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Characteristics of "Cleaned" Coins

Category:  Other
Owner:  Sandon
Last Modified:  1/10/2024
Set Description
Many coins that are submitted to grading services are returned "details" graded and given qualifying descriptions such as "cleaned", "cleaning", "improperly cleaned", or occasionally "harshly cleaned". The use of the term "cleaned" in this context is a misnomer, as the mere removal of dirt or other foreign matter from the surface of a coin--literally "cleaning"--is instead referred to as "conservation", and "conserved" coins are numerically graded. Improper "cleaning", in numismatic parlance, instead refers to the use of abrasive or chemical substances that alter the appearance of a coin in a manner that numismatists consider unnatural or undesirable.
This set consists of coins in eligible holders that have been details graded as "cleaned" and shows some of the variety of appearances that are so designated. It also contains several numerically graded pieces that in this collector's opinion also show evidence of such abrasive or chemical alteration.

Set Goals
The goal of this set is to help collectors learn how to recognize a coin that is likely to be details graded due to "cleaning" and to realize that such coins range in appearance from ugly to acceptable to rather attractive. "Cleaning" is indicated by moderate to extensive hairline scratches from abrasive treatment or an unnatural color or glossy or blotchy surfaces from treatment by chemicals.
The coins in this set were all purchased in their current holders or were submitted by the collector with the understanding, except as otherwise stated, that the coins would be "details" graded. This collector regards such coins as worth purchasing for an appropriate discount, especially in the case of pieces that are rare or attractive or where in the collector's informed judgment the coin has not been detrimentally "cleaned".

Slot Name
Origin/Country
Item Description
Full Grade
Owner Comments
Pics
View Coin   United States 1C 1837 NGC UNC Details I bought this 1837 "Plain Hair Cord" or "Head of 1836" medium letters large cent (N7/8) at a local coin auction in November 1997 as an unimpaired brown uncirculated piece. I submitted it to NGC in March 2023, and it was returned "cleaned". The coin is slightly glossy, and the hints of mint color have a somewhat pinkish hue. It is an attractive coin notwithstanding any "cleaning".

I took the photos before submitting the coin for certification.
View Coin   United States 1C 1847 NGC UNC Details I purchased this large cent at a local coin auction in February 2004 and submitted it for certification in April 2022. I knew that it had probably been recolored, although as I recall the auction company described it as an original red and brown piece. Others in attendance probably realized this, as it sold for a reasonable price. The NGC qualifier of "altered color" was as expected. To its credit the coin has no observable wear and was strongly struck with full star centers, which in my judgment makes it an appropriate coin for a type set. It also takes a better photograph. I determined the die variety to be N28, a scarce (high R4) variety. The coin was photographed before certification.

The "Redbook" has long included a warning in its listing of late date large cents for collectors to "[b]eware of slightly worn copper coins that have been cleaned and recolored to simulate Uncirculated luster". This chemical recoloring, with or without other forms of "cleaning", is also found on uncirculated pieces due to the strong premium paid for original mint color, which is perishable in any event. Such recoloring on this coin can be identified by a pinkish rather than orange hue and somewhat unusual toning pattern. Nevertheless, even coppers specialists can disagree over whether a purportedly "red" or "red and brown" coin has original color.
View Coin   United States 5C 1913 TYPE 1 NGC UNC Details I purchased this coin uncertified at a local coin auction in February 1992 for all of $36.75 and submitted it to NGC for certification solely for registry set purposes in April 2022. I was unsure whether it would receive a straight grade or would only details grade due to obverse spots being regarded as corrosion or environmental damage. NGC required me to submit it to NCS to remove "residue" to have it certified. It has been encapsulated as "cleaned".

