[Absolutely NG] What are the things you must never do to antique coins?
[Absolutely NG] What are the things you must never do to antique coins?
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https://www.youtube.com/embed/IL8pX1tD5gA?si=qctX5rgZbpvmwzLl
Hello everyone, this is Emura from Sovereign Hub.
Today, I will talk about the "things you must never do" when collecting antique coins.
In this article, I will explain in detail, including actual experimental results, how the act of "wiping or polishing coins," which many people tend to do, ruins the value of the coin.
Table of Contents
1. Why should you never wipe or polish them?
Wiping a coin with tissues or towels or polishing it with metal polish will cause scratches on the surface and will be a major deduction in grading.
Especially for modern proof coins, the mirror-like finish is everything. If fine scratches called "hairlines" appear on this surface, a coin that should have received a 70 grade will drop to a 68 or lower.
Polishing is even more of a no-no. While videos of "polishing coins until they shine like a mirror" are popular on YouTube, when you send them for grading, they will absolutely not receive a number (grade).
2. I actually polished a coin and sent it for grading
This time, as a warning, I conducted an experiment where I actually polished a coin and sent it for grading.
I used a 1967 one-penny copper coin. Pennies from this era were issued just before the transition from the duodecimal system to the decimal system, and since they are widely available on the market and can be obtained cheaply, they were perfect for this experiment.
Then, I applied plenty of metal polish, the kind used to remove scratches from cars, and scrubbed it with a cotton swab.
⚠️ *Note: Please never imitate this behavior. It will ruin the value of a precious coin.
3. Grading results and their impact
The result of submitting a polished coin to PCGS for grading was...
It was treated as a "Details Grade".
The evaluation comment included the note "Questionable Color".
This means it was judged that "there is a high possibility that the original color of the coin has been artificially altered."
As a result, no grade was assigned at all to the coin.
If this had been a rare 5-pound gold coin, such as a "Una and the Lion"...
The terrifying reality is that polishing it could reduce its value by millions of yen.
4. Summary: Never polish them, keep them as they are
As is clear from this experiment, polishing or wiping coins is an act that significantly damages their value as currency.
✅ Dry wiping with cotton swabs or cloths is also a no-go
✅ Commercially available metal polishes must never be used
✅ Store them in capsules or holders to keep them away from air as much as possible
✅ For raw coins, submitting them for grading early is also an option
The value of a coin lies in its "beauty that has aged in its original state." Please handle your coins correctly to protect them.
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