At what point is cleaning a coin bad. I understand that cleaning an M.S. coin would kill it, but an almost 200 year old coin could take a huge hit if it was cleaned 150 years ago. Kids have been cleaning coins forever, doe's that mean every coin they touch (cleaned) is now coke machine money. I don't mean a wire wheel on a bench grinder but erasers, bakeing soda etc. Been collecting since the fiftys and lately I've seen to many critics with 20X loupes, whats next, electron microscopes, "SORRY FOR THE TUDE" Just venting, but would like your opinion. Thanks..
Well I'll give you an example of my coin cleaning. Of course I find coins that have been in the ground for years so I have to clean them up some. Unless of course its a real rare valuable coin. Then I'd probably leave it alone. Here is a 1873 indian head before I cleaned it up. You can see where I scratched it above the feathers. Doh. Here it is after a bath in hydrogen peroxide. Not bad huh?
Any harsh cleaning will adversely effect the value of a coin. Before cleaning any coin, ask yourself why you believe it needs cleaning. Is it to protect the coin from some form of environmental damage such as PVC or is it just to make it shiny?
