Cleaned coins...how do u tell

[Gabev71]

Basically as the title states.....how can you tell if a silver coin has been cleaned? just recieved a bunch of coins from a auction that i couldnt resist, and i got a fair number of silver coinage. problem is they all seem alittle to clean.

 

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[waseeker]

that is probably your first clue if they seem a "little too clean" Circulated silver tends to accumulate dirt/grime in the date and lettering. If those areas are clean it can be an indication of cleaning. Also circulated silver tends to get a nice patina that will be removed by cleaning. Mostly though identifying cleaned coins comes from experience of seeing a lot of coins

 

[jeff of pa]

they also look for fine scratches, caused by rubbing.

 

[skierbob]

Jeff is right. Look for those hairline scratches, especially in silver coins, which can be a dead give-away. An unnatural or artificial looking shine or "whizzing" is another thing to look for.
Bob

 

[Diggincoinz]

Can you post any pics of what you have?

 

[LJ]

Is a cleaned/polished silver coin bad? Does it de-vaule the coin?

 

[Sandman]

Any cleaning as others have said devalue a silver coin, or any coin for that matter. There are many grades that the coin dealers use to grade collectable coins. Long ago I learned that what ever I pulled out of the ground and handled with loving care graded so far down the list that the time spent wasn't worth the effort. Now I just glance at the date and drop it in a jar.

HOWEVER, it is important to know the KEY DATES so you don't spend a good coin.

Just my two cents,

Sandman

 

[waseeker]

Maybe these pictures will help a bit. I couldn't get them as clear as I wanted but you should get the idea.

These are 3 Lincoln Cents I got from bags this week. While in the first picture they all look pretty good, the one in the middle actually has a bit of an unnatural appearance. For the wear that is evident on the coin it is simply too clean and the wrong color. When examined under a magnifying glass the 56D is covered in fine scratches caused by someone using a fine wire brush over the surface to make it look better than it is.

Experience is the best teacher. As you see more and more coins, especially if you are coin roll hunting you will begin to "know" when a coin looks wrong.

And as Sandman mentioned, know the Key and Semi-Key coins for each series. They are the expensive ones you don't want to spend by mistake.