Is it worth getting a 1919 S wheat Penny restored ? 1 1

[Erin33]

1919-s wheat Penny - does restoration make the Penny look shinier? Do people restore wheat pennies? 
 

Thanks

[Coinbuf]

No, the TPG's will seldom do any restoration on copper of that age.   This coin would look very unnatural if it had a different look.   There is nothing that can be done to reverse the years of commerce that your coin has seen, it is what it is.

[Sandon]

       Your 1919-S Lincoln cent is a well-circulated example in approximately Very Good condition, with a retail list value of less than a dollar. It has exactly the appearance a circulated copper alloy coin should have, which is a dull chocolate brown. It shouldn't be "shiny", and there is nothing to "restore". The only copper coins that should be bright are uncirculated pieces that have been carefully handled and retain their original mint color. The only ones that should be "shiny" are unworn brilliant proofs.

   Knowledgeable collectors seek coins with original, unimpaired surfaces and shun coins that have been "cleaned", polished, buffed or otherwise tampered with by chemical or abrasive means.  Such coins that would otherwise be worth submitting to grading services are given "details" grades and trade at a discount, frequently a deep one, and some are virtually unsaleable. Unfortunately, many otherwise desirable coins have been ruined by such mistreatment at the hands of ignorant or unscrupulous people. Experts, such as those at NCS, can sometimes "conserve" coins by removing from their surfaces foreign substances that have not chemically bonded with the coin metal. It is best for all others to refrain from attempts to "improve" the appearance of a coin.

[Greenstang]

Don’t know why you want  it to look shiny, it is a worn coin and looks like it should.  
Making it shiny would make it look unnatural and devaluate it. Save shiny for uncirculated coins.

[l.cutler]

Nice, circulated coin, that looks exactly as it should. Nice color, clean looking surfaces, put it in a holder to protect it and enjoy it!

[Erin33]

Thanks everyone for answering my question..people just starting out …sometimes have for no one to ask this question too…

 

have a good day everyone!

[powermad5000]

There is no way as such to "restore" coins. There is a service here called NCS (Numismatic Conservation Services) that can help with removing surface contaminants (conservation) and stabilizing the surface of a coin to try to help prevent further damage to the surface of a coin, but it is not a service that turns back the clock on previous circulation or damage. It cannot restore the red color to copper cents. It cannot "bring back" a coin that was once a deep mirror prooflike that circulated and lost its luster to return to a deep mirror prooflike state. They do not remove scratches from a proof or business strike. They cannot bring back "frost" to a coin that previously had it. They can only stabilize the surface and remove some surface contaminants to keep things from getting any worse, but it does not always translate into better appearance.

Once a coin sustains damage from whatever environment it is in (whether it be circulation, moisture, abrasive, etc.), there is no bringing the coin back from the damage it sustains. Once copper coins lose their red color, it is gone forever. Once silver coins lose their cartwheel luster or prooflike condition, or original "frost", it is gone forever. If your coin still has its original surfaces (which imho seems to still have for a circulated cent) and nobody unwisely attempted to clean, polish, alter, or otherwise artificially change its appearance, it is better to enjoy this coin in its original state. Attempting to do anything to change its appearance will make the coin earn a "details" grade which is a statement of some type of damage to it. Collectors seek typically the best coins they can find, but they also would rather have a circulated coin with original surfaces over a coin which has been cleaned or tampered with. 

Edited October 2, 2023 by powermad5000

[JKK]

You would not want to do that. The coin looks excellent, naturally patinated, with the look it should have for its level of wear. Notice the uniformity of that viewpoint, which is its own evidence. A Linc can even be fully uncirculated, but toned up to a rich chocolate patina--or the caramel patina of yours, or something in between. Cu lovers dote on the variety of shades in unaltered coins.

[ldhair]

I believe the coin looks nice just the way it is but it could be helped in a small way.

To me the first image of the obverse shows what looks like a slight green haze across Lincoln. If that is actually there, it could be removed without any signs that the coin has been messed with. It's an easy process but not for someone that does not understand it. 

[Mike Meenderink]

If you are just starting in this hobby then you should not be thinking about restoring coins. Coin restoration is a very limited ideal that requires extreme skill and knowledge. Most coins do not respond well to restoration or conservation. Only a trained expert can determine if a coin would benefit from a restoration. Most coins are desired in an original "uncleaned" state by collectors. Some very special exceptions are made for coins that would respond well to conservation. These coins are conserved in a manner which does not devalue the coin or alter the surfaces of the coin they merely remove contaminants from the surface. If after professional conservation a TPG determines the coin qualifies for grading it would be graded and encapsulated. This process is for the most experienced of collectors. Determining which coins would benefit from this process is a life long learning process and not for the newest of the collectors.