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Is this cleaned? 1834 $5 gold

I am trying to get better at identifying cleaned coins.

To me, this coin looks like it has had dirt/crud scraped off of the surface (Look at the "Y" in LIBERTY. And look all along the denticles on the reverse). But the fields don't look like they are scratched to me.

What do you all think? Cleaned, scraped, dipped, whizzed?


Comments

  • PerryHallPerryHall Posts: 46,084 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @MFeld said:
    The coin looks cleaned, though not harshly so.

    That was my thought. I think it's on the border between a straight grade and a details grade.

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  • MFeldMFeld Posts: 13,400 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 2, 2024 1:30PM

    @Romankow said:
    I am trying to get better at identifying cleaned coins.

    To me, this coin looks like it has had dirt/crud scraped off of the surface (Look at the "Y" in LIBERTY. And look all along the denticles on the reverse). But the fields don't look like they are scratched to me.

    What do you all think? Cleaned, scraped, dipped, whizzed?


    Many cleaned coins don’t look “scratched” or even obviously hairlined.

    Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.

  • coinbufcoinbuf Posts: 11,246 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 2, 2024 3:18PM

    I'm no expert but I am wondering if this might have been a jewelry piece. Looks like the surface has been worn down like rubbing against the skin and on the rim under the first star on the viewers right is a small indentation. Seems to be a rim disturbance on the rev just above states as well, just a thought.

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  • MFeldMFeld Posts: 13,400 ✭✭✭✭✭

    @coinbuf said:
    I'm no expert but I am wondering if this might have been a jewelry piece. Looks like the surface has been worn down like rubbing against the skin and on the rim under the first star on the viewers right is a small indentation. Seems to be a rim disturbance on the rev just above states as well, just a thought.

    I think that if the coin had been worn as a jewelry piece both the rim and the surfaces would look considerably worse. Additionally, usually, jewelry coins appear to have been conspicuously cleaned, if not polished.

    Mark Feld* of Heritage Auctions*Unless otherwise noted, my posts here represent my personal opinions.

  • AUandAGAUandAG Posts: 24,754 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Lightly cleaned. I see a bit of a halo around the D in 5D.

    bob :)

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  • dhikewhitneydhikewhitney Posts: 424 ✭✭✭

    I would expect a coin of that type to be certified, so I assume it wouldn’t straight grade until proven otherwise. It has appeal for what it is though.

  • TwobitcollectorTwobitcollector Posts: 3,341 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Cleaned or not it's a nice coin.
    I think a circulated coin this old has a good chance of being cleaned sometime along the way.

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  • SmudgeSmudge Posts: 9,497 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Wiped at least. Still may straight grade. Pretty coin though.

  • Cougar1978Cougar1978 Posts: 8,173 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November 3, 2024 5:28PM

    Yes it’s been cleaned. Doesn’t look too bad. Dipped at one time?

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  • pursuitoflibertypursuitofliberty Posts: 6,877 ✭✭✭✭✭

    Looks like it was cleaned with "soap and water" and rubbed with thumb and fingers at the same time to loosen whatever came off. May have been a dug coin.

    Does not appear whizzed or "scraped". Probably "washed" (as described above), and maybe dipped too. Can't tell if it was wiped (doesn't show hairlines in the images).

    "Shouldn't" straight grade (IMO), but I wouldn't bet it won't find a straight holder somewhere.


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  • johnny010johnny010 Posts: 1,490 ✭✭✭✭✭

    I definitely vote cleaned.

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