Cleaned Coins

I'm still learning some things, and one thing that comes up a lot here is cleaned coins.

I understand coins should never be cleaned if they have something on them, and to just leave them be...

However, how does one distinguish A cleaned coin from a just some crummy looking one?

And I don't want an answer like "It should be obvious", because to me (and probobly some other people too), it is NOT obvious.

 

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Some "conserved" cleaned coins are obviously cleaned. Many are not so obvious. My answer is if it's not obvious enough to stand out as cleaned, it equates to the same thing as not being cleaned. Truth is most circulated/raw coins have been cleaned at some time or another. Take the "don't ever clean coins because it'll be obvious to the true professional" things with a big grain of salt.
Oh and get ready for every warning of impending doom this side of the galaxy has to offer with this post. Good luck though.

 

This is a good question that comes up once in a while. Tom's got you on the right track. There's a general rule that if a coin does have something on it that is causing active corrosion, that it is better to remove the substance than let it destroy the coin any further. Otherwise, it's best not to clean.

As Tom mentioned, its almost too late in the game to worry about it. Because in the not so distant past, it used to be acceptable to clean coins and they were preferred because they looked better. Well, if that was the case now and cleaning a coin you're selling might make it worth 10% more, what do you think people would do? They estimate that the vast majority of collector coins from the past have already been cleaned at least once, to varying degrees. But,there's a difference between a quick dip in something and someone rubbing the surface with a piece of burlap! Many dipped coins have ended up in TPG slabs as acceptable.

There are many things to look for on a cleaned coin. Many will be covered with fine hair lines. Often times you'll see dark, black areas inside the devices (that couldn't be reached) while the wide open, flat fields are clear and shiny. Or at least lighter in appearance. You'll notice this a lot. Often times, the color is off. A cleaned Indian head cent takes on an unnatural looking peach color. If you see a polished Morgan dollar, you'll recognize it right away. The whole coin will have an unnatural, mirror like finish to it over the entire surface.

Also, look at the condition of the coin. That is a big one. A century old coin with moderate to heavy wear should not be shiny! Check to make sure that it has all the full details of an uncirculated coin, at least giving it an honest chance that it hasn't been cleaned.
Then there are some that are not obvious and maybe nobody will know. Many older coins were cleaned at one time and have re-toned. Many of them would make it into a TPG slab today. I've heard they are somewhat more lenient with older cleaned coins than with modern ones.

The main thing is, most coins have already been cleaned. It just comes down to the severity of their cleaning and what's market acceptable today.

 

....more useful info.

http://coins.about.com/od/caringforcoins/f/shiny_coins.htm?nl=1:smile

 

Many explanations given are good but it will come back to this.

Nothing we can say here will give you anymore than 35% of your answer.
The answer is your going to have to look at hundreds or thousands of coins for yourself. No one gets the "what's a coin cleaned from what is just crummy coin" without looking at a bunch of coins in both catogories over several years.
Forums and books can give you many things but to tell the differents you got to "know when you know" and that will only come with study.

After 20 years (I spend about 45 hours each week learning, selling, searching coins) I now can tell if a Lincoln Cent was cleaned 99% of the time, a nickle 85% of the time, and silver 75% of the time.

 

This is all very usefull information guys! So alot have coins have been cleaned, but there is a proper and an improper way to do it... Okay. So proper cleaning (dipping it in something quickly?) does not lower the value, while improper (using a brush of sorts?) diminshes the value greatly...

How much can one expect the value to go down? What are some examples? Oh! And uh... Could I get some picttures to get an even better idea?

Thanks!

 

Just don't clean any for 5 years. In that time look and study all the coins you can and learn what is and is not proper ways, methods and justifications for doing so in the first place - this, like every single aspect of coins takes time and searching out the truth.
Many coins have been ruined as a result of early knowledge cleaning attemps. Very few coins that are worth anything to begin with benifit from cleaning in the long run.
I you suspect a coin is cleaned even if your wrong about it don't buy it - it will come around again.

There is nothing better than say a original Barber Half in AU-58 and there is nothing worse than one that someone thought they could improve by cleaning.

 

I'll even admit that I ruined a couple coins when I first jumped into the hobby. Comparatively, to a lot of folks in here, I'm still a novice. But I'm a more experienced novice now than I was a year ago. In that year..I've learned that copper is the toughest to "conserve". Silver not as much but can be a challange.
I'm on the pro side "conserving" coins. Most are not. I'll also admit that I'm not so quick to want to clean anything as I was a year ago.
However comma...it can be done and is done routinely to circulated coins. The purists don't even want you to look at a coin the wrong way. Lots of coins have gotten messed up from cleaning. Granted. But a lot more HAVEN'T in my estimation. Go to any coin shop and look at what they have on display and I defy anyone to tell me which ones have been cleaned and which ones weren't. Fact is that most of them were indeed cleaned. Just not clean badly. It is much easier than everybody makes out that it is, and certainly, it has pitfalls that one can easily succomb to, but, overall, the "don't ever clean a coin" nonsense is just that..nonsense. If coin dealers/shops only sold coins that were never cleaned. they wouldn't have too much to put on display and make a profit.
My advice would be...clean away. But study the cleaning agent you'll be using, combined with the chemical properties of the coin to be cleaned, the likely before and after effects (google works great for this), and have at it. Ruin a coin or two....you'll be all the better collector for it.

