Whizzed, Lasered, Polished, Repaired - Which is the worst?

MrEureka

Whizzed, Lasered, Polished, Repaired - Which is the worst?

All four processes smooth the surfaces of the coin, thereby eliminating visible defects. Of course, in the process the coin loses more than just the defects. Originality, luster, and metal flow lines are damaged, etc.

Now, consider four coins, each "doctored" in one of the above four ways. Assume all started out looking the same as each other and all ended up looking really good and exactly like each other. If you could pick one of the four as your X-Mas gift from PCGS, which would you take?

BillJones

I think lasered is the worst because it’s the hardest to detect. It’s the one that will fool the most collectors.

For sheer ugliness, polished comes next. Those coins almost always look bad.

Next is whizzed. It can be in various degrees, and if it’s been lightly done, the coin may not be a total lost cause.

Repaired is the least offensive, especially if it is marked as such. For some rare coins filling a hole or smoothing a bad scratch (less desirable procedure IMO) can make it at least acceptable.

MacCoin

I don't like any doctor coin unless I do lt, than all I do is dip. I guess I could deal with a repared coin fill hole of someting like that.

originalisbest

Glad you brought this up, Andy. I was thinking about posting a thread on lasering - namely, how do you detect it/what does it look like? Mr. Jones, anything you can offer would be most helpful. Despite the fact I'm not likely to ever be buying classic proof gold, I'd like to know more about the effects of lasering on them and coins of that caliber. TIA.

MrEureka

I would accept any of the four coins with equal appreciation. If they started the same and ended up the same, I wouldn't care what process was used to get them to that point.

Clankeye

<< <i>and all ended up looking really good and exactly like each other. >>



Yes, that would be my take on it. If they all end up looking the same who cares what method of doctoring was used.

Clankeye

oreville

To Andy, of "60 Hours" fame:

That is like asking me if I prefer to die by:

(1) Dipping in a vat of boiling oil... (Nice polish job)
(2) Dipping in a vat of boiling water... (Gee Whizz)
(3)Submerging me at the bottom of the Ocean in a small dark box (Laquer the box first!!)

or

(4)Repairing me by cutting parts of my body off a little at a time. (Lasering then Repairing)

Arrrrggggghhhh

Although from a coin and human rperspective, I might live if only my arm or leg was removed and then reattached.

meos1

Ok So I repair a hole in the Mona Lisa...Not a problem right? I smooth out a wrinkled fender, again no problem. What if I "adjusted" the tolerance on a moving part? Is that OK. If I do a acid rinse on the Statue of Liberty.

Just som though provoking questions,

Dan

SethChandler

What exactly is lasering? I've had it done to my eyes. Same process? What part of the coin gets lasered, the fields or devices? Why is it so hard to detect?

dorkkarl

they're all equally as bad as dipping, far as i'm concerned

K S

dorkkarl

lasering, in a nutshell, is where a laser is used to track, for example, a scratch on the coin, & the metal surrounding the scratch is melted to "fill in" the depression caused by the scratch. also used to remove graffiti, bagmarks, etc. extremely convincing process if done right.

gold coins are most popular, having a lower melting point than silver/copper alloys, & therefore easier to laser-etch

to my knowledge, lasering CANNOT be effectively used to "restore" detail, ie. re-engrave detail

K S

ARCO

lasering probably only applies to gold. Whizzing is very obvious and doesn't seem to show up much anymore. Polishing is probably the most commonly seen and it just kills a coin for me. Repairing coins is scarcely encountered by myself so I have never noticed.

Cleaned/dipped/polished or rubbed is the great bane of a large majority of collector coins in circulated condition.

Tyler

nwcs

Which is worse: amputation, disfiguration, scars, or disease?

dorkkarl

constipation is worst than all 4 of those

(so i've heard)

K S