I have a 1880 morgan dollar. I don't know if it is in good condition and why does it have that gash on between um in Unum? A number that looks like 7.-4 by the forehead? I don't know. could very well be damage but I like second guesses.
It's in VF-XF condition. The marks by the forehead are simply damage from something banging against the coin. The brown mark on the U in UNUM is probably just some piece of debris stuck to the coin.
Yes ma-am. VF-XF is a better grade. Don’t do much rubbing and such trying to remove debris yet. You would likely do more long term damage to a nice coin. The more you hang out here and the more your skill level grows with your coins you may want to revisit the debris issue. For now, just view it as a piece of the coins history. Very nice Morgan!
If you place that 'Lady' in a bath of hardware store grade acetone, you might get rid of the gunk on the obverse..........soak in an old glass jar (like an relish jar) and keep it covered with the cap. Acetone can evaporate quite rapidly.
Yeah I've only tryed once didn't come off so I havnt messed with it. And that's awesome. So it means uncirulated too or no?
Just below uncirculated: G= Good F=Fine VF = Very Fine XF = Extra Fine AU = Almost Uncirculated U = Uncirculated
EF-45 Details, cleaned. Not Uncirculated, unfortunately. The lack of luster and dull surfaces makes me think it's been cleaned. Those marks are circulation damage.
Not uncirculated, it's VF or very fine/XF extra fine. It's a mid grade coin meaning better than a low grade but not a high grade coin.
Yeah I was thinking that. It is dull. My grandmother gave me a bunch of coins before she passed away. I will always keep it.
That is the best reason to keep them. I applaud you. So many come here with inherited coins looking to make a quick buck. Your heart is in the right place.
You are wise to be cautious, but soaking in most pure liquids will not harm a coin as long as you do not wipe it. The wiping doesn't depend on what you wipe it with as much as what the wiping does to any grit on the surface. It scrubs the particles around and THEY are what scratches the coin. Soaking in acetone is 100% safe for silver coins as long as you don't try to wipe it dry...blot it dry or just let it air dry. Also, don't use fingernail polish remover, that has extra ingredients that you don't want on the coin. Look online for a copy of "A Guide Book Of United States Coins" by R.S. Yeoman, it has wonderful information about all US coins including some information about grades. BTW, pay no attention to the prices, they're WAY off, so don't even worry about getting the latest one, a cheapie used one will serve you equally well.
Ok thanks because I heard no t to clean your coins at all. But as I was told it looks like it has been cleaned already. It is very dull But it's okay I'm not selling it anyways. Thanks for the good info on it.
You heard correctly, and the general advice we give newer members is to not mess around with them. I would encourage you to leave this coin alone for now and continue to enjoy your heirlooms while you begin to explore the hobby. In regards to 'cleaning' coins the goal should be to preserve the surface condition while possibly removing any debris. You don't want to stripe the toning off the coin, which would mean removal of a portion of the actual metal, but dirt and debris can be removed. This is generally referred to as conserving instead of cleaning. The problem with doing this conservation are basically two fold in my mind. If done incorrectly by someone inexperienced, they can do a lot of damage to the coin. Second, even if done properly, what is considered appropriate conservation techniques today may not be considered appropriate in the future. This is readily apparent when looking at the majority of 19th century coinage, almost all of it has been harshly cleaned in ways that very well may have been considered acceptable then, but reduce the value to the current generation of collectors. My personal preference is to leave the coin as is unless the surface debris is reacting with the medal and causing further damage, but IMHO this area of numismatics is not an area I believe beginners should be messing around in.
Acetone is considered conservation, not cleaning. Soak the coin in 100% Acetone, which can be found at hardware stores such as Lowes, True Value, or Do It Best. This will not harm the coin at all.
