A question

[OldGoldKing]

I recently purchased an NGC/CAC AU53 semi PL $2.50 classic head 1834 quarter eagle from mark feld for $1200.

 

I have a few questions about it.

 

First, some guy on another forum, a YN, told me that to him, at least, it looked cleaned. He said the halo effect around the stars is from an cleaning instrument. He said this:

""I'm pretty sure they aren't on the holder.

 

It looks like the coin might have been cleaned, and later retoned. Look at the area around the stars in this picture. You can see little circles around the stars where the area has not retoned. Those areas are protected areas, where the instrument that was used to do the cleaning could not reach. So, you're left with untouched spots that wouldn't retone.

Don't take my word as gospel, though. These could be marks from circulation, but the surfaces look to have been stripped IMO. That could also explain the semi-PL appearance "

 

Why someone would say that a coin that has been CERTIFIED by NGC and then further approved by CAC as cleaned is beyond me. Whats your opinion?

 

I talked to mark about it, and he said the coin would not re-tone the vibrant orange/yellow colors usually if it had been cleaned, and the halo effect is normal on semi PL coins, this is just how they were made.

 

Here are some pictures of the coin.

[syzygy]

You can not buy a coin with any certification and any sticker that someone will not say is cleaned. Enjoy your coin, it looks very nice to me.

[jtryka]

I would disagree with your Y/N friend, to me this looks about right for a low-AU specimen. Certainly if it was cleaned, it was done near the time it was minted, perhaps in the mid-19th century for it to retone has it has, it takes a LONG time for gold to tone.

[LostDutchman]

I agree.... it looks just fine to me... I think the YN is still learning the ropes about how to identify a cleaned coin....

[OldGoldKing]

I would disagree with your Y/N friend, to me this looks about right for a low-AU specimen. Certainly if it was cleaned, it was done near the time it was minted, perhaps in the mid-19th century for it to retone has it has, it takes a LONG time for gold to tone.

 

Hey jtryka, munkyman (aka chad) told me it was cleaned.

 

That's the YN I was referring to.

 

Mark told me the same thing, he said it takes a long time for gold to retone and especially in those colors.

 

Thanks for the help guys.

 

I've had an austrian 1700's gold ducat before, and I though it was PL. Turns out it wasn't PL, and it was cleaned.

 

But common sense told me that if I buy a certified gold coin, and one that's been CAC'd, there's very little chance it's been cleaned.

 

Chad told me many cleaned coins are in PCGS and NGC harders, but I find this hard to believe.

 

Again thanks for the support.

[jtryka]

No problem Kevin, it's all a matter of opinion anyway. I actually thought about buying this coin from Mark when you first brought it up, but thought I'd give you a chance first. So if there was anyone with motive to scare you it would be me! It's a terrific coin at a good price, so enjoy it!

[bustchaser]

Chad is right when he says that there are many cleaned coins in NGC/PCGS slabs. In fact, MOST slabbed pre-Civil War coins have at least been lightly cleaned. Based on the pics, though, this particular coin is very nice and you have nothing to worry about.

[just carl]

There are always people that for some strange reason just like to say something negative about everything. Your new car looks like it was in an accident. Your house looks like there might be termites in the wood. Your shoes look like plastic. Your skin is yellowish so you probably have a medical problem.

I've always wondered what ever happened to the old saying that if you can not say something nice, don't say anything.

That coin looks great from what I can see.

[LostDutchman]

There are always people that for some strange reason just like to say something negative about everything. Your new car looks like it was in an accident. Your house looks like there might be termites in the wood. Your shoes look like plastic. Your skin is yellowish so you probably have a medical problem.

I've always wondered what ever happened to the old saying that if you can not say something nice, don't say anything.

That coin looks great from what I can see.

 

 

so are you saying his coin has jaundice???

[LostDutchman]

Chad is right when he says that there are many cleaned coins in NGC/PCGS slabs. In fact, MOST slabbed pre-Civil War coins have at least been lightly cleaned. Based on the pics, though, this particular coin is very nice and you have nothing to worry about.

 

I agree.... especially early American coinage... I have noticed that it has become increasingly harder to find original examples of early coins in top tier holders that have NOT been cleaned.

[numismatic nut]

The coin looks strange in the first pic, but thats just the light.

Nice coin.