I took the photos appearing above before the coin was sent to NGC. The coin had original appearing multicolored album toning of the sort that can command high prices in today's market and otherwise appeared to be original notwithstanding the spots. It now has an unnatural looking sheen, and the toning has been muted. There are now pits at some of the places that there were spots, while most of the spots remain. (Some of the change can be seen on NGC's photos on certification verification for #6451295-004.) The coin now does appear to have been chemically "cleaned", presumably by NCS. Based on this experience, I would respectfully decline any further service by NCS.
View Coin   United States 3CS 1867 NGC UNC Details NGC accurately described this coin as "scratched" due to groups of light pin scratches on both sides and as "cleaned" due to its dullness and blotchy toning. It's nevertheless fully detailed and a very rare date with an original mintage of 4,000 pieces, most of which were likely melted in 1873. I purchased this coin in 2012. Photos courtesy of Stacks Bowers Galleries.
View Coin   United States H10C 1795 NGC AU Details I bought this early type coin in 2014. It was described as "cleaned"--which it is--and as "damaged", likely due to the planchet crack at around 9:00, which may be as struck. Well worth the "Fine" money I paid with this much detail. Photos courtesy of Stacks Bowers Galleries.
View Coin   United States H10C 1797 13 STARS LM-4 PCGS VG Details Though given a details grade as "bent", this very scarce type (and die variety) is very slightly bent if at all. It is, however, obviously cleaned with an unnatural light gray color. I purchased this coin in 2017. Photos courtesy of Stacks Bowers Galleries.
View Coin   United States H10C 1803 NGC FINE Details This entire type can legitimately be regarded as rare. It is harder to find than any other denomination featuring the Draped Bust/Heraldic Eagle design and when found is often well worn and/or impaired. I have owned a Good to Very Good details, damaged and heavily cleaned 1801 for many years and tried to have it graded for inclusion here, but NGC classified it as having an "altered surface" and would not encapsulate it.

I purchased this 1803 large 8 "Redbook" variety, the less scarce variety for the year, at a March 2023 auction for more than I would have preferred to pay. (Unfortunately, NGC doesn't distinguish between the large and small 8 varieties without the submitter paying an attribution fee.) Its color is slightly light and it is lightly hairlined, resulting in the "cleaned" description. It is otherwise a decent example of this difficult type.

Photos courtesy of Stacks Bowers Galleries.
View Coin   United States 10C 1805 4 BERRIES JR-2 NGC VF Details I obtained this 1805 "4 berries" reverse Draped Bust dime uncertified from a local coin auction in March 1999 and submitted it to NGC in March 2023. I hoped that it would be numerically graded at the Fine or Very Fine level but thought that the old obverse scratches could result in a "details" grade as "scratched". Instead, NGC described it as "cleaned". I'm not sure why. Perhaps the color on the devices was thought to be too light.

The 1805 4 berries and the 1807 are the least scarce Draped Bust dimes. The 1807s tend to be struck from worn dies, so the 1805 4 berries is a common choice for a type coin.

I took the photos prior to the coin's certification.
View Coin   United States 10C 1814 NGC VF Details I acquired this 1814 large date Capped Bust dime uncertified at a local coin auction in 1997. When I submitted it to NGC in June 2023, I thought that NGC might regard it as "cleaned" due to the lighter appearance of the higher points of the devices and some slight streakiness. They did. I regard the coin's appearance as acceptable for a coin of its age.

I took the photos before submitting the coin for grading.
View Coin   United States 10C 1834 NGC UNC Details Though designated as "cleaned" by NGC, presumably due to slightly glossy surfaces and mottled toning, this coin features a very strong strike and virtually mark free surfaces. Purchased in 2018. Photos courtesy of Stacks Bowers Galleries.
View Coin   United States 10C 1839 NGC AU Details I purchased this coin uncertified at a local coin show in October 1994. In my records I described it as "Ch. EF, cleaned". As it was the most detailed specimen I have of the "no drapery, with stars" Seated dime subtype, I submitted it to NGC for registry set purposes in April 2022. The design is the same as the 1837-38 "no stars" except for the addition of the obverse stars. I photographed the coin prior to certification.

