Cleaned, but MS FB???? Merc Mystery

mjr36cb

I just got a few grades back on some merc's from PCGS. One of them came back as "cleaned", but with "MS FB". I haven't been collecting for long, but if a coin had been cleaned wouldn't that mean it could not be MS? The coin in question has nice cartwheel luster and is BU for sure, plus it is a 17, so it's not like there's a bunch of them laying around. At least two other knowledgeable dealers and collectors have said that it has not been cleaned. Which brings me to my next question.
I was taught that if a merc has cartwheel luster then it has not been cleaned, i.e., you can't fake this, cleaning will remove it and nothing can be done to replace it.
I will buy just about anything, but I only collect Mercury's...so this is very important to me...please, you knowledgeable merc collectors let me know.....Your replies are appreciated. Thank you....

Boom

Are you saying that PCGS slabbed a cleaned coin?

Bubblehead

No Boom,
It was returned in a body bag, but the tag read "MS FB"..... ? so, is another submission in order?

CarlWohlforth

I think if a MS coin was cleaned it is now a cleaned MS coin It is still MS, but PCGS doesn't want to grade it.

Sometimes a harsh cleaning will remove all traces of luster. Say if you use a steel wool pad and rub the whole coin. Sometimes a whizzed coin can look like it has some luster. Whizzing is when a high speed tool is used to polish the coin.

There are degrees of cleaning. I'd like to see the coin so I could get a better idea. Since a few people didn't think the Merc was cleaned then it might have been lightly cleaned, not enough to remove all luster.

WinPitcher

a cleaned coin can still be in mint state, however pcgs will not slab it the ms fb designation you rec was that the coin was still in mint state and had full bands, mint state designations refer to wear not luster, mint state 60 61 62 etc will explain the amt of luster or lack thereof...