UNC - Improperly Cleaned Grade by NGC

I recently submitted to NGC about 20 coins for grading, one of which was a Morgan dollar that came back graded as UNC - Improperly Cleaned. This was a surprise to me - I have been collecting coins since 1983 and can usually spot a coin that has been cleaned. If it was done improperly, it fooled me.

Any advice on what to do? I figure my options are:

1) live with it
2) re-submit it to NGC and ask for a second review
3) submit it to PCGS and see if their opinion differs
4) crack it out of the holder and do either 2) or 3) above

Its really not a big deal financially, as I was only expecting a grade of maybe MS63 on the coin (i threw it in because of the 5 coin minimum on Economy service), but figured I would see what you guys thought.

Thanks

 

Log in or Sign up to hide this ad.

5) show us pictures

 

Do you have pictures of said coin?

 

Hotpocket, "cleaned" is a matter of degree. All NGC is saying is, it's "cleaned enough" for them. And they don't want it in their plastic with a grade and their label on it.

 

Exactly. Please post a photo and let us take a look. Perhaps we can shed some light on what you missed or possibly even give you some advice on what to do with the coin.

 

I take it from the first few posts that you might want pictures. Sheesh, so subtle.

My photography skills stink so heres a link to the coin via NGC website. I am including 2 coins that were submitted in same batch - the first is the improperly cleaned, and the second is a MS63 grade just for comparison photo:

Cleaned: http://www.ngccoin.com/certlookup/index.aspx?CertNumber=2623989-005

MS63: http://www.ngccoin.com/certlookup/index.aspx?CertNumber=2623997-001

Photos are always tough to judge, but the coin just does not look cleaned to me in person. If it did I would not have submitted... oh well.

 

I can't tell from pics. Looks good to me. Tpgs arent consistent enough to take it as a final say. If you resubmit it again, you will have 50 to 60 bucks in grading fees. If that's what you want, go for it.

 

They aren't 100% consistent...but they are pretty good. Have I seen coins "bodybagged" only to be resubmitted and come back slabbed...yes. But, that is the exception, not the rule.

Looking at the photos, I don't see any obvious signs of cleaning. No scratch marks...none of that. It looks like a nice blast white Morgan. Blast white means one thing...the coin has been dipped. My guess is, in hand the luster on this coin is a little subdued, the sign of being dipped too much. I'll bet that's what they saw.

 

I'm waiting to see a properly cleaned coin

 

Still a beautiful coin.

 

4) crack it out of the holder and do either 2) or 3) above

 

Any blast white 19th century silver coin in a slab.

 

One question--why buy a raw 1885 Morgan, and then send it off for slabbing? It is a 60-70 dollar coin in MS condition, unless we get into high grade MS. Why not buy a slabbed one already for $70?

 

Agreed...there are many out there that are already graded. It would be both cheaper and safer this way.

 

I agree with Doug here. The details coin looks to have muted luster compared with the MS63 posted. I would guess that is the reason for the NGC no grade.

 

I agree, but i didn't pay $70 for it. I bought the coin raw for about $30. And second, there is a 5 coin minimum for submitting coins to NGC for Economy ($17 to have it slabbed), so i figured what the heck and threw it in w/ the first 4. Wasnt expecting to get rich, but again also didnt expect that it was cleaned.

 

Hotpocket, what is your thought on the luster of this coin? Did it seems to have full luster or was the luster somewhat muted?