Graded coins look cleaned

Discussion in 'Coin Chat' started by New collector, Dec 22, 2019.

  1. Colonialjohn

    Colonialjohn Active Member

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  3. KSorbo

    KSorbo Well-Known Member

    This statement is a great illustration of a topic that comes up frequently on CT: proper versus harsh/improper cleaning. Ideally if a coin has been properly cleaned it shouldn’t look like it has. However, I can attest to having seen and owned coins that look cleaned but are still in problem free holders. Some series, Trade Dollars for example, seem to be treated more leniently.

    My first Trade Dollar was a VF25 in a PCGS holder that was practically blast white and had to have been dipped. I can’t imagine that being acceptable with most other series. It may be that dipped circulated coins, which would otherwise not be market acceptable, get a pass if they have retoned and/or are from a series with fewer uncleaned coins. However, I would assume that obvious hairlines would be more apt to get detailed regardless. Perhaps someone could weigh in on this?
     
  4. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    When it comes to hairlines on a coin, especially a circulated coin, and whether not it gets cleanly graded, it kinda depends on how many and or how severe they are. This is because simply by being circulated a coin can easily get hairlines on it, and sometimes a lot of them.

    But there's a difference between the look of hairlines that occur at random due to contact/s in circulation, and the look of hairlines as a result of harsh cleaning. It takes experience but it's definitely recognizable.

    And the same thing is true of uncirculated coins as well. They often get hairlines on them from mishandling or rough handling if you prefer. But just like with circulated coins they have an entirely different look than hairlines from a harsh cleaning. But unless the hairlines are large in number, or rather severe, the coin can still be cleaned graded and correctly so. The one exception to this would be when a coin is wiped. If a coin has been wiped it should not be cleanly graded at all. And yes, a wiped coin has it's own distinctive look as well.

    But with uncirculated coins one of the ooopses, mistakes made by the TPGs, and one that happens quite often is that hairlines from a harsh cleaning are mistaken for die polish lines. And coins are cleanly graded when they should not be. Granted this usually happens when the coin has some actual die polish lines on it. And the graders at the TPGs should be knowledgeable enough to easily tell one from the other, and I suspect that for the most part - they are ! Because it's really not all that hard to tell them apart. BUT - the companies they work for tell them to grade the coins cleanly anyway ! If they wanna keep their jobs.
     
    Kevin Mader and KSorbo like this.
  5. Jaelus

    Jaelus The Hungarian Antiquarian Supporter

    The opposite is also true. Sometimes coins with die polish or die deterioration lines come back as details hairlined when there are no hairlines present. I've had that happen on several coins and had to annoyingly pay for resubmission for them to fix their mistake.
     
  6. GDJMSP

    GDJMSP Numismatist Moderator

    I don't disagree, I've seen plenty of coins labeled harshly cleaned and then cleanly graded on resubmission - and justly so. Just not near as many as I've seen of the others.
     
    Kevin Mader likes this.
  7. Kevin Mader

    Kevin Mader Fellow Coin Enthusiast Supporter

    Good feedback all around. I think this helps to offset 'surprises' either way to the extent that if you disagree with a grading, you still have options. And if you are buying slabbed, it still Buyer Beware. It's a subjective activity and result, so we shouldn't expect perfection.
     
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