cleaned my 1877 seated quarter

[mattysee]

cleaned it up good, also a walker I found a few months ago, had no idea the shape it was in. and a kids private eye badge

 

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[testing123]

Remember the woman who saved this painting? Your coin is the after image

 

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[wainzoid]

Erik,

I use a rotary tumbler. Walnut shells are harder and has sharper corners which cleans very well. Corncob often has wax in it and is more for polishing and preserving. Both medias are softer than silver, so I can't see how they would ever damage the coin. I didn't sell the coin, its one of my favorite finds. My intent that day was just to play with them for a little. :-)

 

[Erik in NJ]

LOL, the mirror shine I got on those circulated state quarters was amazing--they almost looked like proof quarters except for any slight damage that was caused by circulation. I would be tempted to try the technique on a common silver coin. Where can I get the corncob media? Have you tried one of the vibratory tumblers? You can get them on eBay fairly cheaply and they do an amazing job of polishing. I'm assuming that you used the walnut shells first and then the corncobs, no?

Erik,

I use a rotary tumbler. Walnut shells are harder and has sharper corners which cleans very well. Corncob often has wax in it and is more for polishing and preserving. Both medias are softer than silver, so I can't see how they would ever damage the coin. I didn't sell the coin, its one of my favorite finds. My intent that day was just to play with them for a little. :-)

 

[mattysee]

some of you people are rediculas on here, I got people fighting for me, against me, and insulting me.....ive been through this on here before......ez down! I haven't even chimed in, and I wont I like my silver shiney!!! old, new, and roached now go lay down!!! or go detecting like im gunna do in the a.m. happy hunting!!!!

 

[wainzoid]

LOL, the mirror shine I got on those circulated state quarters was amazing--they almost looked like proof quarters except for any slight damage that was caused by circulation. I would be tempted to try the technique on a common silver coin. Where can I get the corncob media? Have you tried one of the vibratory tumblers? You can get them on eBay fairly cheaply and they do an amazing job of polishing. I'm assuming that you used the walnut shells first and then the corncobs, no?

I've never tried a vibrator. LoL. Yes I used the walnut first. My medias were purchased locally where I get my reloading supplies. I tumbled my barber half by itself so that it didn't have a chance to bump another coin. I usually do several smaller coins at one time.

Put the lime in the coconut and call me in the morning

 

[DirtDodger]

Does lightly rubbing a baking soda and water slurry on a silver coin constitute cleaning and thus devalue it to melt value? How about wetting it and wrapping it in aluminum foil then rinsing it in soap and water? Does soap and water cause it to be devalued? I'd like to know where the "numismatic" line is.

Some old & Spanish silver comes out of the ground almost black and I find it hard to believe that leaving it in that state would be the best approach. Any insights here?

I never got an answer to my prior post BTW from DirtDoger--my questions were sincere.

I am sorry Eric I don't realize the question was not answered. Enough on this thread, I will create a new thread to answer....

 

[Erik in NJ]

Thx -- please drop me a PM with the location of the thread. Regards, Erik

 

[Jeanne]

When I was a kid, silver dollars were everywhere. I used to shine mine with a pencil eraser. Sure wish I had them now. Yep, old, old, ancient.

 

[RobRieman]

I've never tried a vibrator. LoL. Yes I used the walnut first. My medias were purchased locally where I get my reloading supplies. I tumbled my barber half by itself so that it didn't have a chance to bump another coin. I usually do several smaller coins at one time.

Put the lime in the coconut and call me in the morning

My wife polished her corncob vibrator last night. Does that make it less valuable?

 

[wainzoid]

My wife polished her corncob vibrator last night. Does that make it less valuable?

I think it makes you less valuable. lol

 

[Iron Patch]

Being new to detecting, I have a serious question(s) about cleaning coins. Why does the coin degrade in value if it is made to look better and in some cases, almost a new look? We clean our vehicles, motorcycles, travel trailers ect... to bring more money when selling. Does a buyer leave a rare coin as is if purchased from, say, one of us fortunate to find one? Do they then send it off to have it cleaned professionally, retaining value than if the finder cleaned it? I hope that these are not dumb questions and would appreciate if someone would explain the "why's and why nots" of how this works. Thanks, Papaw.

There's a simple thought/rule I go by when it comes to cleaning dug finds, and that is... I'll only clean it will look better and be better.

