Because of the scratches at the date and some on the rev. I made a very lowball bid on this 1886 Liberty Nickel. I never expected to win the auction and was very happy to pay the winning price. 95% of the coins in my collection are raw but I would probably submit this to a grading service if I thought it had a fair chance at a straight grade. I have seen worse straight grade but my luck doesn't run that way. What do you think? (Sellers Pics)
I read somewhere that an indication of a coin being cleaned is when there is dirt around the devices when the rest of the coin is clean. So in my NON professional opinion this coin looks cleaned and would not straight grade. But wait for more experienced members to offer their expertise.
Nice! I like it alot and might have given you competition had I saw it. As for submission, I would guess that it gets a details scratched/environmental grade. Some might comment on cleaned, but nickel has always given me trouble in that area. My opinion.
If you feel the need to get it authenticated, go ahead, but the obverse has been cleaned to remove corrosion. It has EF-40 sharpness, but the surfaces are pitted with residual corrosion in the protected areas. I don’t know what the low price was, but it’s only worth F to low VF money at best.
Well below a straight graded VG10 I was fortunate. It won't be in my possession for awhile, I'll post pictures after I have it in hand.
At VG money, you did okay. Given the lose grading standards, you don’t get much when you buy a better date in coin in that grade these days.
they all cant be winners ! but still a nice coin, if you paid a real good price maybe a trip to the grading table wouldn't be a bad idea
Nice you got a straight grade. I was leaning towards an old cleaning and thought a TPG would see signs of it, but apparently not.
What you have is an 1886 23.2. < 2nd> 8 punched left,finial punch right, ( normal, or with repunching on the second 8 or minutely within 6, very rare variety an R 6 cross reference B#-2541 Source. ... Peters & Mohon on shield and Liberty nickels Grey sheet. $650. In xf. Nice pick and coin as well congrats
After opening the envelope and a quick inspection this went for a eight hour acetone bath and a gentle brushing with a baby toothbrush. I still don't think it would straight grade but there is a night and day difference in it's appearance. Opinions?
@Hoky77 do you have an opinion as to what the 'residue' was on the coin before the acetone bath? I've got two buffalo nickels that have a very similar coloration. I'm thinking somewhere in their long lives they were in a smokers home. Thoughts?
The coin was oily, I believe it was soaked in olive oil as I know some treat corrosion this way. If that was the case it worked because the acetone easily removed everything.
