Dirty gold?

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I am very new to gold. I really picked this piece up for bullion value. Still I’m curious how dirt gets in between the letters. Does it pick up debris from the environment? Improper storage? Any info on gold would be appreciated.


Comments

  • LanceNewmanOCC
    LanceNewmanOCC Posts: 19,999 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    there is a chance on this coin that is cleaning compound. something like what jewelers use to polish up rings/necklaces etc.

    you are right though, coins this nice are hard-pressed to have picked up such an amount of crud/dirt w/o corresponding wear/damage or whatever but occasionally it does happen given the nearly infinite amount of situations items/coins find themselves in.

    a coin with a look like this can easily have been buried, gently cleaned/wiped down (not advised) and have stuff around the crevices/devices simply because it is more difficult to remove in those areas.

    IF it is a type of cleaning compound, some acetone soaking and some GENTLE nudging with a toothpick, dried brown rose thorn or if you have enough experience a slow meandering with a worth toothbrush would get all that off.

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  • jmlanzaf
    jmlanzaf Posts: 43,072 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    It was meant for commerce. Haven't you had dirty, crud-filled pocket change?

    Could also have been a jewelry piece, in some cases.

    That one looks cleaned. Is it straight graded?

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  • Randoms
    Randoms Posts: 165 ✭✭✭
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    It’s in a 62 holder. The premium I paid was way less then a comparable U.S. coin. It looks cool. I’m probably not messing with it.

  • ricko
    ricko Posts: 98,724 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    It looks to me as if it may have been in a bezel for a while, perhaps a necklace. Cheers, RickO

  • jmlanzaf
    jmlanzaf Posts: 43,072 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I'm rather surprised it straight graded. Could just be the photos, but the luster further between the open fields and the letters coupled with the gunk in the letters really makes it look like out was rubbed clean. Is that die polish or hairlines near the denomination?

    It's a nice coin, don't bet me wrong. But, at least in the photos, it looks a little doctored.

    All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.

  • MsMorrisine
    MsMorrisine Posts: 40,088 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @LanceNewmanOCC said:

    IF it is a type of cleaning compound, some acetone soaking

    Ok

    nd some GENTLE nudging with a toothpick,

    Bad

    dried brown rose thorn or

    Worse

    if you have enough experience a slow meandering with a worth toothbrush would get all that off.

    Worst

    Current maintainer of Stone's Master List of Favorite Websites // My BST transactions
  • Randoms
    Randoms Posts: 165 ✭✭✭
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    It’s a crummy iPhone photo. I’ll see if I can get better pictures. It was way cheaper then a $5 U.S. good piece. Same coin different country

  • coinkat
    coinkat Posts: 24,542 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    I suspect the past storage and environment is likely the most plausible explanation. Cuban coinage can develop some characteristics that most will consider detracting- leave this one as it is. If you try to enhance the coin, it will not produce the result you will likely be expecting.

    There are no mulligans or do overs when it comes to dipping or efforts to enhance a coin. I think the color is fine- my concern is the area above and threw CINCO PESOS and into and above the wreath.

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  • LanceNewmanOCC
    LanceNewmanOCC Posts: 19,999 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @MsMorrisine said:

    i'd just like the record to reflect i've done all those methods in specific circumstances with high success but shouldn't be done by novices.

    still an entertaining response. :)

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  • nencoin
    nencoin Posts: 1,323 ✭✭✭✭
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    Being a world coin, it presumably has TrueView images available. You can try posting those, or just provide the cert number.

  • Randoms
    Randoms Posts: 165 ✭✭✭
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    Sadly no TrueView. I got it from a bullion dealer. So no idea who submitted it

  • Randoms
    Randoms Posts: 165 ✭✭✭
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    My cost was like $70 over spot. I wanted some exposure to gold. I don’t have a local guy. Maybe it’s not great for the grade. I figured it may have been cleaned. If gold goes crazy I’ll sell and put the money into something else. I don’t think my downside is to much on this one

  • jmlanzaf
    jmlanzaf Posts: 43,072 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @Randoms said:
    My cost was like $70 over spot. I wanted some exposure to gold. I don’t have a local guy. Maybe it’s not great for the grade. I figured it may have been cleaned. If gold goes crazy I’ll sell and put the money into something else. I don’t think my downside is to much on this one

    It's not bad for $500.

    All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.

  • Randoms
    Randoms Posts: 165 ✭✭✭
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    I can’t even get a quarter maple leaf for that

  • MsMorrisine
    MsMorrisine Posts: 40,088 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    Plus it’s holdered

    Current maintainer of Stone's Master List of Favorite Websites // My BST transactions
  • moursund
    moursund Posts: 3,207 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @MsMorrisine said:
    Plus it’s holdered

    Plus it's not a bad looking coin. Probably not as sexy as U.S. equivalent, but good chance to learn some Cuban history...

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  • Crypto
    Crypto Posts: 4,098 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited December 8, 2021 5:00PM
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    As a point you can’t sell those on ebay without some key word manipulation. I was attracted to some of their early proofs but great collections is about the only option. I suspect that is one of the things suppressing their values

  • Randoms
    Randoms Posts: 165 ✭✭✭
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    Why can’t I find Cuban coinage on eBay? I grew up in Miami so I wanted to own some. I would like some nice silver pieces if I could find them

  • coinkat
    coinkat Posts: 24,542 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    The ABC Peso series 1934-39 is deceptively tough in MS64 and higher with the 1937 being the tough one...

    The Star Peso series is more available and affordable.

    Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.

  • jmlanzaf
    jmlanzaf Posts: 43,072 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    @Randoms said:
    Why can’t I find Cuban coinage on eBay? I grew up in Miami so I wanted to own some. I would like some nice silver pieces if I could find them

    You can't ask anything Cuban on ebay. Aggressive interpretation of the rules.

    They shut down my listing of a Cuban postcard from 1898 canceled on a US WARSHIP. I mean, you can hardly tie that to Castro. Lol.

    All comments reflect the opinion of the author, even when irrefutably accurate.

  • coinkat
    coinkat Posts: 24,542 ✭✭✭✭✭
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    The ABC Pesos were struck in Philadelphia

    Experience the World through Numismatics...it's more than you can imagine.

  • Randoms
    Randoms Posts: 165 ✭✭✭
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    I’ve known plenty of Castro era refugees, heard lots of stories. Living in Miami it’s just the way things are.

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