What is the bugaboo about not cleaning coins? I have had to clean several that were Proof coins but were so tarnished (toned) that they would have been worthless especially if they were from the RCM back in the Seventies.
Cleaning the coins is not the problem. It is the improper cleaning of coins that can damage them. Chris
"I love cleaning coins and you should too", wasn't that a thread long ago? If you can clean it and leave no marks or weirdness behind, go for it.
The bugaboo is that 99.9% of people don't know how to clean the coins, so the end product is usually worth less than it would have been uncleaned. Serious collectors want coins in the original condition....even if that means they're tarnished or have surface crud. There are some people who can clean coins "professionally", and some can even get by the third party certification agencies...but cleaning coins is not something that everyone should try. It is something that everyone wants to be good at, and thinks they're good at it, but almost all veteran collectors and dealers can spot cleaned coins instantly.
The previous owner must've felt this coin needed a VERY severe cleaning: Long-story-short, I estimate the price I paid was about 1/4 of a similar unscrubbed coin. That is, improper cleaning can seriously de-value a coin.
True, that coin has been scrubbed with something. I have no problems doing an acetone soak and pat dry, but do nothing to alter the surface.
