Dull question about Altered coins

netrubicon · October 30, 2005 2:23PM

The bottom line is Ive only been collecting seriously about a year. (Who cares). I bought this 1857 Flying Eagle because it displayed a lot of color. The eagle breast and feathers have a deep blue/green color apparent between the feathers on the deeper struck portions of the design.
The same colors appear on the reverse in the feilds around the wreath under the right light. When I purchased this coin there was no question
in my mind of a cleaning. It looked like an AU example of a flyer. Small ticks in obverse feilds and a scratch/bagmark near TED in United on the obverse. I liked the coin, thought it original and paid greysheet 58 for it at the time. I submitted the coin to PCGS, and the coin was BB'd for altered surfaces. I would rather the coin be holdered. Not so much for grade but authentication and preservation. I showed another dealer the
coin who mentioned it MAY have been cleaned. PCGS claims Altered surfaces. If PCGS knew the coin was cleaned, would they not have BB'd it cleaning? Now that they call it altered surfaces, as a new collector, what do I do with this coin, and what is exactly wrong with it? For the price
I pay and turn around time for the work performed, cant I get a little more detail?

p8nt · October 30, 2005 2:27PM

I see cleaning. Look at the coin in general. See how the areas around the date is darker..? Not always, but sometimes that can be a clue to cleaning. It could have been whizzed too. You can also see the hairlines in your picture.

I do agree though that PCGS should give a bit more of an explanation.

BlindedByEgo · October 30, 2005 2:33PM

If you really want it in plastic, send it to ANACS. They do a fair job of grading and will holder it with a "net" grade. At least if its in ANACS plastic, net graded, you can put it on Teletrade and not take too much of a beating (outside of their high fees).

Dull question about Altered coins

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