POLISHED COINS

[numismatist]

Polished Coins were always considered " destroyed " as a Collectors item

and a no-go area with serious collectors. Yet now I see on Ebay at least

they seem to fetch roughly what a nicely toned coin would . I dont mean

silver dipped coins, but coins that are burnished with brasso or similar.

Who is buying these ?, is it new collectors who dont have a clue ? Or have

Polished Coins suddenly become more desirable and accepted ?

[Gary D]

Polished Coins were always considered " destroyed " as a Collectors item

and a no-go area with serious collectors. Yet now I see on Ebay at least

they seem to fetch roughly what a nicely toned coin would . I dont mean

silver dipped coins, but coins that are burnished with brasso or similar.

Who is buying these ?, is it new collectors who dont have a clue ? Or have

Polished Coins suddenly become more desirable and accepted ?

Are they really being purchased or just shilled up by the seller?

[ChKy]

Depends on the coin...

...the common silver coin sells for bullion. Many people are chasing after precious metals again in nower days.

...might be a rare type, date, mint mark. So the person purchasing such a coin seeks a reference sample.

Furthermore, in a scan the surface of a polished coin might not appear as such. In order to prevent trouble, serious people here would use the phrase berieben (German - wich indicates that a coin was eg rubbed with fabric).

[Peckris]

Polished Coins were always considered " destroyed " as a Collectors item

and a no-go area with serious collectors. Yet now I see on Ebay at least

they seem to fetch roughly what a nicely toned coin would . I dont mean

silver dipped coins, but coins that are burnished with brasso or similar.

Who is buying these ?, is it new collectors who dont have a clue ? Or have

Polished Coins suddenly become more desirable and accepted ?

I hope NEVER more desirable, but I wouldn't rule out "accepted", especially among buyers who began in the internet era. Don't ask me why. Perhaps it's the loss of education about coins that used to be provided by dealers , books and periodicals. I remember offloading the remainder of a lot I'd picked up at W&W in the 90s - the majority of the coins (high grade Geo V) had been noticeably polished. I was astonsihed how much it went for when I put it into Greenslades about 10 years ago or so. Not far off what you'd expect from uncleaned coins.

[numismatist]

I believe the ones I keep seeing are in the main genuine sales, and I think "Peckris"

perhaps has it right with it being the newer internet buyers who find these grossly

"polished" Coins acceptable. They may greatly regret paying the prices they do, if one

day they come to selling them as I'm sure the mainstrean dealers and auction houses

will really knock them down as regards value when they see them.

[Red Riley]

I believe the ones I keep seeing are in the main genuine sales, and I think "Peckris"

perhaps has it right with it being the newer internet buyers who find these grossly

"polished" Coins acceptable. They may greatly regret paying the prices they do, if one

day they come to selling them as I'm sure the mainstrean dealers and auction houses

will really knock them down as regards value when they see them.

That hasn't been my experience recently. A lot of coins I see at auctions have been cleaned (more often dipped than polished) and the prices have always been pretty high to be honest. The auction houses seldom mention 'cleaned' unless it's patently obvious (even then...!). Yes, a nicely toned coin with original surfaces will go for more but the gap is narrowing and the proportions which have seen the dreaded Silver Dip is getting higher.

[Accumulator]

Like most, I hate polished or obviously cleaned coins but occasionally one comes along that just doesn't seem that bad. Here's an example which hasn't photographed well but looks quite nice in hand. One day I might upgrade, but for the moment it doesn't sit too badly in the collection.

Edited March 27, 2012 by Accumulator

[Peckris]

I have NO idea what's happened to this one, but I rather like it. I got it from Stephen Lockett's £6 tray some years ago; it was discoloured in a multi-hued kind of way, but only after it got silver dipped did it acquire this rather nice uniform hue!

[azda]

I have NO idea what's happened to this one, but I rather like it. I got it from Stephen Lockett's £6 tray some years ago; it was discoloured in a multi-hued kind of way, but only after it got silver dipped did it acquire this rather nice uniform hue!

[/qu

Hence the reason you got it for 6 quid. Strong coin but fooked at the end of the day

Edited March 27, 2012 by azda

[Peter]

There are sellers on Ebay who polish/dip coins but certain punters love them.

