Cleaned coins?

[Dan769]

I'll buy em cleaned, as long as they aren't harshly scrubbed and blatently obvious. Seems many coins over 100 years old had some kind of wipe at one point in time.

[Sir Sisu]

I voted "sometimes". As long as it is not the obvious kind of scrub, a little cleaning does not bother me so much. In fact I find a few scrub marks less offensive than a coin that has been so cleaned/dipped/etc that, though it may be shiny, it has an obvious unnatural luster/shine to it.

 

I would go so far to say that if the coin is advertised as cleaned, I would still consider it worthy of purchase. What irks me the MOST is when a coin has been clearly cleaned in order to advertise it as UNC even when the wear is obviously there!

[AuldFartte]

I'm not sure how to vote. I've purchased some, but never on purpose as they were not advertised as being cleaned. I only discovered the cleaning after they arrived.

 

Now, sometimes you just can't avoid buying cleaned coins, especially with early 19th century silver (bust halves come to mind) - so many of them were cleaned a hundred years ago or more, but have since retoned, that it's very hard to spot the old cleaning unless it was rather harsh. Just my opinion.

[Tiffibunny]

Yeah I buy cleaned coins sometimes. I don't mind the ones that aren't harshly cleaned, though I've had a few of those too.

[UncleBobo]

I have some coins that I know are cleaned a little and that doesn't bother me too much.

[Burks]

I'll buy a cleaned coin if the price is right and the coin hasn't been damaged.

[Guest 50cents]

I think if you buy coins online once in a while you are gonna get a cleaned one. I voted sometimes... I don't have a problem with having them in my collection if I like the date, MM and grade.

[MikeInFL]

I will only buy dipped coins if they were well done and neutralized. Like this:

 

 

Or coins that were lightly wiped long ago and have since retoned. Like this:

 

[Trantor_3]

 

I wouldn't mind having that quarter......

[Guest Stujoe]

I have bought some cleaned coins in the past and will again, I am sure. It all depends upon where you draw the 'cleaning line'. I don't like harshly cleaned or un-natural looking coins, though, and avoid them.

[Art]

If I want the coin, I usually don't care if it's been cleaned. Sometimes I buy harshly cleaned stuff for the Ranch.

[28Plain]

As long as I'm told it's cleaned if I buy one sight unseen, I don't mind since I buy cleaned silver and gold coins for mounting in bezels for customers. I also buy cleaned US and world silver for hoarding. I have bought coins which were likely cleaned 100 years without knowing it as I suspect many of us may have done over the years. ;-)

[gxseries]

I don't mind holed or cleaned coins.

 

If I was too fussy, I would have to fork out at least 2-4 times of what I had to pay...

[Fjord]

I'll buy em cleaned, as long as they aren't harshly scrubbed and blatently obvious. Seems many coins over 100 years old had some kind of wipe at one point in time.

 

I try to avoid it. I'd rather have an "uglier" coin with original surfaces. My avatar is a coin that would probably be a great dipping candidate, but I prefer the dark torning.

 

Recent posts here regarding whizzing with a nylon brush suggest that I won't always be able to detect cleaning.

 

So, a vote for "absolutely not" with the understanding that I won't always be able to tell. I won't lose sleep.

[ccg]

Light cleaning/hairlining is often seen on older coins, so I usually just accept it since "originals" would take too long to seek out.

 

Harsh cleaned and polished, it depends on the discount.

[Ætheling]

Generally i prefer coins with dark grey toning where available.

 

But as my avatar shows cleaned coins are not a problem.

[josemartins]

Sure, if the price is right...

 

 

 

Jose

[quartercollector]

If they were clean some time ago, they don't look as bad I think.

[drwstr123]

I will never but a cleaned coin intensionally. Just he way I was brought into the field.

[Tane]

I try to avoid them as much as I can, but sometimes I buy them accidentally.

[stu62]

I've bought cleaned stuff intentionally or accidently,hold out for original years from noe you'll be happy you did.This is another case for certified coins.

[geordie582]

As I save hammered silver, you expect a certain amount of cleaning, but it would depend upon:-

1. whether I was desperate for that coin!

2. how well it had been cleaned

Although I have bought coins poorly cleaned but sufficiently 'interesting'.

[bustchaser]

Of course I buy cleaned coins...So does anyone else who buys U.S. silver which was in any collection before 1970. Until the late 1960's ALL silver was cleaned prior to sale. It was the only way to find a buyer. I just laugh and and say ok when people talk about "never cleaned, original surfaces on seated and bust material.

[2coins]

I fully agree with you!,But.... If I was going to put more than $1,000.00 down on a coin I surely would prefer a natural untouched coin, But others less expensive "Dipped" coins I have no problem with,I have Dipped my own in the past and carried them in my pocket for some time to wear-off the dipped sheen, then let them tone naturaly in a pre=1940s envelope (sulfer contant),and intime works wounderful!, I have 2 coins in lay-away with a dealer that in one time were dipped but are rainbow toned big time!!!got them at a "CLEANED discount"hey!, works for me!.

[28Plain]

Of course I buy cleaned coins...So does anyone else who buys U.S. silver which was in any collection before 1970.  Until the late 1960's ALL silver was cleaned prior to sale.  It was the only way to find a buyer.  I just laugh and and say ok when people talk about "never cleaned, original surfaces on seated and bust material.

Good point. One old time dealer I know told me that any coin over 100 years old that has been in a collection is almost certain to have been cleaned. Years ago there was no taboo against cleaning coins, at least not to the degree it exists now.