Hello I am new to coin collecting and have heard from everyone that a coin that has been cleaned in the past will nearly if not always be worth less than a non cleaned coin. So my question is what do you look for to tell if a coin has been cleaned before as opposed to just being in circulation and how would you tell if a coin has been dipped? Thanks in advance for any information on this subject. AC:smile
Being a new collector,it will take many many years to determine one from another.If it has large lines from one side to the other it is a dead give away.coins that have been dipped,it is also another thing that doesnt have a full explanation.it is something you acquire over time.read many books,look at pictures.ask questions about specific coins.it is a long and hard process.over time it will be worth the effort envolved.Viewing+memory+education+experience= half of what you will need. time is the other 1/3 and there will always be a section,that is a dont know.So start slow,dont go spending happy,buy certified by the major companies,and work your way from there.Good Luck & welcome
A couple of ways scratches on the coin or un natural color are good Indicaters, iam sure there are other ways as well!!
when i look at coins, i look for an old luster, usually if it looks too good to be true, well, you know the end of that one, if its polished, it has a brightness about it that it never had, ive come across many polished coins where people said they were worth the book values, but in all actuality you totally kill the value of the coin....there are solutions out there, strong chemicals, that will remove tarnish off coins, but thats also cleaning a coin...either way, good luck with your new found hobby
Agreed! It isn't like following the instructions for putting together a swing set. Oftentimes, coins that have been cleaned will retone, but the chemicals used to clean it will cause it to retone in a different shade, and if you laid out a bunch of naturally-toned coins with one that had retoned after it had been cleaned among them, it would stick out like a sore thumb. Sometimes you are able to see minute hairlines from improper cleaning, but if the coin has retoned, it is almost impossible to detect them from a photo and an in-hand inspection is necessary. These are just a couple of reasons why veteran collectors will tell you to never buy raw coins on the internet. Even experienced collectors can be fooled. Chris
Experience. You just have to have seen many examples. Some are very obvious (brilliant silver or copper color, depending on the coin, with parallel scratch marks) to very subtle (just plain doesn't look right.) You just have to see them. Ask dealers if they have examples of cleaned coins you can see, and how they know they're cleaned. Some will help you, some will tell you to go away. Just have patience, and enjoy the learning.
Get a roll of circulated pre 1982 cents and clean a few in different ways, from gentle blot of water on a very soft rag to scrubbing with brillo and vinegar. Look at each coin under magnification carefully before and after. Look for lines, variations in color and reflections, If the lines are incused, they are scratches, if the lines are raised, they are from the striking die and not a result of cleaning post mint. Look inside the letters and date where crud accumulates and see if it appears abnormally clean, etc. Try toothbrushes, artist brushes, toothpicks, bamboo skewers, cat or dog whisker, green thorns, silicon rubber bristle from brush, etc. After a couple of rolls, you will feel much more confident of your ability and also less likely to ruin a nice coin with something you had tried and gotten poor results. Jim
Coin talk Thanks Thanks for the advice all. I have gotten a lot of good tips from you all. I really want to have a complete collection of VF-AU Indian head cents in the future. I noticed at least one person said to not trust Internet auctions so what would you suggest to be the best (without getting all slabbed coins) way to acquire a complete set? Just knowledge in general is what I suppose you all might say, but any tips would be appreciated. Thanks, AC.
At this point,I have no problem buying from internet auctions.I know what I get before I even get it in hand.If you have an interest in an auction you can post it,or PM some of us about it,the only issue with posting an item you find,is that someone else might take interest,then you will be battling over it.look for local shows. http://www.numismaster.com/ta/inside_numis.jsp?page=CoinShowsCalendar
when i got back into collecting, i discovered that most of the coins i had accumulated, especially as a kid, were cleaned/whizzed/yadda- if its costs more than 100$, only buy NGC or PCGS Slab. Read more: http://www.cointalk.com/t103187/#ixzz0laXgWvVG
+1 Many coins that look good to a novice collector are cleaned, and thats why they look good. To start with I bought only spot price or close to it so that even if it was cleaned I could get my money back out of it. This allowed me to see many coins on ebay, and then in person which is a nice comparison to have. I feel I am much much much better now a determining if a coin has been cleaned but I still have a long way to go. Get yourself an older PGCS MS or PR coin and check out the luster on it... has a very very unique look to the luster that cant come back when its been cleaned. Now order a 16-18$ morgan off ebay thats clearly been dipped. comparing those coins side by side will show you more than I can tell you. Aside from that there is a GREAT rule that I go by and surely applies to this situation. If it looks or sounds too good to be true than it prob is. If you come across a bright shiny white coin from 1886 chances are its been cleaned... that or its over 100$ either way if you cant tell the difference you should be getting slabbed coins or coins right around spot. Best of luck
Hello, I found this thread since I'm trying to learn more about cleaned and doctored coins. I'm going to try desertgem's advise. It really hadn't dawned on me that cleaning coins myself and then inspecting would be such a good learning tool. This is an excellent forum.
1. Extremely dull luster. Usually caused from dipping in a liquid substance. 2. Scratch marks across both sides. Caused by harshly cleaning with a brush. 3. Not all dirt or grime originally on the coin is removed. Still some residue left behind. 4. Spot scratches. Done to remove a spot in one location on either side of coin. Just to name a few.
