At what point does coin restoration or coin preservation become coin cleaning in your opinion? Where do you draw the line? Is soap and sterile water even too much in your opinion?
Moen: It all depends upn what you do with the coin. If you brush or wipe the coin (even for the water) and it leaves hairlines, bad. If you dab the water away, and leave no hairlines: good. Like I said, it depends.
It all depends on who applies the processes. If your or I did what the Numismatic Conservation Service does we'd be labeled as coin-criminals, LOL...
"Coin cleaning vs Coin restoration" If I do it is is cleaning. If I pay to have it done it is restoration.
If I am removing foreign material that has not reacted with the metal of the coin but which may react in the future, and my actions do not affect the metal of the coin or componds that HAVE reacted with the metal, that is cleaning. If I remove componds that have reacted with the metal ie: corrosion or toning, or if I make changes in the coin metal itself (Hair lining, scratches, removal of scratches, holes, burnishing of the surfaces, artificail toning) then that comes under the heading of restoration. (Even if the "restoration" results in a decrease in the desirability of the coin.) I do not object to cleaning because it protects the coin from further or future damage. I usually object to restoration. (I can agree with the repair of holes as long as it still possible to tell that the repair has been made so that the coin can't be sold as problem free.)
