Has PCGS slabbed cleaned coins?

Buddyboy

I realize this should be an odd question to ask. It has always been my understanding that since cleaning is one of the biggest NO-NOs in the hobby, that PCGS would BB a coin at the first hint of it. I have two SEMI-KEY Morgans, slabbed by PCGS, which I think may have been cleaned at some time. Viewing KEY and SEMI-KEY coins, has anyone else encountered PCGS slabs which they consider to have been cleaned?

Russ

PCGS slabs cleaned coins all the time. It's a matter of degree. A light difficult to detect cleaning will frequently get a coin graded a bit lower, rather than a bodybag.

Russ, NCNE

Deadhorse

Of course they have slabbed them.

You'd be hard pressed to find many early 19th century coins that haven't been cleaned at some point in time.

Morgans are a slightly different case, a light cleaning would probably have no effect but a more severe one would get you a BB.

charley

Absolutely.

cointagious

Not slabbing of a cleaned coin is smoething of a misnomer. It's really about the market acceptability of the cleaning. There are hundreds of thousands of slabbed 'cleaned' coins. FYI - there was a PCGS holdered, heavily polished, rare date gold coin in the Heritage FUN sale. I like to point out this coin for example: B&M catalog description...lot 1042 paul mory collection sale on 6/2000...'vg-8(pcgs) but cleaned, burnished, re-engraved at portions of the design, and lightly pitted in areas. Overall sharpness is vf-20 or so'...

stev32k

In some cases an expert cleaning can raise an MS65 to an MS66 or even MS67. It can also raise a 40 to a 45. PCGS likes luster & eye appeal.

weresteve

<< <i>PCGS slabs cleaned coins all the time. It's a matter of degree. A light difficult to detect cleaning will frequently get a coin graded a bit lower, rather than a bodybag. >>



Couple of examples ... foreign proof patterns:

1913-G PRUSSIA BRONZE GOETZ PATTERN 5-COIN PRF SET PCGS

1913 BAVARIA COPPER GOETZ PATTERN 5-COIN PROOF SET PCGS

Steve

Buddyboy

I STAND EDUCATED!
Thanks, folks!

haletj

There was a Lincoln Cent that had been laquered and was in a pcgs ms64rd holder in the Heritage auction. It sold for $2500 probably to someone who didn't realize that.

RELLA

So much for full disclosure on my auctions in the future.

This isn't an isolated incident or just because they're patterns, weresteve. There wouldn't be many older proof coins in PCGS and NGC holders (especially in the 60-64 grade range) if they didn't slab coins with a few hairlines or other signs of having once been cleaned. I just think that some other sellers may be a bit more reluctant to come right out and disclose the reasons their coins grade below Gem Proof...after all, if the holder says PR63, the buyer does understand that there's a reason why the coin got that grade, right?

Y'all must really like me around here...I'm getting a LOT of free advertising on the U.S. Coin board lately.

RELLA

majorbigtime

Has PCGS slabbed cleaned coins?

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