Damaged Proofs HELP

You know, I'm not exactly brand spanking new. I've been collecting for 7 years.

 

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I agree indianhead, unless I paid less than face value for them, I would have sent them back. I think it is a common misconception that there has to be SOME way to safely clean a coin. Maybe it's just one of those lessons people have to learn through experience.

 

Collecting and knowing how to handle coins are TWO different things. Anyone can collect anything and keep it anywhere but when that happens, what is the difference between collectable and junk? Never heard of the word preserving before???

AgCollector, perhaps you are the best to reply this: what is the major difference between acetone and turpertine and especially on the effects of metals? I know both of them are organic dissolver but why is acetone the only solvent recommended.

 

hamman88, collecting for seven years does not mean that you have been studying the field of numeristics for that long. I've been collecting coins for 20 some odd years, but I know comparatively nothing about coins. It's not a bad thing and I readily admit I need help. I did not buy my first educational book until recently and I have barely scratched the surface (sorry for the pun) on what's in it.

Some of these guys know coins like a PHD in math knows calculus. I have to give them the respect they deserve. They take time out of their lives to try and help the rest of us. For that I am very thankful. I don't think it was meant as an insult when indianhead said beginner, I just believe that it's frustrating to see coins damaged. It would be like watching your best friend fail a test when you know he didn't study. These guys just want to help and are frustrated when it does not work out. No one is out to insult or patronize you.

 

Well, my local dealer just bought all of them for $70. I told them about the history, he said they looked great.

 

good read

http://www.mycoincollecting.com/collecting/cleaning-coins.html

hamman88...note rule #5

 

Didn't I say I noted the history?

 

I think its a shame the ebay seller sold them like that to you. Isnt there something on ebay where you can 'flag' the seller, or something like that?

 

Do you remember this statement from GDJMSP? What is that dealer going to think when the coins you cleaned and sold to him start looking dull and ugly. Did he examine them through a loupe before he bought them? Id also like to know who the dealer is so we can avoid unknowingly purchasing coins that have been altered. No one in here is trying to be rude or mean. Collecting for 7 years is all well and fine but you're asking for advise from collectors and numismatists alike who have been involved in this hobby for a long time and are going to tell you their truthful opinions for your own good. I have been involved in one way or another in Numismatics for the most part of 30 years. It takes alot of reading and understanding of all of the different aspects of this hobby to be a true Numismatist and it takes years. I apologize if I offended you in any way and wish you luck with future purchases.
Kevin

 

He did inspect them with a loupe. And he will mark them as cleaned.

 

I made $43 dollars off this whole thing. Matbe I'll start buying slightly damaged proofs, clean them, and then sell them. I won't lie though. If I was a liar, I could of made hundreds off this whole upsidedown lettering craze on eBay.

 

post the name of every dealer you sell them to, so that those of us who don't want cleaned coins in our collections can avoid them just in case they "forget" to mark their purchases from you (or others) as cleaned.

 

Hamman
Looking at your username I would guess that we are both the same age---1988.
I've collected now for about as long as you have...and I have one bit of advice, save your money, and your time from buying damaged, cleaned coins...and save yourself some regret and don't clean coins.
I've thought much like you in the past and cleaned coins.....it isn't worth it---the dealer was a nut to pay $70...what I would have suggested had I posted here in time is to send the coins back to the ebay seller...
While that dealer might be a friend now I doubt he is going to be too friendly down the road after his coins start to turn. The best friend a collector can have in one sense of the word is a dealer....don't lose such a good contact

Speedy

 

Unlike acetone, turpentine is not a chemically pure substance, so part of the reason not to use it is probably the minor (in terms of using it as paint thinner) contaminants that may be more reactive than the bulk of the solvent.

More importantly, though, is that acetone will dissolve both polar and non-polar substances- it will dissolve styrofoam, for example, but it will also dissolve in water too (unlike gasoline, for example), so it can dissolve a wider range of substances.

Unfortunately, the fact that acetone contains oxygen (which makes it more polar) also makes it more reactive.

I have never used acetone to clean any kind of coin but I'm now kind of curious- maybe I'll grab a few red 2006 or 2007 cents from my change and see what acetone does to them, over time.

 

Your dealer is a crazy man, if he bought them for that price. Especially after you told him what you did.

 

You know, for as much attention this thread has been getting...I think there was one critical piece of information missing. I know it is a terrible sin to clean coins, and it is something that should never be done (with a very few minor exceptions). However, what I am wondering is...how large was this lot of proofs that you purchased?

The point being, if the lot was large enough, perhaps paying $70 wasn't that bad for the dealer. He clearly knew what was done to the coins and with any experience...would know what that means. But, if the lot was large enough maybe there is a potential profit there for the dealer. There was a 2001-S in there, even a cleaned example I would think could fetch $25-$30 or so. So, the dealer would then be half way to breaking even. Lets hypothetically say the lot was 10 coins...if the dealer got $30 for the cleaned 2001-S and $5 each for the other 9...thats $75, so a minor profit.

To me, these prices don't seem too crazy (but then again, I"m not a Sac expert). I think knowing the size of the lot (and what coins were there) are important to determining if the dealer made a mistake or not.

Then again, maybe the lot size was posted...and I missed it. :goofer:

 

5 proofs and 10 non, every sac from 2000-2004