Concern About Oiling Rare Coins

I have just become very alarmed this evening shopping on eBay for an 1827 Capped Bust Dime. One of the nicest raw, affordable and otherwise original listings appears 'off' somehow, and the more I look at it I realize that it has been oiled to 'improve' the appearance.
Looking at the seller's other raw coins it seems that they are doing this to most of their available stock, often only lightly, but once you see it you know. This is tragic as there are many high grade IHCs along with numerous other quality 19th c. and early 20th c. coins.
They need to be stopped, but I am not sure what the protocol is for this in the numismatic world, if any? Some research shows they have been in business since at least 2005 and have nearly 40,000 eBay transactions. So I doubt that a receiving a single complaint from am individual would matter.
Thanks!

 

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Oil off the old schnauzer is the worst.

 

Link to the miscreant?

 

Is it ok to post the link to the eBay listing here? I am definitely not advertising for them.

 

It might make a nice photo, but I think it's damage. How do you get the oil off?
Washing and rubbing?

 

Acetone

 

Nothing you can do to stop them. Once they own the coins they could shoot them, cut them in half, or even melt them if they want.

The good lesson from this though is that there’s generally a reason why nicer looking coins are raw on eBay

 

whoa there

 

I think acetone would be risky on 200 yr. old silver. Might take off the oil but the dip would be evident would it not?

 

Interesting point about raw stock on eBay. So have you seen TPG attempts come back marked 'oiled'? Or maybe they would say environmental damage.
Not sure I want to give up as easily as you suggest. When a commercial entity is knowingly degrading coin history for personal gain it seems like a professional or institutional response from a respected organization ought to be in order.

 

nope

 

I’m not sure what the TPGs usually mark them other than details, but yes I have seen coins that did get details graded for things like that.

There’s just no response that’s going to happen. They can always just claim they didn’t do it and that’s the end of it. But even more importantly it’s not illegal to ruin/harm coins you own. All you can really do is ask them to please stop

 

This the coin?
142649895662

If so, I told this guy once that his "Gem BU" bust half was a whizzed AU. His response was, "I don't think this coin is for you. Perhaps you can find another one elsewhere."

 

Must be a Lawyer

 

Acetone will not react with silver or the products of silver toning, so it's safe to use on silver. It will remove many organic materials that have adhered to coins. If the organic (dirt, grime, etc), has been on the coin for a while, the surface underneath may have toned differently than the rest of the coin giving the appearance that it reacted, but it was not due to acetone. I can't see any problems removing a new coat of oil.

 

Most oil is organic and will breakdown into organic acids and can attack coin surfaces over time. If you want to use oil, use the completely synthetic oil clock makers use as it will stay stable at normal temperatures. I can see more reason it is needed. Jim

 

Yes, that's the very one I referred to. Thanks for the good input on this.

 

Great, thank you for the clear explanation.
So then one follow-up;
When a sale listing with full disclosure from a reputable dealer includes 'an old dip is evident' in the description, then that may have been done with something besides acetone, because the unnatural alteration is easy to see?

 

My understanding is that "dip" indicates cleaning with a chemical that removes silver toning compounds. Acetone does not react or remove any metal on the coin(original surface or toning) and should not be detectable unless the surfaces under the removed organics have toned differently than the rest of the coin (which was due to natural processes and not the acetone dip)

 

Very few people (especially dealers) would ever refer to acetone as dip so yes it almost certainly always means actual coin dips.