"If you make a coin look better, truly LOOK better, then you have improved it"

[James_OldeTowne]

By "look better", the quote refers to "looks better" under all circumstances - arm's length, under a scope, tilted in the light, and with X-ray vision glasses .

 

Let's assume the vast majority of us knows what "better" means...

 

Is the OP true or false?

[Mr.Mcknowitall]

False.

It is not a logical conclusion.

Respectfully,

John Curlis

[physics-fan3.14]

I think you already know where the vast majority of respondents will fall, so I'll just play along.

 

Better is a subjective term - what I think is better you may think is worse. However, in my opinion, it is not possible to make a coin look better under all circumstances that you describe. If you make it "look better" then you will have irreversably changed the mircroscopic surfaces, and I don't think that looks better.

[PerryHall]

I doubt we can get everyone to ever agree as to what looks good. Even if you remove PVC slime from a coin with acetone, there will be a few that will claim that the coin doesn't look better.

[leeg]

Not sure the hidden meaning here?

 

Don't have the secret handshake I guess.

 

 

 

 

[$ilverHawk]

Not sure the hidden meaning here?

 

Don't have the secret handshake I guess.

 

 

 

 

 

Very appropriate post.

 

Carl

[Kurtdog]

By "look better", the quote refers to "looks better" under all circumstances - arm's length, under a scope, tilted in the light, and with X-ray vision glasses .

 

Let's assume the vast majority of us knows what "better" means...

 

Is the OP true or false?

Sure, why not? Eye appeal means eye appeal.

[Hard Times]

Improving a coin via acetone rinse does not affect the surface metal or worked in tone/patina, it only removes non-bound surface junk. Acetone will either improve the coin or it will stay the same, no harm, no foul.

 

Likewise, removing lacquer if done carefully does not affect the surfaces. However, be aware that in some cases, unlike the stunner Lee shows above, the lacquer may be hiding some serious defects. I removed the lacquer on a 1790's Conder token rated RR (<30 known) only to see why someone in the very distant past had lacquered it - with lacquer, very nice uniform tone, without, the token is a total dog. So even removing lacquer is a shoot for 'improvement'.

 

Acid dipping or a MS70 (base detergent) wash to remove patina of course is a whole 'nother level of consideration as to whether a coin is improved. On a coin by coin basis, I would say in most cases, if not nearly all, the answer is NO.

[BillJones]

Acid dipping or a MS70 (base detergent) wash to remove patina of course is a whole 'nother level of consideration as to whether a coin is improved. On a coin by coin basis, I would say in most cases, if not nearly all, the answer is NO.

 

An exception is the removal fo the haze that forms on many silver Proof coins from the 1936 to 1942 era. With the haze these coins are dull and very hard to sell. If you can remove the haze without make the little "ridges" that sometimes result from the removal of the tarish, the eye appeal of the coin is improved.

[PerryHall]

The problem is that not every collector agrees what constitutes good eye appeal. Some want toning and others want their coin dipped bright.

[TwoKopeiki]

If you make a coin look better, truly LOOK better, then you have improved it

 

I agree with that statement.

 

The problem is that we never hear about coins that were ruined and damaged by all those people thinking they know how to make a coin look better. I suspect it's quite a high number. As a collector, I believe our responsibility is to preserve coins for future generations. Any attempt in improving the appearance of the coin can have harmful results, so I think it's better to stay away from it.

[physics-fan3.14]

 

The problem is that we never hear about coins that were ruined and damaged by all those people thinking they know how to make a coin look better.

 

Sure we do! Every time someone posts a cleaned, polished, whizzed, or dipped coin, someone somewhere thought they were making it look better.

[lehigh96]

 

The problem is that we never hear about coins that were ruined and damaged by all those people thinking they know how to make a coin look better.

 

Sure we do! Every time someone posts a cleaned, polished, whizzed, or dipped coin, someone somewhere thought they were making it look better.

 

Yeah but what if it actually did make the coin look better. This whizzed coin is actually gorgeous.

 

 

It is so nice, I am having trouble forcing myself to sell it as I liquidate my collection.

[physics-fan3.14]

Yeah but what if it actually did make the coin look better. This whizzed coin is actually gorgeous.

 

It is so nice, I am having trouble forcing myself to sell it as I liquidate my collection.

 

I strongly disagree, and would have no trouble dumping that at fire sale prices.

[noow]

Yeah but what if it actually did make the coin look better. This whizzed coin is actually gorgeous.

 

It is so nice, I am having trouble forcing myself to sell it as I liquidate my collection.

 

I strongly disagree, and would have no trouble dumping that at fire sale prices.

 

It's subjective.

 

[lehigh96]

Yeah but what if it actually did make the coin look better. This whizzed coin is actually gorgeous.

 

It is so nice, I am having trouble forcing myself to sell it as I liquidate my collection.

 

I strongly disagree, and would have no trouble dumping that at fire sale prices.

 

Well, to be fair, we have no idea what the before picture looks like. I just know in hand, it is attractive despite the altered surfaces. It is also a great teaching tool, which is another reason I find it difficult to part with it.

[WoodenJefferson]

In order to improve, there is the assumption that the original must have been changed in some manner to make it somehow better than what the original had to offer...now my head hurts.

[jom]

[ I am having trouble forcing myself to sell it as I liquidate my collection.

 

For the education I'd love to see that in hand using a halogen lamp....

 

jom