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PCGS Restoration Before & After: Classic Gold Coins

When it comes to PCGS restoration services we're often asked to show before and after photos, and we're happy to be able to bring you a few examples in our Restoration Lab Report feature. This particular one focuses on gold, and we should have another to share by next week.

For a closer look at the coin above, and for an additional gold piece: https://www.pcgs.com/news/classic-gold-coins-restoration-before-and-after

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Comments

  • skier07skier07 Posts: 3,648 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 17, 2020 12:57PM

    Xx

  • TomBTomB Posts: 20,689 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Thomas Bush Numismatics & Numismatic Photography

    In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson

    image
  • baseballjeffbaseballjeff Posts: 1,070 ✭✭✭

    Please tell me, how is this different then cleaning a coin? I submitted what I thought was a wonderful Morgan Dollar and it was slabbed as being cleaned. I still don’t see evidence of that at all, but how is what you are providing here okay? And what I submitted was not?

    Totally confused,
    Jeff

  • REALGATORREALGATOR Posts: 2,581 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 17, 2020 6:19PM

    @Smudge said:
    Not this time.

    If you "restored" this one it would be like destroying history.

    I do like the 91-CC $10 restoration. Edit: After looking at the restorations on a bigger screen, I think I would have just stuck with the original orange tone on the $10. Why would you want to brighten all those marks as is typical with an MS61 CC $10?

  • yosclimberyosclimber Posts: 4,572 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 17, 2020 2:42PM

    I'm not so sure about "ideal candidates for restoration".

    Ideal candidates are really coins with obvious foreign matter stuck to them,
    like some shipwreck coins, and the "Saddle Ridge Hoard".

    As for the coins shown on the linked page,
    the ultimate factor is the "before and after price".
    We know that CAC does not like the "processed gold look",
    and CAC can be a big factor in the price.

  • calgolddivercalgolddiver Posts: 1,385 ✭✭✭✭✭

    not a fan ... looks like cleaned coins ...

    Top 25 Type Set 1792 to present

    Top 10 Cal Fractional Type Set

    successful BST with Ankurj, BigAl, Bullsitter, CommemKing, DCW(7), Elmerfusterpuck, Joelewis, Mach1ne, Minuteman810430, Modcrewman, Nankraut, Nederveit2, Philographer(5), Realgator, Silverpop, SurfinxHI, TomB and Yorkshireman(3)

  • ms71ms71 Posts: 1,459 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I prefer the "before" on both, they have the "original skin" that is desirable to me. The "afters" look dipped.

    Successful BST transactions: EagleEye, Christos, Proofmorgan,
    Coinlearner, Ahrensdad, Nolawyer, RG, coinlieutenant, Yorkshireman, lordmarcovan, Soldi, masscrew, JimTyler, Relaxn, jclovescoins

    Now listen boy, I'm tryin' to teach you sumthin' . . . . that ain't an optical illusion, it only looks like an optical illusion.

    My mind reader refuses to charge me....
  • ReadyFireAimReadyFireAim Posts: 1,800 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I had 2 saints restored to remove PVC haze.
    A small amount of "toning" was removed but not much.

    Overall, I'm quite happy with how they turned out.
    My feeling on CAC is that JA prefers the dipped look on saints.

  • ms70ms70 Posts: 13,946 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 17, 2020 3:49PM

    @TomB said:
    Is that really what the coin came back as, ms70? Holy Crud! I was hoping you just manipulated the color saturation on the image! :'(:'(:'(

    Those are the actual pictures, untouched.

    Great transactions with oih82w8, JasonGaming, Moose1913.

  • RonyahskiRonyahski Posts: 3,116 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 17, 2020 5:46PM

    @yosclimber said:
    I'm not so sure about "ideal candidates for restoration".

    Ideal candidates are really coins with obvious foreign matter stuck to them,
    like some shipwreck coins, and the "Saddle Ridge Hoard".

    As for the coins shown on the linked page,
    the ultimate factor is the "before and after price".
    We know that CAC does not like the "processed gold look",
    and CAC can be a big factor in the price.

    Shoot me if I turn this into another CAC thread, but have to disagree with your comment. Both 'After' pictures are probably o.k. by CAC.

    Some refer to overgraded slabs as Coffins. I like to think of them as Happy Coins.
  • BryceMBryceM Posts: 11,721 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I dunno. This is going to be a pretty divisive topic. I'd like to see them in hand. The Indian is OK I guess but the Liberty has a much harsher look now. The field chatter is much more prominent and the richness and depth of color is gone.

  • oldabeintxoldabeintx Posts: 1,579 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I've always liked the look of some copper toning on gold; however, what are the long-term effects on the surface of the coin, if any?

  • logger7logger7 Posts: 8,013 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 17, 2020 7:00PM

    There are companies that trade a lot in certified gold that only buy copper spotted, blotched or otherwise affected gold coins at a discount. It's unfortunate that the "market" seems to like that. Cac has no problem with copper spots on gold generally. But then I have old fashioned tastes. I wonder what HL Mencken would say? I had a High Relief Saint that was NGC certified, the dealer I bought it from said that if only a small ball of dirt on the reverse were removed it would upgrade. The temptation was too great and NCS worked on the coin after which the formerly MS62 coin looked AU.

  • roadrunnerroadrunner Posts: 28,303 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited June 17, 2020 9:17PM

    @ReadyFireAim said:
    I had 2 saints restored to remove PVC haze.
    A small amount of "toning" was removed but not much.

    Overall, I'm quite happy with how they turned out.
    My feeling on CAC is that JA prefers the dipped look on saints.

    I doubt it. JA likes original surfaces....and has no problem with copper spots or deeper color In 2008 he CAC'd a 1903 $20 Lib PCGS MS65 ogh I had with dozens of black specs on both sides. But the overall fresh orange toning and glowing luster under that toning earned it the bean. He probably would have CAC'd the 1927 $5 before dipping. After dipping as a 65+ .....I don't think so. Coin looked a lot better to me with the original toning and "ugly" coppery patina. With the toning removed the cheek bone now is silver colored and high lights the scuffs there. Not a fan. Same comment on that first $5 1891. Looks better toned. Dipping old silver or gold coins usually results in a lot of marks, chatter and hairlines becoming much more obvious....sometimes dropping the grade by 1-2 MS pts.

    To get the + sign on old gold you need popping luster. So perfectly fine gems get dipped to earn a + sign. And in 10-30 yrs from now, they'll tone back again.

    Barbarous Relic No More, LSCC -GoldSeek--shadow stats--SafeHaven--321gold
  • calgolddivercalgolddiver Posts: 1,385 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @jwitten ... simply stunning !

    Top 25 Type Set 1792 to present

    Top 10 Cal Fractional Type Set

    successful BST with Ankurj, BigAl, Bullsitter, CommemKing, DCW(7), Elmerfusterpuck, Joelewis, Mach1ne, Minuteman810430, Modcrewman, Nankraut, Nederveit2, Philographer(5), Realgator, Silverpop, SurfinxHI, TomB and Yorkshireman(3)

  • johnny9434johnny9434 Posts: 27,411 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I'll sit this one out as well
    Jmo

  • AotearoaAotearoa Posts: 1,355 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @keets said:
    with some threads it's better to look and not comment, this is one of them.

    I couldn't agree more!

    Smitten with DBLCs.

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