Every find regardless of what it is has to be dealt with on a case by case basis. All do need cleaning because there's no point in leaving the dirt on, so whatit comes down to is the method you use... and choosing the right method has everything to do with the condition of a particular object. When you choose the correct method you make the find look better and be better, but when you don't, you cause too much damage and the find is not better. Contrary to what some on here say how a polished of buffed silver coin looks great, that's not at all what most in the coin world think. To me and probably the majority, a cleaned coin like that has much the same effect as if you had just drilled a hole through it, and I really do mean that, because it's true. It still doesn't drop it to melt value, but the only way you'd get a decent buck would to be careful with the pics not to show the scratching, and of course not to mention what was done. People still do buy over-cleaned cleaned coins, but that's simply because they're cheaper, or those buyers fall into that category thinking shiny is better. I have a couple of friends who shine their old silver and it doesn't bother me a bit, but these posts should tell the truth for the people who actually want to learn. Once a find is cleaned there's absolutely no going back.

 

[Iron Patch]

Remember the woman who saved this painting? Your coin is the after image

 

[MUD(S.W.A.T)]

Hahaha,

That's just cruel IP !!

What the hell, its just a lump of metal..... Seriously who gives a rats @$$, the difference between that painting and the coin is 10.9 million minted 1877 seated quarters.... One painting....!! You people are supposed to be smart, seriously what's going to happen to him if he try's to sell it..? Before it was cleaned the buyers would say its common almost 11 million have been made I'll give you $25 now they'll say its cleaned I'll give you $25 !!
Its NOT a 1870 CC with only 8,340 minted and worth $3-10 Grand.... Leave the guy alone !!

Keep @ it and HH !!

 

[mattysee]

bah humbug haters.......know it all, and coin gurus....ill be sure to post insults on your posts, but oh wait you aint posted anything worth a crap since ive been on this site! all you do is sit at home on your computer buck nekid eating bonbons trying to insult and trying to be coin i.d. heros! get a life.....maybe go detecting and stop dreaming about the finds I climb mountains for, geeks

 

[mattysee]

well said mud!

 

[jewelerguy]

holy cow this is turning into a bar room brawl

 

[wainzoid]

and the man in the back said everyone attack
and it turned into a ballroom blitz

 

[recentlycured]

I agree....if you plan on keeping it or not its yours and up to you what you want to do with it.....what I do not understand is as a collector,of course I always hear do not clean coins.....but I have seen plenty of ngc graded coins state "improperly cleaned".....so my question is in the coin collecting world if ngc says that then does that mean there is a right way or acceptable way?if so I have never heard of a way that is deemed acceptable

 

[Gridwalker306]

bah humbug haters.......know it all, and coin gurus....ill be sure to post insults on your posts, but oh wait you aint posted anything worth a crap since ive been on this site! all you do is sit at home on your computer buck nekid eating bonbons trying to insult and trying to be coin i.d. heros! get a life.....maybe go detecting and stop dreaming about the finds I climb mountains for, geeks

If you are going to come onto this site and announce that you polish your coins, be prepared for a backlash from people who are serious about coins. Use your head, everybody knows that the #1 rule in anything coin related is to never clean coins. I understand that we find coins that are covered in dirt and need to be lightly rinsed and patted dry as to keep the coin from being ruined, but polishing?? Get real.

Then, to insult the very people you are trying to impress with your finds, by calling them coin I.D. geeks who do nothing but sit on the computer "nekid" and need a life --is pretty low. Many people on this site are very knowledgable, friendly, and willing to take time to help others identify, learn about, grade, value and be enthusiastic about many things, especially coins!

Why don't you go to a Faberge Egg enthusiast site and post pictures of some freshly smashed Faberge Eggs and see what response you get? Maybe post pictures of some uncirculated antique paper money before and after you wrinkle and fold it purposely...because you like it that way.

Again, my point is if you come to a site full of numismatists and post pictures of freshly polished coins, you will be deemed a fool.

 

[mattysee]

here we go again.....your a fool, that I have deemed you! I make my own rules when it comes to my sport and my coins, i show my finds on here and look at others finds, that's what i enjoy about this site, i don't go out of my way to insult a poke sicks at people on here, what i don't enjoy is load mouth know it alls!! got a great deal for you..... I found a nice royal Canadian volunteers 1rst reg button (try us).......I cant get rid of it, no ones heard of them, you want it for a dollar