This coin has light but extensive hairlines and an unnatural gray color, identifying it as a coin that has been abrasively cleaned.
View Coin   United States 10C 1874 ARROWS NGC AU Details I acquired this coin at a coin show in November 1996 and submitted it to NGC for certification in April 2022 solely for registry set purposes as my best example of the 1873-74 with arrows subtype. I expected this coin to receive a numerical grade in the AU50-53 range and am unsure why it was given a details grade as "cleaned". The coin is not hairlined, and the color seems natural to me. I assume that the graders thought that the toning was irregular and concluded that the coin had been chemically cleaned. If so, it remains an attractive piece. I photographed the coin prior to certification.
View Coin   United States 10C 1893 O PCGS UNC Details PCGS described this better date Barber Dime as "Unc. details, cleaned". The coin shows some light abrasion on Liberty's face that I consider to be light wear but is otherwise frosty with no hairlines or other signs of abrasive or chemical "cleaning". In my opinion the coin should receive a straight grade of AU 55. Photos courtesy of Stacks Bowers Galleries.

I purchased this coin for a favorable price at auction in July 2019. It upgrades a well worn specimen in my complete set of Barber dimes, which I completed with uncertified coins back in the 1990s and is housed in a Lucite frame, with the coins grading from Good to Brilliant Uncirculated. My only certified specimens are this one, a 1913 graded MS64 now included in several of my competitive type sets, and the Proof 1893 appearing in my nineteenth century proof type sets in this registry.
View Coin   United States 20C 1875 PCGS XF Details I purchased this scarce Philadelphia twenty cent piece at an online auction in November 2020. I have owned uncertified examples of the 1875-S, 1875-CC, and 1876 for some years, so this was the only collectable date remaining for me to acquire, the 1876-CC being an extreme rarity, and the proof only 1877 and 1878 being expensive as well.

While this piece has been chemically cleaned, as indicated by an unusual shade of gray and some blotchy toning, it has relatively few hairlines, is quite well detailed, and has some remaining luster, especially on the reverse.
View Coin   United States 25C 1825/4 B-3 PCGS XF Details Although cleaned, this is a well detailed (Ch. EF details?) specimen of this interesting issue that I purchased at auction in 2015. Photos courtesy of Stacks Bowers Galleries.
View Coin   United States 25C 1831 NGC XF 45 I own uncertified examples of each date of this series from 1831 through 1838. Two of these coins may grade as high as XF40, but in my opinion they are not worth certifying. This specimen is of the "small letters" reverse (though not so designated on the holder), an 1831 only variety that I didn't have, so it is suitable for an "incidental" type set.

This specimen is well detailed, though in my opinion cleaned due to a somewhat "off" gray color and light but fairly extensive hairlining. It also has an obverse staple scratch and other blemishes not visible in the photos. I purchased it at an online auction in November 2020. But for the pandemic I might have been able to view the actual coin before bidding. Photos courtesy of Stacks Bowers Galleries.
View Coin   United States 25C 1840 O NO DRAPERY PCGS VF Details I purchased this cleaned (unnatural color that is retoning around the obverse edge) and slightly damaged 1840-O Seated quarter in 2014 as an example of the Briggs 1-A die variety that shows the mint mark quite far to the left. Its remaining detail demonstrates how different from the "with drapery" version the "no drapery" version is on both sides of the coin. Photos courtesy of Stacks Bowers Galleries.
View Coin   United States 25C 1851 O PCGS XF Details I purchased this well detailed specimen of this scarce date at auction in March 2017. A dealer told me later that day that he had intended to bid more for it but had been unable to get online! PCGS described the coin as having been "smoothed", but my own qualifier would have been "cleaned".

