how to cure polished coins

Is professional whizzing an oxymoron?

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

I don't know what most collectors do in that case. I think if a person needs a specific coin, they shouldn't buy altered coins in the first place. But if someone already has a polished coin and doesn't like it, maybe it is better to whiz the coin first and then carry it around in your pocket to impart some wear. This might or might not work. I just think normal wear is the best chance any coin will ever have to "repair" an altered surface that is unacceptable to an owner who doesn't want to sell the coin outright.

I wouldn't advocate testing this out on a 1928 peace dollar for the first attempt.

 

Thank you for clearing that up. I could not have worded it any better!

 

The that most people are answering is one of buying altered coins, at all or if so at what price. But the question that was ASKED was how to "cure" them. To me, the only reasonable cure is to circulate it, whether through your pockets or what. Circulating is not the same as altering the coin, in the sense that is used in this thread.

 

Mostly and absolutely true to an extent. The problem here is the description. A polished coin could mean many things. There are actually Polished coins done with metal polishes or even auto waxes. There are Polished coins done with furniture polishes or similar products. Same with a cleaned coin that there are numerous methods of cleaning, dipping, etc. I've seen people demonstrating an auto polish by using on a coin. Such Polished coins really look like a proof sometimes.
Regardless if done excessively the wax, polish, etc is probably still on the coin. If soaked or dipped in Acetone most will just come off but the coin will still look well cleaned and now probably start taking on odd effects being completely with out air and moisture protection. All the little nitches, small places where dirt would be for a normal coin is gone. Telltale symtoms of a cleaned type coin although not really cleaned as with dipping or rubbing or soaking in something, still an appearance of a cleaned coin.
I've purposely purchased such waxy or polished types of coins and attempted to restore them. Presently I have a Walking Liberty Half and a Mercury Dime in sort of recovery state. By this I mean they were greatly polished with something. I allowed them to soak in Acetone for a few weeks. Then in distilled water for a few days. Presently sitting on a wooden kitchen window sill. Due to the area I live the windows in the Kitchen tend to fog up when the outside temperature is really low and the kithchen is being used for cooking. So what else do you do in a kitchen. These two coins have now been there for a few weeks and not really to much is happening. I hope that in a few more months they will both appear normal
Nothing to loose.

 

Quartertapper,


In a way it is! However, I used this for a reason. There are Coin Dealers and maybe some others (Professionals) that due to their knowledge and experience with whizzing coins, can turn a somewhat circulated coin into a coin that has appearances of being uncirculated or they can turn an ugly coin into a fairly nice looking coin, appearance-wise. In the hands of a Novice, a coin can be turned into a blob of worthless metal or in the case of a Silver coin, turn into just melt value.


Frank

 

Of course you are correct under those conditions. But I was thinking of cases where a nice VF-EF might be worth more than the polished AU/MS coin and the owner didn't want to melt it. The only way I know to try to correct the situation is to remove the altered surface through natural wear. If the polished coin is worth more than the circulated coin, there obviously is no point to even trying.

 

GD those are key dates one has to be crazy to melt key date coins polished or not.

Thanks for reading it right. unfortunately some people think spock buys polished coins :roleyes:

you hit the nail on the head. those coins are a lot of money in XF ok in VF and most people here wont recognize that its polished so they will pay unc money but its not about them from a theory perspective would you pay more for a unc polished coin or for XF coin not polished assuming its a rarity lets say 1921 peace.

 

Spock,

I often wonder how well a Mini Sandblaster would work on polished coins. If you use a very minute abrasive such as Diamond dust and an assortment of very small nozzles, I would bet that in the hands of an expert, a polished coin might come out looking really nice. At the least, the polished look would be gone and there would be no whizzing lines! However, the coin would more than likely take on the appearance of a 1921 or 1922-P "Matte or Satin Proof" Peace Dollar.


Frank

 

Frank,

I am willing to give it a try but where do we find an expert. i was given tons of coins recently and some of them are quite valuable would be great if i could save them

 

Congrats on getting all of the new coins. I wonder if NCS could help with these coins? When Garrett wakes up I'll ask him.

 

thanks. NCS doesnt help with polished coins except put it in a holder which is as good as throwing $ away. i think ill just leave them in the is holders what a bummer

 

Oddly enough try a jewler. Not one that sells, but one that makes the stuff. Normally they can do things you could not imagine. Of course that depends on the jewler. In Chicago there is an entire building in the downtown area full of jewlers that make jewlery. Some have machines that can do fantastic work. Ask at most jewlery stores for info on ones that make and create. Or just try Google or Yahoo.

 

Without going back through all the posts and trying to reply to a specific one, I'll just say what I am taking away from this.

At some point in the discussion, someone said that carrying a coin in your pocket will alter the surfaces. So according to this all circulated coins have altered surfaces.

Is this what we have come to? The only coins worth having are direct from the mint so that they have no altered surfaces?

Mustn't have a coin in fine condition---it has altered surfaces. Oh wait, an MS 60 has bag marks--altered surfaces....

There is no such thing as a coin without altered surfaces. The very process of minting the coin alters the surfaces.

 

thats why u should read the whole thread :whistle:

 

The best advice is to educate yourself, so you can spot coins with altered surfaces. Then you can make an informed decision how much the coin is actually worth, or better yet buy a coin that has not been doctored. I always do research before making any major purchase (anything over $100). Ebay is a good place to avoid if you dislike doctored coins. I've learned from experience!

 

I like the idea of carrying around a coin in this manner, but the main point I was trying to make is that this technique would improve a harshly cleaned or polished coin by using the coin the way it was designed to be used. It isn't some sort of foolproof technique to completely reverse the damage and I don't want to leave anyone with the idea that it is magic. It's something to try for fun and might provide a very satisfactory result over time [or perhaps not], but people shouldn't run out and buy polished coins thinking they can "cure" them.

 

Not only that....you've bought the polished coin at a significantly higher grade. Put it with your pocket change and the grade changes real quick...