Why do people dip coins?!?

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by ThatGuyTony, Apr 16, 2018.

  1. ThatGuyTony

    ThatGuyTony Member

    D5E47046-CBCA-4F0E-8661-EC77AF1FC737.jpeg 5B3814C4-E1C8-4C89-B197-9F937A5A1DE5.jpeg 9C14C8CA-4C79-4E55-B0E5-9F778FE1906E.jpeg Why? It looks dipped to me
     
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  3. -jeffB

    -jeffB Greshams LEO Supporter

    I think that was more than just dipped. I suspect polishing.
     
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  4. Kentucky

    Kentucky Supporter! Supporter

    Possibly, take it out of the holder and let it be exposed to air for a few weeks or months.
     
  5. Clawcoins

    Clawcoins Damaging Coins Daily

    To make them look nicer.

    Of course, it has to be properly dipped and any remnants of the chemical dip neutralized afterwards.

    I believe there was a thread before that also stated in the older days people would dip the coins to keep them all nice looking.

    I've bought some coins in the past that weren't dipped properly and had to correct the insueing problem. Bought from a local older, retired guy who apparently would dip all his coins to make sure the all looked nice.
     
  6. ThatGuyTony

    ThatGuyTony Member

    It’s such an ugly coin I don’t know why people do it
     
  7. ThatGuyTony

    ThatGuyTony Member

    How much is it even worth now? I can’t think of people even buying it over spot
     
  8. Clawcoins

    Clawcoins Damaging Coins Daily

    Depends who you ask how much it's worth.
    I won't even venture to guess as I'm not good at pricing Detailed coins.
     
    ThatGuyTony likes this.
  9. Kentucky

    Kentucky Supporter! Supporter

    You can offer it here on CT.
     
  10. medoraman

    medoraman Supporter! Supporter

    There is a HUGE difference between properly dipped coin or an overdipped/cleaned coin. People blame coins like this on dipping, when it was the user who ruined that coin, not coin dip. Coin dip has saved tens of thousands of coins from becoming corroded if properly used.
     
  11. -jeffB

    -jeffB Greshams LEO Supporter

    I bought an 1897-P Barber quarter much like yours, but even more harshly polished, for about 5 bucks on eBay last year (BIN). I photographed it carefully, described it honestly, and put it up at a BIN of $89.99. No interest, relisted it at $59.99. Got offers ranging from $15 to $42. Dropped the price to $49.99, and someone bought it. They were pleased with their purchase. I was pleased with my sale. :)

    I'll go out on a limb above the "just avoid problem coins" crowds here -- I'd say that coin would be easy to sell at $20, to someone who wants to see all the details of the Barber design and isn't a stickler for original surfaces. With plenty of patience, you could probably get $40-50. Just please, for the sake of the hobby and your own conscience, make it clear to anyone looking that it's a details coin.
     
  12. V. Kurt Bellman

    V. Kurt Bellman Yes, I'm blunt! Get over your "feeeeelings".

    With that much detail, regardless of the fact that it has been mechanically cleaned, it should go for WELLLLLLL above melt. So many Barber coins are worn flat.
     
  13. Randy Abercrombie

    Randy Abercrombie Supporter! Supporter

    Heck... I would be a buyer at $40.00. I think it’s a beautiful piece.
     
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  14. baseball21

    baseball21 Well-Known Member

    That'd probably be an instant sale at 20.
     
  15. Mainebill

    Mainebill Bethany Danielle

    Cleaned to death agreed. But this was an au coin and still has a lot of meat on it. Not one for me but I could see it filling an album hole and slowly retoning
     
  16. joecoincollect

    joecoincollect Well-Known Member

    I suspect the coin looked too dark before and they over did it with the dip. I dont like blast white coins, considering a minute amount of metal gets ripped off from dip. Also, to me blast white coins all look similar. Toning is what gives a coin its character. Id pay 35 or 40 for that one
     
  17. JPeace$

    JPeace$ Coinaholic

    I think a lot of coins were also dipped because toned coins weren't en vogue. "White" coins were and people did it to meet market demand.
     
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  18. -jeffB

    -jeffB Greshams LEO Supporter

    For comparison, here's the one that someone thought was worth $50. I thought 1897 was a better date than 1909, but once you get past the G-VG level, that's not really true.

    obv.JPG rev.JPG
    It's a bit hard to tell, as the photos are different, but I think the OP's coin and this one are pretty comparable. If anything, I think OP's may be in better shape.
     
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  19. Collecting Nut

    Collecting Nut Borderline Hoarder

    Cleaned, polished or dipped, that is a great looking Quarter. You should get 5 times what you paid if listed honestly.
     
  20. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    Why do people dip coins?!?

    There are numerous reasons: to protect the coin from being permanently damaged by excessive toning, to remove ugly or unattractive toning, to simply make the coin "look" better, to make the coin worth more, to get a higher grade, because some people simply don't like toning of any kind, and there are probably more reasons that I have not listed.

    But whenever someone ask a question like this I have to wonder if they are aware of just how many coins have been dipped ? If they are aware of how many coins in their own collections have been dipped ?

    Almost everyone who collects coins owns coins that have been dipped. 80% or more of all older coins, slabbed and raw, have been dipped.
     
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  21. bsshog40

    bsshog40 Senior Member

    I agree. An over-dipped coin will eventually take away all of the luster. Yours still has a shine to it indicating polishing.
     
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