Jan
30
Should we clean old Silver coins before appraisal?
Mona C asked:
My grandfather collected Silver coins and we just found them today. (He was not a 'collector' so these were kept in a drawstring bag in a metal box in the rafters of his garage) There are Morgan Dollars, Peace Dollars, Half Dollars (some Kennedy), quarters and dimes. The dates range from 1880-1976. Obviously these are not in mint condition but if clean would definitely get a better grading I'd think. My question is do we clean them as good as possible before having appraised or leave them as we found them?
My grandfather collected Silver coins and we just found them today. (He was not a 'collector' so these were kept in a drawstring bag in a metal box in the rafters of his garage) There are Morgan Dollars, Peace Dollars, Half Dollars (some Kennedy), quarters and dimes. The dates range from 1880-1976. Obviously these are not in mint condition but if clean would definitely get a better grading I'd think. My question is do we clean them as good as possible before having appraised or leave them as we found them?
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7 Comments
I would leave them as you found them.
As with antiques, leave them alone.
“…The best advice we can give for most people about cleaning coins is…don’t! We see far more coins ruined by cleaning than we see coins which have been improved by cleaning. Generally speaking coins can not be improved by cleaning them.”
Source:
I would take them to someone who will be able to answer the question.
Don’t apply any mechanical force on them like rubbing them.
You could use a cleaner like Qwicksilver.
No, no, no, no! Cleaning them by any method available to you will probably damage them and reduce their value. Keep them separate from each other and anything that might scratch them; that is, put them into individual containers, even if it means making tiny envelopes for them out of paper and staples. Also, avoid touching the faces. Hold them by the edge only. Take them to three or four reputable coin dealers. They will probably low-ball you if they want the merchandise for themselves. Most circulated coins hold little more than face value; but who knows? You might have a surprise in the collection, especially in the Morgan dollars. There are online sites which will tell you the current value of graded coins once you have an idea of the grade.
NNOOOOOOOOO!! No do not clean!!!
DON’T CLEAN THEM!!
If they were encrusted with dirt, you might wash it off with soapy water, but anything else will destroy the patina or ‘bloom’ on a coin, which is something a collector, and therefore a dealer, looks for.