...PCGS to grade? Would this amount of black stuff result in a Genuine 97 or something else? There doesn't seem to be anything short of a Dremel that will take this type of corrosion off of nickel. If the coin was, say, MS65 without the corrosion, how much do you think PCGS would ding it with this much corrosion? Thanks.
Why even spend the money to get it graded is the real question. It's worth face value to me. Throwing it in a slab makes it worth, face value.
For posterity, it's better to bite the bullet and abrasively clean a coin with this type of corrosion, because the coin will eventually be destroyed. It's the 75% copper causing this, pure nickel is immune. Like a rusty fender, if you don't sand it down to bare metal, you eventually won't have a fender. Of course, the cleaning should be disclosed, and would be obvious, anyway. The old "nic-a-lene" kits with a soft wire brush and bottle of stuff similar to "naval jelly" can actually remove this type of corrosion if not too deep. But in the past 25 years or so, collectors have been so afraid that cleaning is NEVER EVER acceptable that they would rather have a coin develop HOLES in it than do something that anyone with metalworking experience would consider necessary to save the item.
With early copper id have to say it depends on the date. PCGS is much more lenient with key dates vs common. Ive sent in some early dates that werent key and they came back for environmental damage. If the same damage was on a chain or wreath cent, it would be slabbed.
Okay, so an 1885 Nickel with damage I'd treat the same, why spend the money on someone else's opinion when you likely know the grade result as well? If it's damaged, environmentally or not, it's damaged. Don't waste your money sending damaged coins to get graded I say.