Photos courtesy of Stacks Bowers Galleries.
View Coin   United States 50C 1818 NGC AU Details This coin, though described as cleaned, is nevertheless quite attractive with little wear, a nearly full strike, and pleasant coloration. I purchased it at auction in 2019. It was accompanied by an old tag from Stack's describing it as "blue toned uncirculated with light reverse rubbing". O-107, a common die variety. Photos courtesy of Stacks Bowers Galleries.
View Coin   United States 50C 1819/8 PCGS XF Details This coin is cleaned, with light hairlines, but has retoned and is a fairly attractive specimen of this overdate variety, O-106. This is a "large 9 over 8" variety but not classified as such on this registry because the Overton number is not included on the PCGS label.
I purchased it at auction in 2014. Photos courtesy of Stacks Bowers Galleries.
View Coin   United States 50C 1839 CAPPED NGC AU Details I purchased this well-detailed 1839 Capped Bust, reeded edge half dollar at the summer 2003 A.N.A. convention. My records described it as "Ch. AU, cleaned". The coin has overly bright surfaces and light but extensive obverse hairlines. As my 1838 and 1839-O are more worn and also somewhat impaired and as unimpaired, equal or higher-grade specimens have become expensive, I decided to submit it to NGC as my registry type specimen.

The obverse is the same design as the type of 1836-37. On the reverse "50 CENTS" has been changed to "HALF DOL.", the eagle has been somewhat restyled, and the rim has been strengthened to better protect the coin from wear.

I took the photos before the coin was certified.
View Coin   United States 50C 1876 PCGS AU Details This is a nearly uncirculated specimen of this common date that is quite attractive notwithstanding some hairline scratches from a cleaning. It has since acquired some multicolored toning. Photos courtesy of Stacks Bowers Galleries.
View Coin   United States 50C 1880 NGC PF 62 Purchased for my proof type set in 2018, this "black and white" coin is quite attractive despite fairly extensive obverse hairlines that could indicate an abrasive "cleaning". Because so many nineteenth century proof coins show extensive hairlines, the grading services tend to give them a lower grade such as "62" rather than designate them as "cleaned". Housed in an older NGC holder, this one might well receive a "cameo" designation if graded today. Photos courtesy of Stacks Bowers Galleries.
View Coin   United States $1 1846 O NGC VF 25 I acquired this specimen of the first mintmarked silver dollar at a local coin show in May 2021. I consider it reasonably graded despite having a rim bruise and other marks consistent with circulation and having been, in my opinion, lightly cleaned due to somewhat glossy surfaces and light hairlines. It is interesting to contemplate what stories a circulated coin like this could tell if it could speak.
View Coin   United States $1 1800 NGC VF Details Purchased at a local coin auction in December 1990, this was my first example of an early U.S. silver dollar. Although the auctioneer described the coin as "Extremely Fine", I realized that it was Very Fine and had been lightly polished. I still find it very attractive, and it cost me far less than a comparable specimen would today. It is an example of the "Very Wide Date, Low 8" "Redbook" variety, BB-190, B-10. The "Very Fine Details, Cleaned" grade given by NGC in November 2022 was as expected.

