Dipped Gold Coins

Gaudens

Can anyone ouy there educate me on the pros and cons of dipping a gold coin ?

Will some grading companies detect a coin has been dipped and not slabb it ?

Also what is the difference between a coin that is "cleaned" vs dipped ? I notice ANACs net grades out cleaned coins.

Many thanks in advance....

coinkat

Its really not a good idea to dip gold coins and don't clean them under any circumstances. It is possible that a dipped gold coin will get body bagged, depending on the grade, and its a certainty that a cleaned gold coin will get body bagged.

darktone

Yes I would not dip gold either. I see many gold coins in grades of 60-62 that have been dipped or lightly cleaned and appear to be much better than the grade indicates except they have little or no luster. mike

Coulport

Thiourea type dips generally change the color of gold coins. It reacts with the copper in the alloy.
Best not to try it.

DaveG

To collectors, "cleaned" usually means the coin has been abrasively cleaned, while "dipping" means the coin has been dipped into a chemical solution and rinsed, but not otherwise rubbed or polished.

Abrasive cleaning leaves behind hairlines or other evidence of the abrasion, while dipping will frequently result in a color change or make the surface a bit "glassy", but not leave hairlines or fine scratches. Usually a silver coin will dip without too much of a color change, gold will have a little more color change and copper will have too much of a color change.

The grading services will usually slab a dipped coin (except copper), but body-bag a cleaned coin due to the fine scratches.

clackamas

Try an acetone bath. It won't alter the copper or any other metal and will dissolve most grime. Is a safe way not to get your coins BB'd.

OneYearTypes

I too have a gold coin that's been 'cleaned'. Planning on taking it to the Charlotte coin show since it was made in charlotte so people can tell me whether they think it's minor enough that pcgs might grade it.