I like Cleaned Coins and you should to thread

The authors of this book have PhD's and over a century of combined experience in silver. The book is published by a reputable publishing house, and the authors have annotated the research in this book, and had their work, and original research, peer reviewed. There is no reason to disparage the book or the authors. And when you publish your book on this topic, I will buy that one and read it as well, even though you do not have the experience of professionally and publically currating such items, and despite that it will not likely have multi-disiplined peer review

 

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Just go to the Liquor Store and get you a 1/5 of White Lightning and soak your coins it. After you are through and you have any left over save it for later or through it away because it is very bad stuff. You can also get a bottle of EverClear which is pure 110 proof alcohol but do with it like above they both work very good on Silver coins .

 

Regardless, cleaning coins is generally looked down upon in the hobby and in nearly all cases diminishes their value. Cleaning coins strips them of their original patina, a part of the coin which is highly desirable when making a purchase.

 

Q. David Bowers has about four pages in his book on cleaning coins and says " cleaning coins is a bad word wash your mouth with soap, conserving is a good even though are the same thing. Just practice on coins of little value over face.

 

Some of the best and most renown scientists in the world disagree with one another. The PhD designation is not a stamp of infallibility. The real world operates in a way that is not free of contradiction. As non_cents pointed out, nearly in all cases values are negatively affected by cleaning. If someone wants to clean their coins, please don't expect them to be worth much if you try to sell them. Maybe a new cult of collectors will be born, all who have this philosophy and they can buy and sell among themselves. It is what it is and the results favor non-cleaning.

 

Yes I understand what you are saying, I was saying after all these years of "don't clean a coin under any circumstances" we now have The most knowledgeable , Numismatist still alive who actually agrees with cleaning coins or as he says "cleaning,Bad Word" "Conservation is a good word" even though they are the same thing! He does advise people that want to Clean/Conserve their coins to practice on coins of face value. Now you have several companies offering Conservation Service for a price! I take offense when someone tells me that I am not intelligent enough to understand and perform something as simple as cleaning a piece of metal in a safe manner,but we have been brainwashed for so long that we have bought into their argument so that now they can make a few Million $. I respect everyone's opinion on the subject. Do I agree with self cleaning/conserving all coins? No, I will not do it on coins that are rare or valuable for other reasons other than being rare.

 

Ibuyit2 has a point though. The TPG's are quick to put the word "cleaned" in the label description if an individual performs it. They also have the words "lightly cleaned" and "harshly cleaned" in their arsenal and all are considered a negative to the buyer. They never say conserved except when they perform the service. They lead you to believe clean and conserve are not equals, they are not synonyms. They hide behind that labeling to stigmatize any attempt by collectors to lean the correct method. IMHO.

 

Yes I agree with what you are saying and respect your right to say it and I think I addressed the issue of different methods of cleaning/conserving a coin. I do not under any circumstance clean or suggest that anyone else use commercial silver dips,pastes or any other method that causes a silver coin to look shiny and slick, I don't recommend Tumblers or Sonic cleaners. Whizzing, or any form of cleaning/conserving that uses rubbing or brushing and do not suggest using ANY type of cleaning/conservation of coins with a value of $100.00 or more because regardless of how careful you are accidents will and do happen. Also I would not suggest that anyone try to clean/conserve a Proof coin. As far as toning goes I would never attempt to remove it but some collectors do not like it. I have coins that have been graded and encapsulated by all the big 3 TPGs that have started toning since encapsulation . If anyone has misunderstood my support for cleaning /conserving a coin to include polishing with silver cleaners or any other form of HARSH cleaning I am sorry I should have been more specific.

 

One other thing is that if you allow a TPGs to clean/conserve your coin they will not put it on the label saying "This coin has been Professionally Conserved or Cleaned" and they do have a disclaimer that if your coin is damaged in this process you will not hold them personally responsible! They are quick to add "Cleaned" "Improperly Cleaned" or "Harshly Cleaned".

 

I only know that I have gotten some past the TPGs but in other instances as far back as 2-3 years ago they would not even encapsulate a coin if they thought it had been cleaned. I can prose you that if they do the cleaning it will not have that designation on the label. When you get the coins back there will be a sheet of paper with the coins that contain the grades and on that paper they add "This coin chosen for conservation" that is the only place you will see it,it sure will not be on the label,but if you do it and get caught they will put that on the label and give you a Details grade! Look we are all grown men and women on this site,so tell me,if you submit your coin and voluntarily add "oh by the way I have already performed the Conservation on it myself"do you think they will grade the coin and never take into account that you have already done the Conservation. Don't say"well if the Conservation/Cleaning has been done properly they will". I think we all know that TPG is multimillion dollar service per year and as such there is no way that Mr. Joe Blow is going to start a grading service and be successful. You don't have the money to compete with them much less get an endorsement from the ANA. It's just like the Early Release program. Do you actually think the TPGs look at each and everyone of those coins? They barely have time to take them out of the packaging,print the labels,put them in the slabs,seal them and get them back to their customers! Money,Money,Money for them and their customers. I can wait 2-3 months,buy the same coin in the same grade but without the fancy label,take them both out of the slabs and no one can tell you which was minted first. I will get off the Bully Pulpit now but it just irks me that the TPGs have you over a barrel and there's nothing you can do!!

 

Someone posted a whizzed coin in a post in the near past, and many people commented on how nice it looked. In-hand with a magnifier, that would not be the case. If you sell coins to people who don't know, you can get away with lots, just check e-bay.

 

That is true however I don't think anyone or at least a dedicated Numismatist is trying to pull anything unethical over on anyone. It is or was just a conversation about If you liked cleaned coins. I was just saying that if you do it correctly there should be no problem and that you should do as Q. David Bowers has suggested,practice,practice,practice until you can do it with the right results 90% of the time.

 

EverClear is 190 proof (95% alcohol).

 

Okay I knew it was strong but thought it was liked 110. Thanks for the info