Just wondering how to avoid cleaned coins, versus naturally white dollars and halves. For example, can you tell from these pics whether or not these coins show cleaning?

thanks for any info!


Doug

I wouldn't bother if these coins that you are looking for are expensive, i.e. more than 2 digit figure, unless the seller is willing to take time to show the micro features of the coins.

That picture alone I think shows almost nothing about cleaned feature if it had one. It could be a light cleaning and if that bothers you, perhaps looking for slabbed coins will make peace in your mind.

It is very hard to tell from scans... With a coin in hand you can move it around and see how the light hits the coin. You can look for the dulled luster that is present on almost all AU/UNC coins that have been cleaned. With a scan it can be very deceptive. I honestly don't buy coins off of e bay and other places unless they are slabbed by one of the better services. This is how I avoid cleaned coins.

and from the scans provided these appear to be slider AU's I would also be willing to bet they have been cleaned

thanks guys for the tips. I jumped in at the last second on this auction, and picked these up in a lot together for $7 each. I tend to buy slabbed coins from the Big 3 too, but i couldn't pass up this auction.


Doug

thanks Matt! what do you mean by the term "slider"? thanks


Doug

Jumping in here. Coins that might grade real close to a dividing point on "xx: grade.

also picked these up today in a lot for $5 each; by looking at the dirt on them, i think it safe to say that these haven't been cleaned (or at least in the last 30 year!)






and these earlier today...........




and this one too....



and just for good measure, I won these slabbed versions in the middle of the night last night (and no, I didn't stay up to insure I won them! )






I guess maybe I should find a pill for Walker addicts, as since I "discovered" them a couple days ago, I can't stop buying!

Doug

thanks Mark! would that mean "slider" on the low end or high end? I.E.: AU but close to MS, or AU but close to EF?


Doug

Doug, for whatever it's worth, my opinion is that all of the raw coins you posted here have been cleaned.

yeah, I wouldn't be surprised. thanks Doug!

According to how you look at it. Normally when someone says au/bu slider it could come back from grading either high end au or low end bu.

great, thanks again Mark!


Doug

i've got to agree on these, I have a "nice bright" 45 half like that one, but it was dipped a while ago, the coin have some slight wear, that's about the easiest way I could tell. As for the best way to find out, buy a cheap usb microscope and take some close up hair-line shots. Dipping is a little harder to see though, I'm no expert on figuring that out.