Colin Cooke once told me he visted a son who had inherited his fathers 1/4d collection.Before Colin arrived the son had spruced them up a bit

[moneyer12]

i have 1 polished coin in my collection of over 11,000 it is a chile 1860 1 centavo and until i find a better example i will keep it. as for the rest they have never seen a duster and some have only been dipped in acetone to remove dirt.

[Gary D]

i have 1 polished coin in my collection of over 11,000 it is a chile 1860 1 centavo and until i find a better example i will keep it. as for the rest they have never seen a duster and some have only been dipped in acetone to remove dirt.

I sold a 1921 nose to VS shilling on ebay a couple of years ago. First time it went up too £35 so I dipped it and put it back on the next week and it went for £83

Edited March 28, 2012 by Gary D

[Rob]

I sold a 1921 nose to VS shilling on ebay a couple of years ago. First time it went up too £35 so I dipped it and put it back on the next week and it went for £83

Blame it on insecurity. The minute you have natural toning which can take on any form there is an automatic assumption that it's hiding something, whereas a monotonous colour from dipping will show all the detail evenly. Bizarre really when you think about it - so many people who are happily taking a coin that has knowingly been dipped and therefore messed with a bit, in preference to a coin that may or may not have possibly been played with.

[Peckris]

I have NO idea what's happened to this one, but I rather like it. I got it from Stephen Lockett's £6 tray some years ago; it was discoloured in a multi-hued kind of way, but only after it got silver dipped did it acquire this rather nice uniform hue!

Hence the reason you got it for 6 quid. Strong coin but fooked at the end of the day

Not at all. It's no worse than any coin with an overall patina. The colouration may be unusual but there would be collectors who would be glad to own it. Which is, after all, what this particular discussion is all about. I'm not in the market for selling it, but I'm prepared to bet I could get a decent price for it on eBay.

[onlyme]

I have NO idea what's happened to this one, but I rather like it. I got it from Stephen Lockett's £6 tray some years ago; it was discoloured in a multi-hued kind of way, but only after it got silver dipped did it acquire this rather nice uniform hue!

I have a similar Victoria penny 1887 different on obverse lighthouse to the left and ship to the right Legend One Penny. Legend on front : VICTORIA D : G BRITT: REG: F D

came from apail of coins it is superb just a very dark colour.

onlyme

[onlyme]

I have NO idea what's happened to this one, but I rather like it. I got it from Stephen Lockett's £6 tray some years ago; it was discoloured in a multi-hued kind of way, but only after it got silver dipped did it acquire this rather nice uniform hue!

I have a similar Victoria penny 1887 different on reverse, It shows a lighthouse to the left and a ship to the right Legend One Penny. Legend on front : VICTORIA D : G BRITT: REG: F D She has a laurel wreath on her head.

came from a pail of coins it is superb just a very dark colour I would not like to attempt to clean it.

onlyme

[Peckris]

I have NO idea what's happened to this one, but I rather like it. I got it from Stephen Lockett's £6 tray some years ago; it was discoloured in a multi-hued kind of way, but only after it got silver dipped did it acquire this rather nice uniform hue!

I have a similar Victoria penny 1887 different on reverse, It shows a lighthouse to the left and a ship to the right Legend One Penny. Legend on front : VICTORIA D : G BRITT: REG: F D She has a laurel wreath on her head.

came from a pail of coins it is superb just a very dark colour I would not like to attempt to clean it.

onlyme

Can we see a picture?

[Red Riley]

I sold a 1921 nose to VS shilling on ebay a couple of years ago. First time it went up too £35 so I dipped it and put it back on the next week and it went for £83

Blame it on insecurity. The minute you have natural toning which can take on any form there is an automatic assumption that it's hiding something, whereas a monotonous colour from dipping will show all the detail evenly. Bizarre really when you think about it - so many people who are happily taking a coin that has knowingly been dipped and therefore messed with a bit, in preference to a coin that may or may not have possibly been played with.

I don't think it's that, I think it's more the simple fact that most collectors don't care that much, not surprising when you see that the majority of silver coins offered seem to have been cleaned in some way and dipping is certainly preferable to Duraglit. As we've said before some natural toning can be singularly unattractive hence why so many coins were dipped in the first place.

Bronze/copper is a different matter entirely...