 

Do you have some string to go with that penny!!.....LOL

 

~Digresion~ (I don't think this is spelt correctly...)

Funny you should mention that, I actually usualy wear it as a... pendant? Medallion? Whatever you want to call it. It's lucky...

 

Hey, while we are on the subject of coin cleaning... Uh, I obtained some mexican coins that were glued to cardboard (Gift set down there). How should I remove the gubk without severly damaging the coins?

 

Acetone may work, but use pure acetone, not fingernail polish remover.

 

Okay, where can I find that? And how would I go about "properly" cleaning it. The only pure cleaning solution I have surplus of is isopropyl-alchohol (rubbing alchohol).

 

I'd check the paint section of the hardware store for acetone.

 

Hardware store acetone is not pure. I know it may say "Pure acetone", but it still has minute amounts of impurities in it. The purest acetone can be obtained from a beauty supply shop such as Sally's, etc.

 

....home depot has it. and i believe it says "100% pure" on their label. :kewl:

 

If you want, do some experiments with some common, or damaged coins and see what the results are. A common date, circulated Morgan in G condition, will likely forever be at melt value. It already basically has one foot in the melting pot so to speak. So it's not a big deal if you try dipping it or cleaning it and seeing if you can make it look 'naturally' shiny. It will always be worth the silver melt value anyway. What might be helpful, is to have another Morgan that (supposedly) has not been cleaned, and is in a TPG slab, nearby for you to compare with. I think you'll see the difference between natural luster and the cleaned coin pretty well. Next try an old dirty Lincoln out and see what happens. I don't think it's that easy. I dipped a Morgan in acetone once for quite a while and it didn't do much. It still came out black.

 

Dhiz--- Mineral spirits work great on removing adhesives like dry old duct tape tracks left after the tapes been removed. Trick is to have patience, it may take a half hour to two hour and then rinse the coins well under cold water. Use Qtips but very very gently to help in the removal process. You'll get the hang of it. Plus mineral spirits are very safe as compared to acetone.
As a further suggestion, bring along a coin or two to the hardware store you are going to buy whichever product you want and show the worker/s there what they think might happen to the coin/s. Then use you best judgement and experiment a lot. Let us know how you make out. Thanks

 

Not true at all. Almost anywhere you purchase Acetone it is usually pure. You can find it at Walmart, Kmart, Homedepot, Menards and on and on and on. Prior to the use of Acetone I suggest you do a SEARCH on this web site for Acetone, Cleaning coin, Cleaned coins and/or any combination of those. Covered many, many times. The old trick to find our it's purity is simple. On a really cleaned glass, clear dish, place some of the Acetone. Allow it to evaportate. If nothing left, it is pure. If a film is left, contaminated. Simple as that. Always best to use Acetone or any inflamable substance in a well ventilated area or better yet, outdoors. Do not light cigaretts or other items that may create something you'll be really sorry about.
The only problem with Acetone or any solvent is the containers they are stored in. A great sovent of any kind will eventually absorb some of the container itself.
A long time ago a Chemist made what he called the purest water in the World. He sealed it in a glass bottle. Today it is in a Museum and all cloudy. It absorbed some of the glass.
To take that gunk of those coins a few minutes in Acetone should work.
Naturally you'll read about other substances to try such as lighter fluid, Lemon Juice, Vinegar, Alcohol and many, many others. Also, remember that many people just blurt things out without the faintest idea of what they are saying but pretend to know. On the internet it is almost impossible to know who is who and who knows what. Be carefull with what you try.
As to telling a cleaned coin. Basically what has already been said is true. However, if a coin was cleaned and most or no one can tell it was cleaned, then no one really knows if it was cleaned. Sounds silly but many say they can tell and many times wrong. A dealer I know sent a coin in for Authenticating and it came back cleaned from a TPGS. He resent it to another TPGS and it came back slabbed and graded with no cleaning mentioned.
Many coins are very obviously cleaned and many cleaned coins can not be noted as cleaned. Sort of like if a tree falls in the forest and there is nothing to hear it, was a sound made?

 

Much useful info already here.

I have an example of an X~uncleaned coin I wanted to at least get some info from.

Spent a few bucks on supplies and finally got brave/stupid/adventuresome/less frustrated and aggressive/abusive.

So the coin is still "Shot", as are many.

But I've had fun.:hammer:





And after.

One from 100 yds away 8^)