How do you tell if a coin has been cleaned?

[mcginnbros-migration]

I am not a new collector but I am by no means an expert on grading. I have been collecting commemorative halves and I have a Columbian 1893 half that is absolutely really shiney. I bought this on ebay a year ago before I found this site. The person who really did not sell coins had some story behind it and thought it was mint state. i bought it for like 30 dollars and now that I am getting into collecting I want to know more about it. I would like to post some of my coins on here but I can't figure out how to post my pictures???

[coinman1794]

I can't say anything specific without seeingt he coin. Generally, though, a silver coin from 1893 that is brilliant is not an original coin, but that doesn't mean it has been improperly cleaned. Some methods of cleaning/conservation will not hurt the coin. The types of cleaning that are bad are those that cause irreversable damage. Abraisively cleaned coins will have tiny scratches all over the suface from the cloth or brush used to scrub them. If a coin was "dipped" in an acid solution, that could make it brilliant, and possibly market acceptable; but an overdipped coin would be dull and lifeless.

[mcginnbros-migration]

Ok thank you for the insight, I am going to send it off and have it graded and see what they say just for curiosity sake. I will post a reply when I get it back.

[stgecko]

I'm most curious to see what grade you get as I too collect the early commems and have bought a few of late that are very flashy and I expect them to grade high as well. Most were advertised as either: Choice Gem, Gem Proof or MS+++

My coins look shiny and flawless and I find it hard to believe that they haven't been dipped. It doesn't bother me as it doesn't cause the coin any damage, unless done improperly, and it just looks better overall.

Would it be too much to say: That's my two cents?

If you figure out how to post your photos I'd like to see what you got. BTW you need to use the file manager option at the bottom of your text window to add files. Hopefully when you see it it will be obvious. GL

[RareSov]

Post images.. go to http://imageshack.us and click browse and upload your pic.. don't choose the option to resize it, as big as possible for us to get a good look !

 

Once its uploaded, you get about 4 links you can choose from, try the first one or the second (called FORUM1 or something like that) and just paste that in here