? on purchasing cleaned coins

Melmcbee

Hello. If you see a coin that you like and find out it has been cleaned, would you still purchase it? If so, would you pay a lower price for it than a coin that hasn't been cleaned? Just as an example here is a coin that I find attractive.

1830 1/2 dime

What would the price difference be between two of the same type coins given that one is cleaned and the other isn't? How much less is a cleaned coin worth to you. In reference to the coin above, what are the signs that it is cleaned?

Thanks in advance for any help and advice. I appreciate the time that all of you take to help

northcoin

You can just about assume that a coin of that type and date has been cleaned. The question is whether you will get lucky when it is submitted to the grading services. One grader's harsh cleaning, i.e. body bagging is another grader's light cleaning and with luck a slabbing. ANACS seems to have resolved to go ahead and slab cleaned coins by noting their opinion of the cleaning on the slab and then net grading. PCGS and NGC on the other hand will either return the coin unslabbed or as noted above if you get lucky will slab it without any comment about the cleaning.

michael

oh the 1830 half dime you mentioned i would never purchase such an ugly POS dog pig rat a$$ turd coin like that

now if you do purchase such a coin in time you will grow to not like it at all and be sorry you ever bought it in the first place

such are my thoughts on the matter and it gives you something to think about and then make your own decision

i like the 1830 date and i am sure for a few dollars more you can find a decent original unmolested coin

maybe in a nice xf grade

TheLiberator

Michael, you never fail to entertain me with your wonderful descriptions of coins!

To the original poster, I have often wondered about these things myself. I guess the scale is all over the place really...

carl

Depends on if your buying a coin to some day resell it, give to someone else or just want it for yourself. If it's for yourself, who cares if it's been cleaned as long as you want it, buy it. I've bought cleaned coins because I liked them and plan on keeping them for myself so I don't care what anyone else would say. It's like buying a house, car, dog, etc. It's what you want that's important.

Purple73

Are you after the date or the Variety?

Here is something else you might wanna consider if your after the date.

click this


PURPLE!

AgMe

(hello all)

Hmmmm, if it's a dip (or something minor), I want to know, but "you'll get it's money" anyways. If it is a big change (whizzed), then bid will drop to "about good" money, since you are changing the coin (in my opinion).

...Eye appeal & originality mean a lot to me.

-g

KurtHorn

Anacs Net grades are usually fairly close to their real value. If you watch Heritage auctions much you will see they come in just a little soft of the Net grade assigned. Also, with this coin if ANACS graded it AU details cleaned Net AU 50 you have a real indication the cleaning must be VERY light. Usually a cleaned coin is a full grade drop like AU to EF or MS to AU. Last, to Michael who called it a POS. I think it looks pretty nice to me.

I've had pretty good luck with ANACS net graded coins on ebay. In fact, on a few occasions the bids have gone up past the details grade. A coin is worth whatever someone will pay for it.

One last thought. If you're actually considering buying a coin. Putting a link to its auction here on these boards is not a very good idea. I wouldn't be a bit surprised if Michael doesn't try and snipe it on you.

JxnBoy

First off, I do not agree with the normal stigma that most attach to cleaned coins. But, even for me, there is cleaning and there is cleaning.

To answer the first question in the OP, I can't really tell from the Heritage photos that this coin is cleaned. The photos are not the best. It does have an unnatural look, but without having the coin in hand, it's a tough call. I don't see any telltale hairlining, but that general look doesn't look natural.

With respect to your other questions, I do in fact buy cleaned coins. I wouldn't buy whizzed, harshly cleaned, or blatant AT garbage as much is on ebay, but a light cleaning or if someone has wiped a coin with a jewelers cloth (probably by some unknowing collector in the past that didn't know better) is acceptable to me.

How much a discount from the original state I guess is a factor of how much eye appeal is left, or has been been taken away from the coin as a result of the cleaning.

Here's an example from my collection of a coin I bought, knowing full well it was cleaned. I still think it's a nice looking coin.

bohica268

If you see a coin that you like and find out it has been cleaned, would you still purchase it?

Yes. I am awaiting the delivery of an 1858 Canadian 20 Cent Piece from The Cheap Slab Store.
Listed as having VF20 details it was net graded F12 by ANACS because it had been cleaned.
I look at it as acquiring a Very Fine coin for a Fine coin price.

Melmcbee

Thank you all so much for the advice. Michael I also love the way you describe coins. Purple the coin on ebay is beautiful to me. Is it real? I don't have the skill yet to tell if a coin is real orfake, cleaned or natural, AT or Nt yet. I love the bust head coins especially the classic head style. I am not looking for a particular year.

Thanks again for all of your help.

Purple73

Alot of the fake coinage is the Seated Trade dollars, Gold coins , The Raketeer nickle( Although not fake it was often made to "look" like a gold coin. It's V nickle with no "cents" on the reverse) Half-Dimes simply was a waste of time to make fakes....no large amount of money to be had in it.

Although this one dude made Fake war nickels and didn't put the big mintmark on the reverse. Of course this dude was prolly on 10 hits of purple microdot when he come up with this idea

cohodk

Michael........