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SMS

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  2. Coin Cleaning

    in Coin Forum

    Posted

    Sorry if there is a misunderstanding here. When you're ready to hit the numismatic play button again, here's more toward answering your original questions:

     

    Without researching, I plan on not doing any coin cleaning for fear of doin it improperly and risking damaging my coin. What's the norm on this subject? Is there easy, safe cleaning? Is it recommended at all? Would you have it professionally cleaned depending on value? Thanks in advance for the answers.

    Josh

     

    The first question you posed is of primary importance, and thus has been the one of focus. I think it would be safe to say that we have answered the first question extensively. Which leads to the conclusion of the second question that there is no easy, safe cleaning technique for coins. Is it recommended at all? Yes. That is where "conservation" comes into play. It is when a coin will only continue to become further damaged that cleaning/conservation is most generally recommended.

     

    This is especially true with environmental damage such as verdigris or "PVC" (which such damage is not actually the PVC itself, but the plasticizers [esters of polycarboxylic acids with aliphatic alcohols, for example] used to make it flexible). If such contamination is allowed to remain on the coin, it will continue to react with the metal and eventually destroy the surface completely.

     

    Would I have it professionally cleaned depending on the value of the coin? Maybe. The results of environmental damage can be nuetralized independant of any professional help. However, it all depends on how much you are willing to risk if something goes wrong. Even a simple dip to remove PVC damage can turn sour easily.

     

    There are other cases in which you may actually want a professional to conduct the conservation. This would include instances in which some form of harsh cleaning may be required, especially for any foreign substance that may be adhering to the surface that does not appear to be easily removed.

     

    You will find that there are many varied opinions on the subject. Some you may even consider fanatical on the issue. But, it all boils down to your personal preference and how much of a gamble you are willing to take.

     

    And, still, another consideration to make (that I feel very few actually do) is posterity. Even if it costs you more money than you can even conceivably return on the coin, at least the coin will continue on after we are gone. We do not own our coins...we are simply temporary caretakers for posterity...

  3. 1975 Canadian Half Dollar Error

    in Canadian Coin Forums

    Posted

    I am inclined to believe this may be a grease filled die. The incuse inscription would be a raised area on the die, but it would necessarily sit inside an incuse area of the die, keeping it from being "over polished" and loosing detail. From the photo, it is not possible to determine if the legend may have broken from the die and then been polished smooth (which is a possibility). For lack of better illustration with text, this is how an incused inscription on a device would look like on the die:

    ____ __ __ __ ___

    |__ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __| and it would look like __| | | | | | | | | | | | | | |_

    |_|_|_|__|_|_|_|_|__|_|__|_|_|_| this on the coin: |______________________|

     

    with a grease filled die on incuse inside a device, the die would be:

    ____ __ _ _

    |xxxxxxxxxxxxx_ _ _ _ _ _ __| where X is the grease. __| | | | | | | | | | \-----------|

    |X|_|_|XX|_|_|_|_|__|_|__|_|_|_| The coin would then be: |______________________|

     

     

    Not the best representation, but good enough for ASCII art :bthumbsup:

     

    Hope that helps to shed a bit of light on the matter. As far as rarity or value are concerned, there are collectors who specialize in varied error coins. However, filled die errors do not bring much of a premium unless they are rather dramatic. The more details that are lost, the more desirable it becomes. Not a bad find though!

  4. Coin Cleaning

    in Coin Forum

    Posted

    Marv has given some very valuable information. Taking a look at the NCS website will help to clear up some (mis)conceptions about cleaning. The terms "cleaning" and "conservation" are one of my peeves, as conservation is in fact a form of "cleaning". When you submit your modern "rarities" to the TPGs, frequently you may find them returned for "cleaning". When a coin is returned as "cleaned", this does not mean just any form of cleaning. Usually it is for the coin being harshly cleaned where physical damage to the coin's surface may be evident to the authenticator. Oft times, the surface of the coin may have become damaged due to improper use of chemicals on the coin's surface, refered to as "improper cleaning".

     

    In the days of old, cyanide was even used to chemically clean coins (even the Mint curators were no stranger to this practice). If I am not mistaken, there are still commercial jeweler products today that utilize cyanide in their products.

     

    Conservation may be done either through "harsh" or chemical means. It is when it is done improperly that it becomes an issue with the coin's value and/or desirability. Cleaning performed by a professional is exactly that. It is performed by a person (or group of persons) who make a profession out of cleaning coins. The cleaning they perform preserves, rather than destroys, the underlying surface and originality of the coin in question. This is what we call conservation.

     

    Done by an ametuer, "conservation" can turn very, very ugly quickly. Scratches, gouges, removal of luster, etc, all affect the value and desirability of the coin negatively. Also, the removal of the patina could open the surface of the coin to further environmental damage as the patina acts as a form of protection for the coin surface. Why destroy a beautiful patina just to take the chance that the future enivitable environmental damage won't turn ugly?

     

    One of the materials available at the NCS site is The Conservation of Coins: A Buyer's Guide. There is a link there to a pdf of the guide you can read.

     

     

    And, marv: Some very nice coins you have there. Art would probably love that IHC.

    Happy Birthday SMS

    in Community Forum

    Posted

    Thanks! I just got home from work, so the day now begins. Will be having hamburgers for lunch and probably vegetate in front of a movie. With six kids wanting to impress daddy today, I'm sure it will be quite eventful.

  6. Odd looking dime

    in Error and Variety Coin Forums

    Posted

    here is what looks to be a bit of metal between the N and E in ONE any idea what it could be?

     

    9509970689_79b65de860_o.jpg

     

    Looks like a die chip. In the newest Numismatic News, Ken Potter has a piece about error classification and has a good photo of multiple die chips on Roosevelt's face. If this were struck through, there would be an impression since it is in a field. Some struck through objects can remain on the surface of the coin, but this does not strike me as such, especially since the object would be pressed in further than this shows. You should be able to put it under magnification and tell if this metal is part of the planchet like the rest of the devices or if it is actually a foreign object impressed into the coin itself.

  21. Hello from Cordoba, Spain.

    in New Member Information and Welcome!

    Posted

    Welcome to CoinPeople!

     

    The best place would be to find a dealer in coins and see if they are able to authenticate it for you. The 1933 British penny is a rare coin with only 7 known specimens. Another alternative would be to pay PCGS Europe to authenticate the coin. They are a third party professional coin grader and authenticator. Their website is at www.pcgseurope.com.

     

    I would very much like to see a photo of the coin if you can post it here. Good luck!

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