To conserve or not to conserve?

spyglassdesign · June 20, 2023 2:46PM

I'm torn on this one. It's got very decent luster already but a slight haze, along with the junk around particularly the reverse devices and rim. Under a loupe it looks like debris that might be able to be removed, maybe even with an acetone wash?

What would you do? I'm not expecting an upgrade or anything, but feel it might benefit it's presentation to be conserved by NGC or PCGS?

TIA.

PerryHall · June 20, 2023 2:51PM

It looks natural and original. It looks like a nice attractive coin and I'd leave it alone. What grade did NGC give it?

spyglassdesign · June 20, 2023 2:52PM

@PerryHall said:
It looks natural and original. It looks like a nice attractive coin and I'd leave it alone. What grade did NGC give it?

MS62.

TennesseeDave · June 20, 2023 3:05PM

I have had success removing junk like that from coins before submitting to Pcgs by putting in acetone and using a wooden toothpick to gently work the debris out of the devices. then rinse with plenty of hot water and pat dry with a soft cloth.

spyglassdesign · June 20, 2023 3:13PM

@TennesseeDave said:
I have had success removing junk like that from coins before submitting to Pcgs by putting in acetone and using a wooden toothpick to gently work the debris out of the devices. then rinse with plenty of hot water and pat dry with a soft cloth.

I've had some success (and mistakes) working with silver coins before, but haven't tried with Gold as of yet!

cameonut2011 · June 20, 2023 3:58PM

I would leave it alone.

MICHAELDIXON · June 20, 2023 5:08PM

Leave it as-is

lermish · June 20, 2023 6:23PM

I like that coin very much as it is.

On a separate note, I've sent 4 coins recently through PCGS conservation. I have little to no experience with conservation so maybe my expectations were too high but I have to say I was pretty underwhelmed with the results. They weren't bad I guess I just expected a more dramatic change. So that being said, I would strongly lean towards leaving that coin in its current state.

Floridafacelifter · June 20, 2023 6:26PM

I would also likely leave it as it is- but I have heard numerous times that NGC has better conservation results than PCGS. I sent a 1794 $ through PCGS conservation because it looked like someone spilled a vanilla milkshake on it and I was also underwhelmed with the results.

gumby1234 · June 20, 2023 6:29PM

Leave that one be. It looks fine

jfriedm56 · June 20, 2023 6:35PM

I’d personally leave it as is. Great looking all original piece.

Smudge · June 20, 2023 6:58PM

I’m in the leave it alone club.

DisneyFan · June 20, 2023 7:12PM

Looks like an honest MS62. Have you thought about sending it to CAC? (and asking for a one word reason if it doesn't pass).

AUandAG · June 20, 2023 7:37PM

I ask why would you ask? Can't undo the past in my book.
bob

FlyingAl · June 20, 2023 7:49PM

Looks like a nice original piece of gold. No need to remove it's character.

Dave99B · June 20, 2023 7:59PM

It’s beautiful. Please leave her alone.

Dave

emeraldATV · June 20, 2023 8:52PM

True View presents her very well,
that to me says it all.

spyglassdesign · June 20, 2023 9:00PM

@emeraldATV said:
True View presents her very well,
that to me says it all.

Those are my pics it's ngc, not truview 😉

RobertScotLover · June 20, 2023 9:37PM

Why. If you want one scrubbed and cleaned, buy one. This is at minimum much more original example than most that are obviously messed with by appearing dirt free.

TomB · June 20, 2023 9:41PM

That's one bell that cannot be un-rung.

If you don't like it then I can only strongly suggest you sell it and buy one you like instead of decreasing the number of more original looking coins by one.

spyglassdesign · June 20, 2023 10:05PM

Thanks for all the feedback! I don't k ow if I've ever seen everyone so unified on a topic before 😅

emeraldATV · June 20, 2023 11:10PM

@spyglassdesign said:

@emeraldATV said:
True View presents her very well,
that to me says it all.

Those are my pics it's ngc, not truview 😉

Your so right !
Can I do a retraction? Very well done are NGC's photos. That to me shows her true image. I like mine without makeup.
(Maybe I should have not used caps.)
Thanks Brother.

spyglassdesign · June 20, 2023 11:14PM

@emeraldATV said:

@spyglassdesign said:

@emeraldATV said:
True View presents her very well,
that to me says it all.

Those are my pics it's ngc, not truview 😉

Your so right !
Can I do a retraction? Very well done are NGC's photos. That to me shows her true image. I like mine without makeup.
(Maybe I should have not used caps.)
Thanks Brother.

I mean they are pics I took, personally, of the coin 😁

RobertScotLover · June 21, 2023 10:33AM

Maybe you should think of buying a 1962 dated coin instead, it will probably not have any 160 year old dirt on it. Dirt is good, super clean in that grade means it has been sanitized imo.

Meltdown · June 21, 2023 11:57AM

@spyglassdesign said:

@emeraldATV said:

@spyglassdesign said:

@emeraldATV said:
True View presents her very well,
that to me says it all.

Those are my pics it's ngc, not truview 😉

Your so right !
Can I do a retraction? Very well done are NGC's photos. That to me shows her true image. I like mine without makeup.
(Maybe I should have not used caps.)
Thanks Brother.

I mean they are pics I took, personally, of the coin 😁

Well then... those pics, you took from somwhere look great. I wonder who shot them?

EarlyUS · June 21, 2023 12:02PM

I would guess it has already been "conserved".

spyglassdesign · June 21, 2023 12:02PM

@Meltdown said:

@spyglassdesign said:

@emeraldATV said:

@spyglassdesign said:

@emeraldATV said:
True View presents her very well,
that to me says it all.

Those are my pics it's ngc, not truview 😉

Your so right !
Can I do a retraction? Very well done are NGC's photos. That to me shows her true image. I like mine without makeup.
(Maybe I should have not used caps.)
Thanks Brother.

I mean they are pics I took, personally, of the coin 😁

Well then... those pics, you took from somwhere look great. I wonder who shot them?

From my own camera using my own setup. Spent a lot of time practicing and getting feedback and help from the fine folks here to get to that point 😁

Thank you very much for the compliment!

Meltdown · June 21, 2023 12:08PM

@spyglassdesign
I was just trying to be funny.. They are great photos. It is interesting that a mint state coin has "gunk" on it. It would probably bother me too. It's hard to go against the cardinal rule however... "Original is Best."

spyglassdesign · June 21, 2023 12:29PM

@Meltdown said:
@spyglassdesign
I was just trying to be funny.. They are great photos. It is interesting that a mint state coin has "gunk" on it. It would probably bother me too. It's hard to go against the cardinal rule however... "Original is Best."

Yeah I got it with the smiley that's why I thanked you 😊

As for the concensus, it's pretty resounding!

World67 · June 21, 2023 12:30PM

@MICHAELDIXON said:
Leave it as-is

Agree

PeakRarities · June 21, 2023 1:26PM

I can relate, because I’ve started several similar threads where I may have been bothered by a spot or some dirt or something on my original gold coins. One was my 1853 $20 that has a few spots on the obverse, but the coin has a beautiful original patina and very nice color otherwise.

Since then, I have grown to love every bit of that coin in its entirety, and the dirt/spots don’t bother me at all. I imagine it could have gone the other way too, and I would have sold the coin if I wasn’t happy.

To conserve or not to conserve?

Comments

Leave a Comment