Just like slabs, start off conservative, build a reputation as conservative, and then you can abuse that reputation for a decade or two until it goes away. I have been seeing many more poor eye appeal coins with CAC stickers on them lately. It is not what it once was.
The coin above is a solid AU55, hence the bean. Black, smudgy bits on lightly circulated, and even some uncirculated, $20 Libertys are typical. They can sometimes be removed with acetone, but they show originality. Here's the only CC gold I have.
I bought this coin raw off eBay years ago when I had more money on hand than sense. It's now in an AU50 ANACS holder (it has a few hairlines, but they didn't call it cleaned). I also have a CC QE from the 1890s but can't find pics of it. definitely cleaned though. Nice original CC gold is not all that common. and pricey.
