Professional cleaning?

[Ewell’s retreat]

I recently found an old silver coin that is about halfway covered with black tarnish. I don’t know much about coins and all the processes to be honest. I’ve always heard that acid cleaning will diminish the value of a coin. Is that what professionals use to clean them, or is it a process that doesn’t drop the value? Thanks for any advice.

 

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[Kantuckkeean]

If it has value to a collector (i.e. above and beyond the value of the silver content), DON'T CLEAN IT!

If it is, or could be quite valuable, you can send it off to NGC (NCS) for conservation, grading, and encapsulation or you could send it off to PCGS for restoration, grading, and encapsulation.

My two cents: Just be careful with the declared value if you go the PCGS route. If they determine that it cannot be graded, they may try to use your declared value for what they charge you, as a percentage, even though their form states that the declared value is for insurance purposes only. I had a coin with some toning, some schmag (glue?), and some possible corrosion or PVC damage, and it could have been quite valuable (4-5 figures) if it hadn't been cleaned (couldn't tell under magnification due to the toning and schmag), so I sent it in for restoration and grading. It came back as improper cleaning and looking brand spanking new... I could see the hairline scratches after their process... whatever they did, so I could see that improper cleaning may have been the right call. However, they tried to charge me a percentage of the declared value (which they said was for insurance only) and I had to argue to get a refund. They first tried a bait and switch to charge me extra for a service that I didn't request before finally agreeing that I was right and granting my refund. It left a bad taste in my mouth and I haven't sent anything else to them, even though I've got some other coins that I'd like to get encapsulated and I've got some vouchers. I may just go with NGC from here on out.

Do you have any photos? There are some really good folks on here who might be able to make recommendations, based on the coin.

Kindest regards,
Kantuck

 

[Ewell’s retreat]

Thanks for the advice! I’m on the fence about it. I posted some over on the “today’s finds” forum, but I’ll post them here too.

 

[cudamark]

Unless it's a 25c over 50c, IMO it isn't valuable enough in that condition to spend money to have it cleaned and encapsulated.(slabbed). A lot depends on what you have in mind for it's future. Are you just keeping it for your own amusement? If so, and you want it to look shiny, that's fine, and I'll tell how I would do it. If you want to sell it, having it slabbed helps get top dollar for it online. If you're going to sell it at a local coin store or show, I'd leave it like it is. Your coin does look kinda funny, like it was stored in a sock or some other piece of cloth that left a cross pattern of tarnish on it. If it were mine, I'd clean it. The way I do it is: Get an empty aluminum can, flip it up side down and use the cup-like cavity in the bottom to place the coin. Add some white wine vinegar and let it sit for a couple of hours. Remove the coin and rub it with baking soda which should start to remove (might completely remove) the tarnish and corrosion. Rinse in clean water and pat dry. Repeat as necessary to get it looking like you want it to look. If you leave it too long in the vinegar, you'll start to loose some details, so, do it a little at a time until you get enough experience to know how long to soak it vs. the amount and type of corrosion. Electrolysis is another method to remove the tarnish/corrosion. So is a hydrogen peroxide bath or silver jewelry dip such as Ezest/Jewel Luster. I just prefer my method. It's simple and inexpensive.

 

[Ewell’s retreat]

Thanks cuda. I don’t plan on selling it at this point. I plan on keeping it for my collection unless I NEED to sell it one day. So I’d like it to be cleaned up some so I could enjoy it a little more, but I don’t want to decrease what value is there by doing so. I’m complicated.

 

[A2coins]

Good advice I also suggest cudamarks way cause in that condition its not a valuable coin just depends on what your planning to do with it.

 

[A2coins]

Welcome from MI Tommy

 

[Ewell’s retreat]

Thanks A2. I appreciate the advice as well

 

[cudamark]

Thanks cuda. I don’t plan on selling it at this point. I plan on keeping it for my collection unless I NEED to sell it one day. So I’d like it to be cleaned up some so I could enjoy it a little more, but I don’t want to decrease what value is there by doing so. I’m complicated.

That's the rub (so to speak).....sometimes cleaning will enhance the value, other times is will diminish it. IMO, your coin looks ugly in it's present state, and I think someone wanting to keep or resell it would agree. Some others like to see the coin in it's as-dug condition. I'm just not one of them.

 

[dejapooh]

In general, leave it alone. If it has something on it that needs more than soapy warm water and a rose thorn to remove, just leave it. Whatever damage is done is going to be made worse. Acids eat away at the surface of the coin. Abrasives (like baking soad) scratch it away. The coin got that way somehow, respect it's history and leave it be.

 

[1235CE]

Nice coin, love Bust quarters.....It definitely appears to me that this coin has been exposed to heat or was in a fire and it's especially evident on the top half of the reverse, complete with bubbles in the silver......IMO, cleaning it in any way will actually make it look fake, like a cast copy.

A simple 2x2 flip would be my choice.

HH all!

Greg