1903 O Morgan Dollar, Guess the grade.

I trust your oppinions and experience with cleaned coins. I am still hoaning my skills. I will still post pics when it arrives back. Here is another cleaned coin I had come back. It is a 7/8 VAM 33, Chemically cleaned I think?

 

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And this one is a 1881 S

 

The second one looks cleaned, the first one looks fine.

 

Would you say its a chemical cleaning, because of the residue look? The first, looks like its natural toning to you?

 

The 1878 has significant scratches on the obverse. It is not a chemical cleaning--it shows evidence of a mechanical cleaning, and a re-toning. Was it also dipped? Probably, but there are hairline swirls on the obverse, showing an obvious cleaning. The 81s (a coin that can be bought in a non-details holder extremely easily that is beautiful and reasonably priced) also shows circular hairlines, indicating a buffing. Was that also dipped? Most likely. Whoever dipped both made them look dull and lifeless, as is often the case for inappropriately cleaned coins.

By the way, why bother buying raw coins of common dates such as those, and sending them off to be slabbed? Beautiful examples of those dates are readily available in slabs, in high grades for minimal expenditure. It is really a waste of time buying cleaned coins, and attempting to get them certified--submit ONE for a learning experience, and then, do not do it again

 

Sorry, accidental double post. Mea Culpa.

 

Lessons learned today won't change the past. I got these coins some time ago. When I joined PCGS, I had never submitted coins before, so being cautious, I did not send the good coins in with the free submissions. But I won't let it get to me. I enjoy collecting and unfortunately this is part of it.

 

I hope it is a lesson in collecting Morgans. You can't undo the past, but those were obvious details coins to a Morgan collector with experience. Yes, I hope you learn from the experience, but cleaned Morgan dollars represent a huge segment of the market. Please learn to recognize obvious signs of cleaning-- both mechanical and chemical.