Cleaned Coins

[Aladdin Sane]

I may be opening a can of worms or rehashing an old thread here, but I'm
new.

I recently bought a roll of barber dimes on e-bay. Transaction went well so
no complaints there. When I received them, to my dismay, they were all nice
and shiny and bright. Obviously cleaned, and going back to the auction and
looking at the photo closer, I should have picked that up. So no deception
or what ever there.

Now, I have been out of collecting a number of years, and just getting back
in this month. I had been told that cleaning a coin is a no no. I'm not
talking conservation, I'm talking some kind of chemical bath. has there
been a change in attitude regarding cleaning, and how is it done.

Basically I'm harboring some resentment here.

--
*
/?\
/___\
-O=O-
^
AS & His Magic Hat

A conclusion is simply the place
where you decided to stop thinking.

[JSTONE9352]

>Now, I have been out of collecting a number of years, and just getting back
>in this month. I had been told that cleaning a coin is a no no. I'm not
>talking conservation, I'm talking some kind of chemical bath. has there
>been a change in attitude regarding cleaning, and how is it done.

One persons "conservation" can be another persons "cleaning" and vice versa
It can be minefield.

[Doggo]

"Aladdin Sane" <jmaz...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:RNl4b.234703$cF.76445@rwcrnsc53...

Nothings changed, cleanings still a no-no. That being said, I have
purchased cleaned (nice looking)coins before for my circulated sets.

I try and have at least two sets of everything I collect. One set is the
highest quality *I* can afford, and the other set is circulated coins that
I can touch and enjoy without worrying about harming them.

Ed

[Phil DeMayo]

"Doggo" vtr...@netscape.net wrote:

>Nothings changed, cleanings still a no-no. That being said, I have
>purchased cleaned (nice looking)coins before for my circulated sets.

Cleaning that is obvious and harms the surface of a coin or leaves the coin
looking unnatural is definitely a no-no. However, this is not the case with all
types of "cleaning".

++++++++++
Phil DeMayo - always here for my fellow Stooge
When bidding online always sit on your helmet
Just say NO to counterfeits

[Stujoe]

In article <RNl4b.234703$cF.76445@rwcrnsc53>, Aladdin Sane spoke
thusly...

> I may be opening a can of worms or rehashing an old thread here, but I'm
> new.
>
> I recently bought a roll of barber dimes on e-bay. Transaction went well so
> no complaints there. When I received them, to my dismay, they were all nice
> and shiny and bright. Obviously cleaned, and going back to the auction and
> looking at the photo closer, I should have picked that up. So no deception
> or what ever there.
>
> Now, I have been out of collecting a number of years, and just getting back
> in this month. I had been told that cleaning a coin is a no no. I'm not
> talking conservation, I'm talking some kind of chemical bath. has there
> been a change in attitude regarding cleaning, and how is it done.
>
> Basically I'm harboring some resentment here.

I believe abrasive cleaning is probably a universal no-no. After
that, when you get into dips and other stuff, I think it is more of a
can of worms and there are passionate feelings on both sides.

I collect mostly circulated coinage and the only things I find
acceptable - meaning I would do it myself to the coins in my
collection - are rinsing with distilled water or using acetone. Both
of those I would only do if I felt there was something on the coin
that would make it deteriorate over time.

Oh, and I also once used a very soggy toothpick to remove a small
piece or gunk that I was concerned about from the reverse of a
buffalo nickel.

--
Stu Miller
Visit the Virtual Coin Museum:
http://www.thestujoecollection.com/museum.htm

[John Carney]

"JSTONE9352" <jston...@aol.com> wrote in message
news:20030831082958...@mb-m15.aol.com...

I would define conservation as improving a coins appearance without any indication that
conservation took place. I'd define cleaning as trying to improve a coins appearance but
leaving behind indications that the coin has been cleaned.

--
John

Visit the RCCers favorite coins web page
http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jcarney44/coins/rccers.html

[Larry Louks]

John Carney wrote:
>>I would define conservation as improving a coins appearance without any
indication that conservation took place. I'd define cleaning as trying to
improve a coins appearance but leaving behind indications that the coin has
been cleaned.<<

Sounds like a very apt assessment, John. Thanks for stating it like this.

