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7255carl

Spotting dipped coins

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hi guys

i was wondering if anyone could give me some pointers about spotting dipped coins from ebay photo's as i have seen lots of coins from 2 particular sellers, and they all look really bright and a friend of mine says they have probably been dipped, he also informed me that is not a good thing...i take it that is accurate.

thanks in advance for your help

carl

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hi guys

i was wondering if anyone could give me some pointers about spotting dipped coins from ebay photo's as i have seen lots of coins from 2 particular sellers, and they all look really bright and a friend of mine says they have probably been dipped, he also informed me that is not a good thing...i take it that is accurate.

thanks in advance for your help

carl

Your friend talks sense. The first and most obvious thing to look out for is an almost total lack of toning. The appearance of a dipped coin can also be quite matt, almost opaque whereas a coin in its natural state is neither too shiny nor too dull. I am sorry if that doesn't make a huge amount of sense, but it is one of those things where a bit of experience helps. Where an ebay image is concerned though, it may have been manipulated so much that it is impossible to tell. I have imaged 2 coins from my collection, the first I presume to have been dipped, the second in its natural state. I hope they come out okay.

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Some US collectors prefer their coins dipped. In fact dipped used to be the sought after commodity. Now the fashion seems to be for wild rainbow coloured coins.

Some people say dipping is cleaning, so it should reduce the price of the coins, but apart from guessing that a coin has been dipped, ie too nice looking with no sign of toning it is quite hard to prove, especially in UNC grade. Some coins where stored in airtight boxes or containers after they were minted and show no signs of toning, and full lustre.

If you look on ebay your bound to see a lot of Morgan dollars which have with litlle doubt been dipped (ie "blast white").

If however a coin is dipped too many times it will loose its lustre and look cleaned (which means it will loose its value).

If a coin isn't UNC and DOES shows wear yet it looks like the day it was minted with no toning, then this should throw up warning flags. This would indicate to me that said coin has been dipped or cleaned.

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Pardon my ignorance, but what are these coins "dipped"in ?

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Pardon my ignorance, but what are these coins "dipped"in ?

Doubtless somebody can give you a more technical answer, but usually something like Goddard's Silver Dip, a proprietary solution for removing the tarnish from silver jewellery.

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Cheers Guys, dont think i will be using either

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If you want to dip coins you can make a very effective dip using Aluminum foil and bicarbonate of soda. Line a dish with the foil tip in some of the bicarb and dissolve it in hot water then place coin in the dish and all the silver oxide will disappear. Not that I recommend dipping at all but if you must do it then this is the cheapest way to damage your coins.

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I've read comments where it suggests you can "accelerate the toning process". I have ended up with a dipped coin, is it better to keep it how it now is or to try to re tone it? It's an 1890 crown. Thanks

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and how do you go about re-toning if that's the recommended action?

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Coins can tone back if exposed to the elements - some will leave them in guttering but I wouldn't go that far personally; a windowsill by a window that gets opened fairly regularly might help. Turn the coin now and then.

Of course, it does depend to some extent how badly dipped it is : if even pale silver in colour but dull and lacking lustre, it might take an awful long time.

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" Guttering " can be very dangerous !!...A friend tried it and the Magpies took

all the items he had left there to get to tone.....oh oh oh ...ouch !!

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" Guttering " can be very dangerous !!...A friend tried it and the Magpies took

all the items he had left there to get to tone.....oh oh oh ...ouch !!

Ouch!!!!!!!

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I have Goddards silver dip,acetone and verdi care.

Just don't over do it.

Cotton buds and distilled water can help you on the way.

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Magpies like coin collecting?

Which reigns to they prefer or is it just dipped coins they like?

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