Is it possible to tell from these photos whether this coin has been cleaned? The first picture is from my scanner, the second from my camera. Although it's not visible in these photos, the coin *does* have cartwheel luster. When I look at the coin through a magnifier, There are some tiny scratches not visible to the naked eye.
If it has cartwheel luster, that only comes from an unmolested surface. I don't see that in the picture, but, taking your word for it, I'll give the coin a "market acceptable."
@eddiespin - I thought the same thing until I recently took a collection to a dealer for an appraisal. There are many coins in that set with excellent cartwheel luster, yet the dealer said that almost all of the coins had been cleaned. I took a different set of coins to a different dealer with a similar result. Now, I don't know what to think. I had been planning on sending this coin in for grading, but the scratches are going to result ina "Details" grade, it's not worth it.
It looks to have been dipped once too many times. I'm not sure what you consider luster in-hand, maybe it's the lighting, but I just don't see any at all. It should look something like the one I've posted which is under incandescent lighting. Chris
I think the photograph below from your camera yhe coin look has been cleaned. http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=280699161288&ssPageName=STRK:MESELX:IT
Neither photo is high enough quality to be able to make a decent assessment of this coin. The second photo...the surfaces look off to me...almost as if the coin has been polished. But again, it's really hard to tell. The 1897-O is also one of the O years where the strike was on the weaker side. So, to really get a good idea of the amount of wear this coin has...one would need to see it in hand.
General I just re-read what I said and it was misleading! You're certainly right. I was thinking along the lines of solutions or dips perhaps accompanied by a light rub here and there but nothing that would really leave any visible marks. I was thinking of cleaning of that sort impairing the cartwheel luster. Scratches imparted by cleaning won't necessarily impair that cartwheel luster. I stand corrected, red-faced, that sort of thing...
I notice a better luster in the "protected" areas just around the raised surfaces. Something reduced the luster in the exposed surfaces. Not that bad though.
