Puzzled by Those who Constantly rub their Coins

[desertgolddigger]

I am a bit puzzled why people seem to rub their coins and artifacts they just dig out of the soil. I know they really want to see what they have, but rubbing has a tendency to cause damage. I know that being in the soil is already damaging, but why add to the problem?

Does anyone just dig things up, and once done, plop them in a container of water to dissolve the muck? I would think that would be in everyone's arsenal they carry aboard their vehicle. Water, and a light brushing with very soft bristles would do the work.

Now, I am not sure just what water would do to a copper coin. I have experience with US Large Cents and getting them exposed to a humid environment. They get green spots quite often (corrosion). Not sure exposing the these coins right out of the ground would be damaging. I guess a drying with a soft cloth right after the bath would help prevent possible corrosion, and then putting them into some kind of airtight container.

Just my musing over seeing so many videos with people scraping their coins to death.

 

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[JackalopeZL1]

I'm sorry guys but seriously, how bad can a slight rub be to a coin that has been in the ground for 100 years or more? Micro scratches? Really?

Believe it or not you can literally wipe thousands of dollars worth of value on a Key date coin.. I have dug silver coins in AU condition that I had wiped them with the dirt they would have lost a lot of value. Silver scratches very easy..

Granted most coins are run of the mill non key date. And some you can see a little bit of it and tell it is already toasted. But it literally take a couple seconds with a little water to clean it up enough to know what you may have..

this quarter is a good example I found. In it's condition is worth a little bit. But if it has a face full of scratches the value drops a lot.
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[Skippy SH13]

Agreeing with jackalope here. There's a massive value differentiation between MS and VF... even VF and F on some coins. To have one show up in an AU (About Uncirculated) state and have it scratch is a HUGE loss. Take a look at Ebay sometime and look at the legitimate price differences between PCGS graded coins. HUGE difference between AU and F... Scratches DO add up.

-Skippy

 

[cudamark]

We try not to rub unless its a common date. A few years back, I found an AU 1862-S seated dime (great soil as well) along the Applegate/Lassen trail. Before I could get it out of the hole, my buddies kid picked it up and "rubbed" it!!!!!!! Little ******* almost had a shovel across his head!!! Needles to say, every time I look at it, I see the scratches........

Ouch....that probably lost you a few hundred in value. At least you've learned not to let anyone else recover your targets now......right?