What is the best way to wear a coin down 20-30 points?

fivecents · November 16, 2004 12:05AM

I have a 2000 silver Kennedy, silver eagle and a gold modern commem that I am trying to wear down to the lower grades. What is the best way to put wear on a coin other that carrying it in your pocket?

DominusDeus · November 16, 2004 12:07AM

Rock tumbler with nut shells (walnut shells, probably).

Baley · November 16, 2004 12:08AM

Rock Tumbler, with some pieces of leather, some pieces of denim, some sand and dirt, and some water, and some other pocket change. Tumble for a few days, check, tumble some more if necessary.

That's how "they" make all those low grade modern coins for those novelty slabs.

Russ · November 16, 2004 12:14AM

I've had an Accented Hair in my pocket with other change for a couple years now, and it's finally getting close to EF. The damned mirroring in the protected areas is taking forever to dull.

Russ, NCNE

braddick · November 16, 2004 12:27AM

<< Rock Tumbler, with some pieces of leather, some pieces of denim, some sand and dirt, and some water, and some other pocket change. Tumble for a few days, check, tumble some more if necessary. That's how "they" make all those low grade modern coins for those novelty slabs. >>

Doing so gives an artifical look that doesn't fool anyone. The coin ends up with micro pock marks and unnatural wear. The edges especially take on a curved appearance that gives the impression the coin's been dremeled and buffed.

Surprisingly, there are many who still believe it's easy to "wear down" a coin via a tumbler yet no one has yet to take me up on this offer:
$1,500.00 Challenge. PO01 1970-D Kennedy

Last year I offered a like amount for a PO01 Ike, any year and no one was able to make good on my offer.

You'de think if someone, anyone could rock tumble a coin down to PO01 they'de easily do so and cash in.

braddick · November 16, 2004 12:30AM

$1,000.00 PO01 Ike

fivecents · November 16, 2004 12:33AM

Rock Tummbler? Thats a great idea. I wonder if any of the TPGS has ever bodybagged a coin AW...Artifically Worn.

Russ...Carrying a Kennedy half in your pocket for a couple of years and it still is an AU? Man... if it takes that long for a silver coin to wear I wonder how long it would take a cupronickel Kennedy half to wear down.

mgoodm3 · November 16, 2004 12:36AM

Coins are pretty tough. It gives you a good idea of just how long it takes to get a coin down to PO01 with normal wear.

fivecents · November 16, 2004 12:38AM

<< Doing so gives an artifical look that doesn't fool anyone. The coin ends up with micro pock marks and unnatural wear. The edges especially take on a curved appearance that gives the impression the coin's been dremeled and buffed. >>

Thanks for the heads up Braddick. Do you know of anyother way to wear a coin down other than carrying the coin in your pocket for years on end?

braddick · November 16, 2004 12:45AM

Even simply carrying them in your pocket is a bit of a risk as many times the coin will take on a polished/buffed appearance.

It's seems the best is natural circulation- like the Barber halves did. In and out of cash drawers, pockets, night stand table ashtrays... what have you.
That's just tough to duplicate.

solid · November 16, 2004 12:47AM

Really makes you appreciate a totally problem free Morgan, Barber, Walker,
Commem or the like in VF/XF with that perfect gray toning look and what it
took to get it there.

Ken

windwhispersintrees · November 16, 2004 12:59AM

Haven't tried these but here are some ideas....

How about automotive sandpaper....800 or 1600 grit?

How about any machine that vibrates, like a vibrating sifter? The constant lateral movement ought to cause some wear?

Russ · November 16, 2004 1:03AM

<< Russ...Carrying a Kennedy half in your pocket for a couple of years and it still is an AU? >>

I also have a set of 2002 silver proof SQ's that I've been carrying for about the same amount of time. Those are down to EF. The mirroring went away much more quickly; probably because the coins are smaller and the relief is somewhat less.

Russ, NCNE

Baley · November 16, 2004 1:11AM

Doing so gives an artifical look that doesn't fool anyone. The coin ends up with micro pock marks and unnatural wear. The edges especially take on a curved appearance that gives the impression the coin's been dremeled and buffed.

Then you must not be doing it right

Spinynorman · November 16, 2004 2:23AM

Here's 3+ years in the pocket on a Sac dollar. I'd guess it's into the VF grades.

Melmcbee · November 16, 2004 2:56AM

Please forgive my ignorance as I am a newb to the art of coin collecting, but, why do you want to wear a coin down? I would kill to own or even see some of the beautiful coins that you show here and I don't understand why you would want to depreciate the value by wearing it down? I thought we weren't even suppose to touch the coin to prevent fingerprints. Please don't laugh at me too hard but I really hang on to every word that all of you say as the gospel because I want to learn from the best. You.

paigowjohnny · November 16, 2004 3:08AM

Great...first AT, and now AW (artificial wear)

XpipedreamR · November 16, 2004 3:13AM

<< Please forgive my ignorance as I am a newb to the art of coin collecting, but, why do you want to wear a coin down? I would kill to own or even see some of the beautiful coins that you show here and I don't understand why you would want to depreciate the value by wearing it down? I thought we weren't even suppose to touch the coin to prevent fingerprints. Please don't laugh at me too hard but I really hang on to every word that all of you say as the gospel because I want to learn from the best. You.

>>

Sometimes, you may want to wear down a coin to eliminate a problem coin...say, to wear off a cleaned surface.

Most responses in this thread are from collectors that have become bored with "regular" collecting and are looking for wacky things to do with coins

SethChandler · November 16, 2004 3:29AM

Buy an Accugrade coin, submit it to PCGS, the net difference in grade should be 20/30 points.

fivecents · November 16, 2004 4:55AM

<< Please forgive my ignorance as I am a newb to the art of coin collecting, but, why do you want to wear a coin down? >>

melmcbee.....Look at it as the flip side of condition rarity. How many P01(poor 1) gold modern commems have you seen? It doesn't help that forum member Braddick pays good money for some P01 graded coins.

You are right melmcbee, it is a not normal behavior of a coin collector........That is why it is so much fun!

dthigpen · November 16, 2004 4:57AM

People collect low-grade coins for the same reason others collect coins with holes in them, etc. Because it's fun, can be very cheap at times (And overly expensive at others), and is a challenge. Not all people collect coins purely based on their monetary value.

cladking · November 16, 2004 6:16AM

The best way to wear coins down is the old fashioned way like our grandfathers did; hard
work. Just put the coin in your pocket along with a few other coins of generally the same
sort and go dig a ditch. You may need to dig a few ditches in fact. Figure a day's hard work
will wear a coin down about half a grade. Some grades are "wider" or "narrower" so will take
longer. Once it gets to around G it will take a little longer to get it down more because the
lowest grades are very wide (ie- more metal needs to be sloughed off to lower a single grade).

This will provide what looks like good honest wear. There are other ways to do it but they are
harder to do and I might try to take Braddick up on his challenge one of these days.

What is the best way to wear a coin down 20-30 points?

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