Would like some information about this 1935 1/2 cent coin. It looks in exceptional condition for its age. One of the pics says 1935, but that is an error on my part.
Badly, badly cleaned. The coin is a circulated XF45 grade, but should be brown in color for that condition, not bright red. Still, a neat piece of history. Someone unfortunately cleaned the value right out if it. Original and brown, natural color, it would be worth close to $100. Now that it's bright red and cleaned... more like $60.
It would probably sell as "old cleaning", and it would regain some value. If you let it settle back to brown, I would estimated an additional $10, so around $70-75. It all depends on what the buyer is willing to spend on a cleaned coin. Someone who is in dire need of it will pay more, even if it is cleaned.
In this same vein (apologies to the original poster) what indicators would lead you to believe it was cleaned if it were to retone to brown? I don't really see any bad scratching.
Well under a microscope, you would see light hairlines. This isn't the worse cleaning ever, so I agree with you that you might not be able to see the cleaning...
You don't need a microscope to see the harsh cleaning hairlines here. I can see it even in the slightly blurry pic. This sucker got scrubbed! Hard!
All those dark spots look like the original color on a low spot, a ding, dent or gouge. Such a shame someone cleaned this otherwise beautiful coin. They really lowered its value.
