Restore Buffalo before and after

Jeff, I appreciate your thoughtful response. Perhaps I have not explained my position well enough. The examples you give (changing a 44D to a 14D) is absolutely another level of alteration and mis-representation.

In this case, the coin has worn to the point that it has no date visible. Sure, it was minted as a 1916 Buffalo. However, the grade (and thus, the value) of a circulated coin is based upon its wear. It is an absolute long-standing rule in collecting/grading coins.. if you can't read the date, it is worth considerably less and often considered ungradeable.

In this particular case, the OP is revealing the date, and corroding the surface layers to reveal details that wouldn't be there considering it's actual state of wear. He is making it seem like the coin is a higher grade than it is, and thus more valuable.

In original condition (worn, and dateless), this is a very low value coin. But imagine his alteration revealed it to be a 21S. Where would opinions lie now?

 

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I'm just chiming in to say that I liked the "dateless" version more than the one with the date showing. In the after pictures, the coin looks... dead. Looks like the rim is gone, too, but that might just be a lighting thing. Was there any drastic change in the weight from before to after?