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Can a cleaned coin become original again?
REALGATOR
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Lets say you bought an AU Details - Cleaned gold coin that has light hairlines. If you take the coin and "circulate" it or use it as a pocket piece to the point of lets say VF or XF and no damage occurs, could the evidence of the old cleaning be removed due to wear?
Does anyone have any before and after pics. of such a case?
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I would imagine a cleaned AU could be "circulated" down to a problem-free VF or perhaps even EF. This might be especially true with gold, which can be a magnet for light hairlines regardless of how it is handled. However, even though you may have given it details consistent with a VF or EF, the coin would not necessarily have acquired any patina (unlikely to form much on gold, anyway) or have picked up adhered dirt. In other words, it might just look like a rather shiny, lower grade coin.
In honor of the memory of Cpl. Michael E. Thompson
Hmmm - I bought a bunch of Columbian Expo halves from 1892-3 that had been polished and put them up on a gate on the ranch years ago. I left them there for several years then put them in holders - sometime I need to dig them out and see what they look like.
Unlikely since carrying a gold coin as a pocket piece would give it an unnatural burnished look. Also, by making it a pocket piece you run the risk of losing it. Why not just sell it and buy a problem free gold coin that's already been slabbed and save yourself a lot of grief.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
Thanks for the input. Actually I don't have such a coin right now, but it seems like a valid academic question.
Valid question that I have been pondering. I have a really unique error gold coin at ngc right now that I suspect will grade lightly cleaned, and I which I could "circulate" it just enough to make it look natural again.
I have a 1908-s IHC given to me by my grandma in the late 40s.
I rubbed that sucker diligently with DRY baking soda at least every month or two.
For years!
An article in Readers Digest said baking soda was good for cleaning coins.
I got that pup shiny pinkish at least a good 5-6 times.
Then about 10 years ago I sent it in for grading.
It was a pleasant chocolate brown.
Came back 53.
Many coins that have been graded "cleaned" have been cracked out and resubmitted and have been properly graded
Lafayette Grading Set
Why would carrying it in a pocket lead to an "unnatural" look? All circulated gold coins now on the market were probably carried in a pocket.
With hairlines? I think that would qualify as improperly graded.
Old gold coins stopped circulating almost a century ago and while in storage developed an aged appearance over time. Carrying one in your pocket with pocket change will give it an unnatural shiny burnished appearance that many experienced gold coin collectors would recognize as being unnatural and unoriginal. The grading services might grade such a coin but many gold coin collectors would not want this coin in their collection because it no longer has original surfaces.
Worry is the interest you pay on a debt you may not owe.
Carrying one in your pocket with pocket change will give it an unnatural shiny burnished appearance that many experienced gold coin collectors would recognize as being unnatural and unoriginal.
So, it seems the answer to the original question is yes it might grade as original but it won't have "the look".
I wonder if this holds true for silver and other metals?
Always wondered this on "polished" (just poorly cleaned) coins. Recently got a 1932 polished WQ for less than 2 bucks. I hope there's some way, or toning over the years "fixing" it.
Gold is softer than silver and will 'age' differently.... Silver, after pocket wear, will also tarnish to cover some of the wear.....gold will not tarnish (although the copper in the gold may, under certain conditions, tarnish). Cheers, RickO
If the question is not hypothetical, then one needs to ask if a freshly circulated, but problem free, VF would sell for more or less than an AU details coin.
Keeper of the VAM Catalog • Professional Coin Imaging • Prime Number Set • World Coins in Early America • British Trade Dollars
That's one heck of a story!. Surprising, too.
Pete
I've done a "cleaned $2.5 indian as a pocket piece" for a few weeks and it didn't look much better by the end of the experiment. It had more hairlines on it, but that might have been from keeping in my pocket of my work pants (wool dress pants) as opposed to jeans or another fabric that is less abrasive.
Ended up selling it and moving on.
This is the only picture I have of the lovingly rubbed Indian Cent.
(It would get lots of green gunk between rubs, too.
)
No. "Original" is only once. Much like a "first kiss."
You mean like "original sin" ? Surely not original skin.
i have thought about this before. i had some coin graded xf40...but it was really cleaned and processed. i knew could carry the piece and wear it down to a wholesome looking vf or f...however, it would be worth the same as a 40...so what would be the point. @PerryHall has the best advice.
Should I try it on this Peace?
No. Maybe. Yes.
As a pocket piece you'd have to have a pocket full of silver and gold coins to get a natural look.
bob