I was Googling trying to find out what the smudge marks are on this coin. What are they and have they been put on their recently? They look like the result of cleaning but don't know what they are called.
The coin is obviously cleaned like 80% of older coins and that is why those contact marks are there. Someone obviously try to remove the toning which is too bad since the coin has nice details. If those marks weren't there I probably pay much more for it. I wonder if I should try to get it repaired from the harsh cleaning or let nature take its course like what seems to be going on the back below. I think that dirt, grit, and gunk removal is one thing since this can occur just by carrying it in your pocket but doing this looks to deface it.
I don't see the marks, and you can not repair it. Also, is the 80% statistically proven? I have never heard that number.
The 80% number is a number thrown around here by some members here but not a proven statistics but if you look threw Ebay and coin shops you start to believe that number and these are the obvious cases of cleaning or the fact they are cleaned is disclosed. I returned a coin for being cleaned at a coin shop and that appeared to be a case where gunk was removed which to me seems acceptable. I didn't return it for being cleaned, just because it was not discounted because of it. If you include those cleaned just by being carried in somebody's pocket that number may be greater since dirt and grit are removed from the coin when you carry them in your pocket. I had to clean a 1949 roosie I found in a roll just because the gunk was so thick, I couldn't see the mint mark. I started with the least abrasive, soaking in distilled water but had to get more agressive. First I tried acetone for a few days, nothing--Soap and water, nothing. Finally I soaked it in vinegar and that worked. The circular contact marks are not as evident in the reverse because of some re-tonng but I see them. Maybe I will just leave this in an air-tight in a cool, dark place and maybe nature will take care of them.
But pocket wear doesn't mean cleaning. Also, the dirt and grime can be removed without cleaning a coin. And nature won't take care of any of the marks, those are there for good. I read that thread, that coin didn't need to be cleaned.
Do you mean that roosie thread? Actually that picture of the coin was when I already heavily cleaned it by soaking it in distilled water and acetone for several days. I probably should have took a picture of that before I cleaned it. The gunk covered a large portion of the reverse include the area of the mint mark. Now I see it is a 1949-P I have stopped cleaning it even though there is still gunk there. How do you remove thick gunk covering the mint mark without cleaning? Although maybe not done intentionally, carrying coins in your pocket does remove dirt. The 1949-P still has gunk but nowhere near what it had, it was at least 3 mm thick.
Carrying coins in your pocket will not clean a coin. No way. It might damage it, but will not clean a coin. Also, distilled water does not clean a coin. Think about it. It is water. Furthermore, acetone does not clean a coin.
When I say clean, I mean leave harmful scratches or abrasions that would make the coin details grade.