I took the photos before the coin was certified. I also took photos of its lettered and decorated edge. I posted all of these photos under the U.S., Foreign and Ancient Coins forum of the NGC Chat Board under the topic entitled, "1800 Draped Bust Silver Dollar: All Three Sides of the Coin".
View Coin   United States $1 1849 PCGS AU Details This better date Seated dollar, which I viewed before purchasing at auction in December 2021, exemplifies some of the problems inherent with third party certification, particularly the descriptive limitations of little paper grading service tags and legitimate differences of opinion and taste between experienced numismatists. PCGS described the coin as "Cleaned--AU Detail". The color of the coin, which is lighter than it appears to be in the PCGS photos, is a silver gray with light brownish toning that is well within the acceptable range for a circulated silver coin. The coin has no areas of serious hairlining indicative of an abrasive cleaning, nor does it have the glossy or blotchy surfaces associated with improper chemical cleaning. Some of the light toning is slightly irregular, especially on the reverse, and when the coin is held at an angle, a slightly "off" gray color appears. While the coin may have been treated with a baking soda solution, which was widespread years ago, this is a "light" cleaning, and I do not regard the coin as significantly impaired. (The 1846-O graded VF25 in this set seems more obviously cleaned to me.) As there are only traces of luster in protected areas and considering the light cleaning, I grade this 1849 Choice Extremely Fine (XF45). Based on the price I had to pay against other experienced bidders (about XF 40 retail), others apparently agreed.
View Coin   United States $1 1860 O NGC VF 20 I purchased this coin at a local coin auction in February 2013. It is the most available mint marked Seated dollar, as well as the most available issue in uncirculated grades due to several bags having been preserved in Treasury vaults until the early 1960s. Most, like this one, are circulated. The somewhat unnatural gray color suggests some form of "cleaning". NGC photos.
View Coin   United States $1 1863 NGC VF Details I bought this 1863 Seated dollar at a local coin auction in December 1999 for all of $214.50. The coin was obviously "cleaned" based on its unnaturally white color and extensive hairlining in some areas. The 1863 is now considered to be a rare date and has increased markedly in list price since that time. I submitted the coin to NGC in March 2023. The coin came back "details" graded as "repaired" rather than "cleaned". I'm not sure where the "repair" is but suspect it was an unsuccessful attempt to rub out the marks in the right facing obverse field. In any case, it is a reasonably well-detailed example of a scarce issue.
View Coin   United States $1 1879 CC NGC XF Details Purchased uncertified as Extremely Fine at a March 2002 coin show, this semi-key date Morgan dollar has a slightly glossy darkish color and light hairlining in the fields that NGC interpreted as evidence of "cleaning" when I submitted it for certification in November 2023. It also has some rim damage. However, it remains in my opinion a decent circulated example of this now rather expensive issue.

I took the photos before submitting the coin to NGC.
View Coin   United States $1 1901 S NGC UNC Details This much better date Morgan dollar came uncertified from a June 2001 local coin auction. I regarded it as low mint state, about MS 61, with a slide mark on Liberty's cheek. The coin isn't extensively hairlined but has some hairlines on Liberty's face and a somewhat "washed out" appearance, probably from being dipped. The NGC staff apparently thought the color wasn't natural, but I know I've seen "S" mint Morgan dollars from the 1900-02 era with this look that were numerically graded.

I took the photos before submitting the coin to NGC.
View Coin   United States $1 1921 PEACE HIGH RELIEF NGC UNC Details I purchased this 1921 Peace dollar as uncirculated at a local coin auction in February 2006 and submitted it to NGC in March 2023. The coin appeared to be unimpaired to me at the time but a comparison of the surface texture, especially of the obverse, to that of certified uncirculated pieces, reveals some unusual glossiness and a slightly bluish tint. NGC deemed this coin "cleaned". It is still a decent looking coin with a better strike than many of this issue.

I took the photos before the coin was certified.
View Coin   United States 25C 1893 ISABELLA NGC UNC Details I purchased this specimen of the only pre-1976 commemorative quarter dollar at a local coin auction in April 2010 and submitted it to NGC in November 2022. I expected it to receive an AU or AU details, cleaned grade. The coin isn't particularly hairlined but is rather bright for its age. It has some "rub" on Isabella's cheek, which is why I thought it would receive an AU grade. It also has an unusual number of small abrasions for a commemorative. The "Uncirculated details, cleaned" grade it received was as high as I could have expected. It is still a pleasing specimen of a scarce issue.
View Coin   United States $10 1853 NGC AU Details I bought this "No Motto" Liberty eagle uncertified at a local coin auction in December 2002 and submitted it to NGC in March 2023. The coin is rather attractive despite a slightly glossy sheen that NGC interpreted as evidence of "cleaning". I'm not sure whether or not it was "cleaned" but, in any case, it is an attractive coin that cost me less than half of what its gold content is worth now.

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