How can I tell if a silver coin has been cleaned with that liquid dip stuff you clean silverware with? Does it leave scratches or a tell tale sign? Thanks!! Lew
If there is alot of hairline scratches everywhere or if the silver is blast white & doesnt have the silver look, thats a tell tale sign it's been cleaned.
No it doesn't leave scratches. But - it can reveal scratches that were previously on the coin but covered up by toning. And if it is done correctly, you can't tell for sure it has been done. But, you can assume it has been done if the coin has no toning whatsoever. If the dipping is done incorrectly, then the coin will have no luster and will look flat, lifeless and washed out. And if a coin shows no signs of wear other than no luster then it is safe bet that it was over-dipped.
