Found my first 1923-S RARER Peace Dollar today... any suggestions on cleaning it ?

ARC

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Aug 19, 2014
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Tis in good condition...
just tarnished really good.
I do not wanna tarnex it for it could be worth a few bucks.
And I do not wanna polish... or use electro.

Suggestions ?
this will not be a "keeper" for me and will sell it ... but wondering if it should be cleaned and the best way to do it for sale.

In great condition these can bring over a grand... and up to 5 I have seen online.
Even in crappy condition it seems they are pulling 50ish bucks...
IT is the S which is the rarer one

Will post pics AFTER cleaned.
 

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Great find. Dont know much about them tho. :thumbsup:
 

I would not clean it. Get an expert to do any retouching on it if you wish to get full value on it. jmo!
 

If it was mine, and I wanted to clean it. I would tumble it in walnut shell.
I know walnut shell is good for "soft"polish... but would this yet still scratch ?
 

I would not clean it. Get an expert to do any retouching on it if you wish to get full value on it. jmo!
THis is your best advice. Do NOT clean it yourself. Take it to a pro for your max value. Do not tumble it in anything. It is worth more untouched unless a pro fixes it.

Cheers
 

ANy type of cleaning is the kiss of death for coins
 

Im not a rocket scientists or brain surgeon, didn't stay at Holiday Inn either. But I think the walnut shell is softer than the silver. Corn cob is softer yet, but you would have to tumble it for a good while.
I've never sold any dug coins, but I have taken some of my silver coins to the coin shop to see what they would offer. They never asked if they were cleaned, and didn't believe me when I said they were dug. These were mostly Barbers in vf to au condition. They tried pretty hard to buy them, but that didn't happen.
 

Well I was kinda hoping for a "secret way"... by this thread... someone out here cleans OR knows "how" to clean them.
In the manner OR similar manner an "expert" or "coin cleaning guy" would... or does.

I am looking for the "back door" maaaaan :)
 

Soaking it in lemon juice overnight should remove most of the tarnish.
 

Not true for all coins, and not close to true for many dug ones.

Anacs, PCGS, and ANA are the three most renowned numismatic grading sites. They all have codes and descriptions for cleaned coins as well as environmental codes for dug coins and damaged coins. Im not saying that some coins need to be cleaned or preserved. WHat I am saying is that to maximize value on a coin he wants to sell in a 1K range he needs to not make mistakes when improving the appearance. AN Amateur can make obvious signs in the coin that are visible to the experts. If they see it while grading it can result in a no grade which makes it a G3 No matter what the condition of the coin is. IMO

Cheers
 

If done properly electrolysis can remove the tarnish with no evidence of the coin being cleaned.
Just curious, why not post a picture of the coin as is? We all love seeing pictures.
 

Anacs, PCGS, and ANA are the three most renowned numismatic grading sites. They all have codes and descriptions for cleaned coins as well as environmental codes for dug coins and damaged coins. Im not saying that some coins need to be cleaned or preserved. WHat I am saying is that to maximize value on a coin he wants to sell in a 1K range he needs to not make mistakes when improving the appearance. AN Amateur can make obvious signs in the coin that are visible to the experts. If they see it while grading it can result in a no grade which makes it a G3 No matter what the condition of the coin is. IMO

Cheers


So then you disagree with what you said that any type of cleaning is the kiss of death. I think you are making these comments with certain coins and certain methods in mind.... sort of the same type of comments coin dealers make because they're so used to seeing non dug coins that someone made a mess of with an improper cleaning. Dug is a whole different world, and yes, it's all about improving a coin, and sometimes cleaning will do that.
 

Soaking it in lemon juice overnight should remove most of the tarnish.


That's what I would try first, but I'd do it just for a few minutes to see if it would clean quick enough that I could monitor it, and leave some of the toning.
 

Congrats on a great score!
I would let the buyer worry about if it should be cleaned or not. Depends on buyers preference. I have cleaned silver I am keeping but dug coins are dug coins. A shop I visit on occasion does not clean old coins(to my knowledge,l.o.l.)
A possibility exists a buyer may want it left as is; or has a preference as to how to clean and how far to go with cleaning.
An experienced coin person will know it's been cleaned.
Just my opinion.
 

So then you disagree with what you said that any type of cleaning is the kiss of death. I think you are making these comments with certain coins and certain methods in mind.... sort of the same type of comments coin dealers make because they're so used to seeing non dug coins that someone made a mess of with an improper cleaning. Dug is a whole different world, and yes, it's all about improving a coin, and sometimes cleaning will do that.
From a numismatic standpoint cleaning is the kiss of death. Dug coins caked in crud and pitted by fertilizers or what ever environmental damage that has come their way from their time in the dirt can be cleaned. Dipped in lemon juice, electro, peroxide, oil, nail polish or elmers glue and water, What ever if all you want to do is enjoy them for what they are. They will never be more than a G3 coin. That is not what this man said he wanted to do with his coin. If he wants to sell it, it needs to be properly handled. There have been banner coins here from the dirt that have been properly prepared and sold for large dollars, but that was done by experts. Thats all I am saying.
 

Need to post a pic pre cleaning so we can help... :)
 

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