2011 02:44 am
