Hi, I noticed that on most of proof sets that I got from eBay there is dust on the surface of a proof coin. Is that normal? Now, I know that you should never touch the surface. But I heard of sound/vibration cleaning ? Is that what grading services do to proofs? If I get that coins graded, will they have much less dust on them?
Normal ? No, but it does happen - epsecially when people open the cases. Best way to remove it is to use canned air - but you have to be careful. Only use canned air that has no alcohol. And when you spray it be sure to hold the can completely upright - otherwise liquid can come out and that's not good. As for what grading services do, sometimes they do nothing. But PCGS has been known to dip coins before slabbing - without the owner's permission.
so before i send proof coins to be graded i should try to blow the dust away? usually its up to me and not the grading service and if anybody sends a coin with some dust on it it will get graded with it, am i correct?
That's entirely up to you - I am not recommending that you leave the dust nor am I recommending that you try to remove it. I am merely telling you how you may remove it if you wish to. Yes it will be graded. But I feel I should point out that the vast majority of modern Proof coins are really not worth the cost of grading them. Yes there are exceptions to every rule, but most of the modern Proofs even when graded as PF69 DCAM/UCAM, can rarely be sold for much more than what it cost to have them graded to begin with. So, if you wish to have the coins graded just because you want them slabbed for your own reasons, fine do so. But if you are having them graded for possible sale - why bother spending the money ?
