The Atrocity of Cleaned Rare American Coins

A mint state/uncirculated coin will NEVER need cleaning. Don't even consider cleaning it for almost any reason. Circulated coins don't have the value of their uncirculated counterparts and can occasionally be improved with a light touch up.

A well circulated coin needs to look well circulated, so leave it alone. That leaves the AU grade range of silver coins most at risk of being improved by cleaning. If you need to clean the coin, take action properly!

Otherwise take it to a dealer and request their advice. The dealer will probably tell you to leave it alone, since improper cleaning will substantially decrease its value and sale ability. The higher priced the coin, the more disastrous improper cleaning is going to be for its value.

Remember, you can't unclean an improperly cleaned coin.

Any coin whose surface doesn't look quite right will be labeled "cleaned" by coin graders. Their surfaces will look flat, have small scratches or hairlines in it, or various other sign of tampering. Among the most frequent reasons for a coin to get a Details Grading is unskilled and improper cleaning.

Improperly cleaned is a generic term used by coin graders to explain unskilled cleaning when the actual nature of the action is uncertain. Improper may be the operative word here. Improper cleaning is applying an abrasive such as a scouring pad, Scotch Brite pad, cleanser, polishing compound, etc. to the coin's surface.

The word "improperly cleaned" employed by the grading services suggests there are proper ways to completely clean a coin. Light, nondestructive cleaning, particularly when available on older coins, can still permit numeric grading of the rare American coin.

There are always a number of nondestructive types of cleaning silver coins. I'll gently wipe business strike circulated coins with rubbing alcohol and cotton pad to get rid of surface grime and finger prints. This makes the coin look more presentable without removing toning or doing surface damage.

Washing the coin in dish detergent also constitutes proper cleaning. Let the coin soak in dish detergent mixed 50/50 with water for ten minutes, then swish it around in the detergent water before holding it beneath the running rinse water, and finally blotting it dry with a terrycloth towel.

For very specific forms of problems, there is a professional coin dipping solution called EZ-est, which removes surface contaminants quickly without apparently damaging the surfaces. This to me is a good product for enhancing the eye appeal of a coin without changing mint luster or any important characteristics.

I rarely dip silver coins. Dipping solutions only benefit a small quantity of very specific situations. It's not a panacea for problem coins.

I only dip a coin after carefully considering perhaps the coin is likely to be substantially improved by its use. For example, if the coin has tarnished to a brownish or black I'll consider dipping it briefly. I don't want to fully take away the toning, just enough and so the features can be seen again.
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I use a small sieve with the coin always visible. I'll swish the coin just beneath the solution surface, so I can constantly monitor the coin surface change. Then I remove the coin just before it's where I would like it. I immediately dunk the sieve into a box of water to stop the chemical action.

Just a few seconds in the clear answer is going to do what I require it for. I have noticed a glitter floating within my container of coin dip and realize the glitter is microscopic pieces of coin removed by the solution. Repeated dipping or leaving the coin in too long will constitute improper cleaning of the rare American coin.

The directions on the container say coin surface damage may result, if the coin remains in the answer for more than 15 seconds. I highly recommend adhering to that particular time limit. If the problem isn't solved for the reason that timeframe, it probably won't be solved by the dipping solution anyway.

Learn what coin surfaces should look like inside their natural state. It can help you appreciate everything you have and not be tempted to change it. If the coin has problems to start with, DON'T BUY IT!

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