how do you know if a coin has been polished?

Question

I am new to collecting coins, I came into a 1921 Peace Dollar (which I know are rare) one person said it was not worth anything because it looked like it has been polished or cleaned up, another disagrees. To me it looks like a proof. I have proof from 1956 till now so I know what they look like. Now how can you tell if it really has been cleaned or polished whatever they call it. Those peopel that agreed and disagreed were coin dealers. So they confused me.

Answer 1

I agree with Silverpet-if you have to ask then don't clean them.The patina or shine is part of any old silver coin.If you have an old one and it's extra shiny-it probably has been cleaned,most coins from dealers are.But whoever told you that they were worth nothing unpolished-has no idea what they are saying.I sold some of my old silver dollars a while ago,uncleaned,and got top dollar from a dealer.It's your collection,never mind what a friend says.Get a good book for beginners or look on line for professional advice.

Answer 2

How Can You Tell? 1. If an old silver dollar has been dipped in a cleaning solution it will look BU and shinny but will not have what is known as (Cartwheel Luster). Use a glove and pick the coin up by the edges, hold it to the light and tilt the coin in different directions. If the coin has not been dipped you will see a two sided, hard to explain, light affect that spins around the coin like a cartwheel but if the coin has been dipped, this will not be there. 2. Polished coins will have spin marks under magnification and may require a 10x - 15x jewelers loupe to detect. 3. Old coins that were cleaned years ago and have nicely toned will show a discoloration (not the same as the toning) in crevasses and at the rim. 4. Some cleanings an expert will be needed to detect but the above, 1-3 will help a lot. Get at least a 10x -15x jeweler s loupe to detect scratches, swirl marks and crud in the crevasses, although the crud affect is pretty simple to detect. (All-in-all, it takes experience detecting cleaned coins)

Answer 3

A polished coin usually exhibit scratches on the coin surfaces. The scratches can be small or heavy depending on the material used to polish, and these scratches normally appear in patches and in many directions under light. Polished coins also have hard shine to the surfaces(look like proof with scratches, just like the 1921 you described), and is easily distinguishable from original mint luster because when a coin is minted the surface generally has a sheen or bloom which shows as softly lustrous in light. On circulated coins, the luster will gradually turns dull and tarnish; so if you see a circulated coin lacking details but looks amazingly bright and shiny, then you know it has been polished. Once a coin has been tarnished, there is no way to restore the orginal mint luster(beware of whizzed coins!).

Another type of cleaning known as dipping is also widely practiced. Dipped coins don't have hard or harsh shine to the surface, but on circulated ones, they will look unbelievably clean without any dirt or tarnish. Uncirculated coins that has been dipped will be more difficult to spot, but traces of residue from dipping agents in the form of brown patches may appear over time.

There're other ways novices use to clean coins, like using lemon extract or Coke for example. My advice to you is to totally avoid cleaned coins. Condition of a coin plays an important part in its valuation, both sale or resale. The dealer who said the 1921 wasn't cleaned wasn't honest or is inexperienced.

For further reading, visit this page:
http://coins.about.com/od/caringforcoins/f/shiny_coins.htm

Answer 4

basically if a coin has value if it's either mint or has been in current for a long time. Any old special coin still have lots of value to it if you can make it shine if the words are still read-able. Just use viniger and bleach together and dip coin in for an hour; it would be good as new.

Answer 5

ultimate guess is to no longer. while/in case you felt you wished them valued,a numismatist could have the final equipment. in case you polish,you place on the coin,and the chemical compounds harm it-in case you employ fluid,the chemical compounds lower back,by way of the years,harm it. purely convey jointly 'em,know them,think of of who held them,and so forth,yet enable an authority clean them. I even have some somewhat previous money I have been given while interior the army,salvage diving. they have by no ability been wiped clean,as this became into the advice i became into given via a curator on the British Museum,yet once or twice a year,they're washed. heat water,no cleansing soap,and a q-tip.