I’m in a dilemma I found is semi key day coin which I would never sell, but I would like to get it professionally cleaned, graded a slabbed because I’m very proud of this one and never slabbed a find before or anything for that matter. Well I had many opinions from people and one guy said it might have environmental damage and dice I just spayed it with water and put it in my mouth to save my money. Well that would bring me to the point that if it’s already damaged with not do some none abrasive process to at least make the coin legible so I could enjoy it’s beauty, but I have people telling me they wouldn’t do that. Why at this point IF that’s the case? So I ask the coin guys what would you do with this particular coin? Thanks guys P.S. All our old deep silver in La. comes out black. The 1829 Spanish Mexican 8 Reales I dug up was totally black I mean solid black didn’t even know what it’s was until I got it home to clean it with baking soda and liquid soap and that took a long time to clean up and get off.
Nice Find!! I am not an expert (and i haven't had many coins graded) but would think that in the condition the coin is in it would be labelled as having "environmental damage" (or some notation really similar) by any of the grading services. To my knowledge PCGS or NGC would only attach a "details" grade to it (like fine details - environmental damage) with no numerical grade. ANACS I think may include a numerical value with the grade (like Fine 12 - environmental damage just for example). I would hesitate to clean the coin further so you have it in the "original condition" you found it in.... But that's just my opinion.. If you look in to the individual grading services some offer "conservation I believe NGC calls it"" (or professional cleaning) for an extra fee of course!! It just depends on how much you want to spend...
If I was going to send that anywhere it’d be ICG. Financially it’ll have to be a better or key date to be worth it. If you want to because it’s special or just want to that’s perfectly fine too whatever makes you happy. They all have it, it’s not just an NGC thing.
But make no mistake, there's probably way this coin can EVER get a "straight grade". It will be a "Details Graded" Environmental Damage coin. There is no return from that.
