I'm still trying to learn how to identify what has been cleaned or not, especially when it comes to silver. Sometimes it's really easy to tell, but it can also get kinda hard for me. Here are two examples. By the way, I really appreciate the help you guys give me. Now, I can't say for sure what these coins were cleaned, so I didn't bid on them. However, the first seems to be too shiny, possibly due to the lighting though. The second doesn't seem to have a uniform patina, as in the obverse, the areas next to the relief points seem more milky than the smooth areas. You sometimes see this pattern in cleaned coins. What is your opinion? Thanks!
Hi Luis, The first thing to look for in silver cleaned coins is scratching. Your first example shows in the obverse a lot of scratches (in the same direction) and it's very shiny as you say. I would think it was unproperly cleaned. On the obverse of the second example you too can see some damage but they're only bag marks (the result of coins hitting one another when in a bag). As for the milky effect I have seen that mostly in Venezuelan coins. I don't know why it is produced exactly but my theory is a film of soap leftover by a poor rinse. I've seen it in circulation coinage too (from venezuela). Personally I don't think venezuelans are too picky as to be cleaning every coin they get so maybe I'm wrong. If you scratch this film with your fingernail it's most likely to come off. I do like the effect so I've left them as they are.
That's a bummer. I really wanted that 1912 coin. They don't come about in that condition very frequently. I was just thinking that it could have been cleaned a long time ago, so it had time to retone a bit, but the areas near the relief never get "well cleaned" so that could be it. Thank you for your help though. I'll be posting the ones I did buy shortly.
Luis learning to recognize harsh/improper cleaning can be one of the hardest things there is to learn in this hobby. The reason for that is because there are so many different methods of cleaning a coin. It simply requires a great deal of experience and hands on examinations of harshly cleaned coins. Sometimes it is quite easy to recognize even with a picture. Other times is very hard to recognize even in hand. One thing to always remember is this, it is extremely common for collectors and dealers outside the US to clean their coins. They think nothing of it. It was the same here in the US many years ago, but that is no longer the case. But in Europe, Asia, South America, virtually anywhere else - it can be extremely difficult to find examples that have not been harshly cleaned. And in many cases it is hard to recognize this cleaning unless you are very experienced. About the only way to deal with this issue, until you get that experience, is to only buy coins from people you trust implicitly. People who have a no questions asked return policy. There are plenty of these people out there, you just have to make it a point to only deal with them and nobody else.
It's my understanding that most people I know (in Portugal, where the hobby isn't particularly popular) are very adverse to cleaning coins. I myself did it to some, and in some cases I regret it. I did it out of ignorance. That's exactly what I'm trying to do. I will avoid the seller from this thread because he doesn't warn people about when the coins are cleaned (even when it's obvious). This other seller I'm buying from always says so.
i agree with GD but if you are not in the USA and you try to find people with a no questions asked return policy ( at least in some parts of the world) your collection will stop there. better bet is to take pics and post them here.