[Gary D]

I sold a 1921 nose to VS shilling on ebay a couple of years ago. First time it went up too £35 so I dipped it and put it back on the next week and it went for £83

Blame it on insecurity. The minute you have natural toning which can take on any form there is an automatic assumption that it's hiding something, whereas a monotonous colour from dipping will show all the detail evenly. Bizarre really when you think about it - so many people who are happily taking a coin that has knowingly been dipped and therefore messed with a bit, in preference to a coin that may or may not have possibly been played with.

I don't think it's that, I think it's more the simple fact that most collectors don't care that much, not surprising when you see that the majority of silver coins offered seem to have been cleaned in some way and dipping is certainly preferable to Duraglit. As we've said before some natural toning can be singularly unattractive hence why so many coins were dipped in the first place.

Bronze/copper is a different matter entirely...

I don't mind lightly dipped silver, got to be EF+ though, anything worn just doesn't look right.

[TomGoodheart]

I sold a 1921 nose to VS shilling on ebay a couple of years ago. First time it went up too £35 so I dipped it and put it back on the next week and it went for £83

Blame it on insecurity. The minute you have natural toning which can take on any form there is an automatic assumption that it's hiding something, whereas a monotonous colour from dipping will show all the detail evenly. Bizarre really when you think about it - so many people who are happily taking a coin that has knowingly been dipped and therefore messed with a bit, in preference to a coin that may or may not have possibly been played with.

I don't think it's that, I think it's more the simple fact that most collectors don't care that much, not surprising when you see that the majority of silver coins offered seem to have been cleaned in some way and dipping is certainly preferable to Duraglit. As we've said before some natural toning can be singularly unattractive hence why so many coins were dipped in the first place.

Bronze/copper is a different matter entirely...

I don't mind lightly dipped silver, got to be EF+ though, anything worn just doesn't look right.

A lot of this sellers' coinsappear dipped (though possibly not recently). Puts me off to be honest.

I like my hammered coins to look like they have been around for a while, not straight from the mint. As Gary says, if they were 'as struck' it might look better, but worn and dipped .. not for me.

Edited April 28, 2012 by TomGoodheart

[Peckris]

I don't mind lightly dipped silver, got to be EF+ though, anything worn just doesn't look right.

I agree - it's preferable to ugly toning, and it is possible to dip LIGHTLY without destroying all lustre.

[Coinery]

I don't mind lightly dipped silver, got to be EF+ though, anything worn just doesn't look right.

I agree - it's preferable to ugly toning, and it is possible to dip LIGHTLY without destroying all lustre.

what silver dip do you use?

[Peckris]

I don't mind lightly dipped silver, got to be EF+ though, anything worn just doesn't look right.

I agree - it's preferable to ugly toning, and it is possible to dip LIGHTLY without destroying all lustre.

what silver dip do you use?

The one I would have used if I'd ever had reason to use it hypothetically on one or two hypothetical coins that may have needed a slight bit of dipping if I'd been the sort to use it was simply called 'Silver Dip' and came from Tesco. [Oops, slight correction - my hypothetical dip is "Goddards"]

Edited April 29, 2012 by Peckris

[Gary D]

I don't mind lightly dipped silver, got to be EF+ though, anything worn just doesn't look right.

I agree - it's preferable to ugly toning, and it is possible to dip LIGHTLY without destroying all lustre.

what silver dip do you use?

The one I would have used if I'd ever had reason to use it hypothetically on one or two hypothetical coins that may have needed a slight bit of dipping if I'd been the sort to use it was simply called 'Silver Dip' and came from Tesco. [Oops, slight correction - my hypothetical dip is "Goddards"]

I was routing around in the cupboard under the sink and at the back collecting dust I found a pot of something called 'Silver Clean' by Hagerty. It was next to something called Brasso which I hear is good for copper and bronze.....apparently.

[TerryT]

Polished coins are being used for decoration. I had some old Canadian large cents which were rusted, and used Brasso to polish them so that they were super shiny. I was going to make a set of them from 1859 to 1920, but then decided to get rid of them. I listed 9 of them at 9 cents on ebay as polished coins and stated in the description that they had no numismatic value because of the polishing but would be good for decorative purposes. They sold for $16 US!!! Subsequently sold some others at ridiculous prices also. I plan to someday use some to inlay into furniture, etc. They could also make nice poker chips if you can get a whole batch of beat up ones cheap.