-=LDL

[Aladdin Sane]

> > One persons "conservation" can be another persons "cleaning" and vice
versa
> > It can be minefield.
>
> I would define conservation as improving a coins appearance without
> any indication that conservation took place. I'd define cleaning as trying
to improve > a coins appearance but leaving behind indications that the coin
has been cleaned.
>
> --
> John
>
> Visit the RCCers favorite coins web page
> http://mywebpages.comcast.net/jcarney44/coins/rccers.html
>

Thanks for the input. Well worn, bright shinny barber dimes certainly
indicate a cleaning has occured.

[Art O'Connell]

I collect mostly circulated coins and my belief is that stuff happens to
coins. Cleaning such as you are describing is stuff, by my definition. So if
you were happy with the price you paid and you like the coins - cleaning or
no cleaning aside, put them in your collection and enjoy them.

If you decide to sell your dupes, be a class act and tell people that they
were probably cleaned improperly but are such and such condition.

There's my 2 cents.

Art

Welcome back to the best hobby ever.

"Aladdin Sane" <jmaz...@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:RNl4b.234703$cF.76445@rwcrnsc53...

[Andrew Auletta]

Out of fairness to the prospective bidder, the fact that the coins
were cleaned should have been noted in the auction description. While
it may have been prudent for you to take a closer look at the scans, I
have a problem with people who pass off cleaned coin to an otherwise
un-suspecting purchaser without letting them know that the coin was
cleaned. I cringe whenever I see a auction description that says the
coins are "white," or "blast white," or whatever other descriptions
are commonly used to deceive purchasers.

We receive many phone calls in the course of a day asking about
cleaning. When I take a call about cleaning products, I always
preface my answer with, I'm going to give you the speal, and let you
decide for yourself.

The speal goes something like this:

"I don't advocate cleaning coins, especially if it's done to make a
future purchaser think that its in better condition than it really is.
If you decide to clean your coin, you should let a prospective
purchaser know that you've cleaned it.

You should first try preserving your coin using products that don't
attack the suface metal. If the coin has been stored in a holder that
that has contaminated the coin with PVC, and there's a stickiness or
light geen tinge to it, or if you are trying to remove scotch tape
from the coin, you need to use a solvent that doesn't attack the
surface metal (and then I suggest a product).

If the coin is generally dirty or dusty, and you want to clean it, you
should first try a solution of a mild dishwashing liquid diluted with
water, rinsing it in several baths of distilled water, and patting it
dry with a soft fluffy bath towel.

If you don't like the results, then you might consider using a
commercial cleaner/preservative that doesn't affect the coin metal
(and I suggest a product).

If you don't like the results, or if the coin is so badly damaged
that, in order to arrest the damage and preserve the coin, you might
consider using a diluted coin dip (and I let them know what we carry),
following with a rinse in distilled water and patting it dry on a soft
fluffy bath towel.

With all that said, how can I help you?"

Generally, most of the customers appreciate the speal. Occasionally,
it results in a lost sale of cleaning products, but I'd rather lose
the sale than to leave the customer with the impression that cleaning
coins is a generally-accepted practice.

--Andrew

On Sun, 31 Aug 2003 12:24:17 GMT, "Aladdin Sane"
<jmaz...@comcast.net> wrote:

>I may be opening a can of worms or rehashing an old thread here, but I'm
>new.
>
>I recently bought a roll of barber dimes on e-bay. Transaction went well so
>no complaints there. When I received them, to my dismay, they were all nice
>and shiny and bright. Obviously cleaned, and going back to the auction and
>looking at the photo closer, I should have picked that up. So no deception
>or what ever there.
>
>Now, I have been out of collecting a number of years, and just getting back
>in this month. I had been told that cleaning a coin is a no no. I'm not
>talking conservation, I'm talking some kind of chemical bath. has there
>been a change in attitude regarding cleaning, and how is it done.
>
>Basically I'm harboring some resentment here.

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[joseph d'allesandro]