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<p>[QUOTE=&quot;cladking, post: 1310296, member: 68&quot;]This simply isn&#039;t true.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>What is true is that any coin that appears cleaned to a professional or advanced collector has lost much of its numismatic value.&nbsp; If a coin &quot;needs cleaning&quot; it will usually bring at least a little less because you can&#039;t be 100% certain that the coin is OK underneath the dirt.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>Beginners need to learn what an improperly cleaned coin looks like.&nbsp; Frequently just knowing that bad cleaning will cause the high spots to be the same color as the rest of the coin is a big step in this education.&nbsp; Learn to identify the high spots and compare them to the coin.&nbsp; The more metal that has been removed to cause this homogenous coloration the more damage has been done to the coin.&nbsp; But there can be subtle damage from bad cleaning as well such as hair lines and a dipped out look.&nbsp; </p><p><br /></p><p>Collectors shouldn&#039;t be in a hurrry to learn how to clean coins but they should learn or they&#039;ll be paying too much for cleaned coins or selling dirty coins for less than they are worth. </p><p><br /></p><p>Until a collector knows how to clean properly he shouldn&#039;t even consider cleaning a collector coin.&nbsp; Neophytes and those who inherit coins should be warned to leave them be or they&#039;ll take out a brillo pad to a nice original patina.&nbsp; This is very common.&nbsp; Coins often walk into coin shops that were shined up by the heirs to get a better price.&nbsp; Leaving them alone is the best advice but collectors will learn when this doesn&#039;t apply and know the proper procedure for breaking this rule of thumb even if that means spending money on professional conservation.[/QUOTE]</p><p><br /></p>

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