What are the key indicators of a cleaned/dipped/whizzed coin?

SniperFire

For instance...this is pretty dull and lifeless...I would say this has been whizzed to death. Correct?

Walker

What are the key indicators that a coin has been dipped?

dthigpen

Look at the etched fields, that coin took a nice acid dip.

SniperFire

Could you explain a bit more fully?

dthigpen

It *could* be the picture. But see how the field to the right of liberty in the close-up looks almost porous? That's a good sign. I'd never buy that coin based on that picture. Simply put, a sure tell on that coin is the number of strikes / scratches on the devices as opposed to a completely clean field.

SniperFire

Ok..I'm with you on that...

how about this

Another

dthigpen

<< <i>Ok..I'm with you on that...

how about this

Another >>



The pictures on this one aren't detailed enough to give a definitive answer.

21Walker

I'm thinking dipped to oblivion (hence any mint luster that was there now gone), possibly acid bathed and then lightly whizzed to boot........was probrably a problem coin that was overly 'cared' for....IMO....Rick

edited to add....the pourous field to the right of liberty was probrably PVC or other damage the owner was trying to get rid of and it would not go away....hence the multiple dips and whizz....

ldhair

To me the first Walker looks over dipped.
If it was wizzed they did a really poor job of it.
A good wiz job would have removed more of the contact marks.

DaveG

Sometimes it can be very hard to detect signs of abrasive cleaning from a picture - frequently you have to rotate the coin under a light to see evidence of cleaning.

"Whizzing" describes using a high-speed metal brush (think of a Dremel tool) on the surface of the coin. You will see numerous parallel scratches on the surface of a whizzed coin. A coin that has simply been "wiped" will have at least some fine parallel scratches.

A coin that has been overly "dipped" (JeweLuster, for example) will have an unnatural luster. For example, if you have a circulated coin and the entire surface reflects the light in the same manner, then you may have a dipped coin. (the parts of the coins's surface that show wear shouldn't relfect light in the same way that the protected areas of the surface [between the letters for example] do. Also, if a circulated silver coin looks unnaturally light in color, then it probably has been dipped.

An uncirculated coin that has been overly dipped will display a dull and lifeless surface - it has been stripped of its "mint frost."

kidd

What about dipped, wizzed, and polished?

Fairlaneman

I do not think you can tell anything from his/her pictures. Look at the completed auctions and you will see that even the currency that is sold has the same look. Is the seller dipping and whizzing the currency also. Get in touch with the seller and get a description if you are interested in the coin.

Ken