Is this Morgan cleaned?

[GoldenEagle]

A guy on a trade site offered me a Morgan in trade. Sent the pics over, but I'm thinking it might be cleaned. Photos

If it's cleaned, what is it's value? If it's naturally shiny with a nice luster, how much of a different price is it?

Thanks!

[mitocondriac]

If its clean most collectors will consider its damaged no matter how good a condition its in. Unless its just a super rare un-common coin. Problem with Morgans is they made way to many of them. But I'm no expert so maybe someone else can give you a better idea.

[mitocondriac]

Can you ask him for some more clear pictures?

[KingTotsalot]

KT looked up the value of 1885 O mint Morgan dollar...average circulated value around $27.00 (silver plus small premium for being a US silver dollar), the average uncirculated value was only $38.00....the coin offered is not uncirculated but also much nicer than average circulated. If he is asking more than about $30 - $32 for it, cleaned or uncleaned is too much. Cleaned its worth silver melt around $23 or so.

Good luck on finding out if it has been cleaned.

[gameoftag]

Originally Posted by KingTotsalot

KT looked up the value of 1885 O mint Morgan dollar...average circulated value around $27.00 (silver plus small premium for being a US silver dollar), the average uncirculated value was only $38.00....the coin offered is not uncirculated but also much nicer than average circulated. If he is asking more than about $30 - $32 for it, cleaned or uncleaned is too much. Cleaned its worth silver melt around $23 or so.

Good luck on finding out if it has been cleaned.

I agree. Common dates coins will never be worth much more than the melt value. perhaps a small premium could be paid. Watch out though. There are many many counterfeit Morgans out their. I would be more concerned if it's real or not. Looks good, but some fake are really well done.

[helgriffan]

I doesn't look cleaned to me it just looks in AU condition, but its always hard to tell from a picture.
helgriffan

[Jason in Enid]

Helll yes it's been cleaned! Have you ever seen a real, old, untouched silver coin? They are a mixture of blue, grey and brown. It's actually very cool to see and it's called toning.

Does it affect value? Only if it has a significant value to begin with. Most Morgan and Peace dollars are worth little above thier silver content. As long as he didn't try to get more than about $22 of value from it, you are good.

[Trickworm]

Its definitely been cleaned at some point. An uncleaned Morgan should have some dullness and toning as Jason in Enid said.

[tzarmarko]

Thats not exactly true. A tell-tale sign of cleaning is MANY little, small marks and scratches on the coin. A coin can be in great condition and still be 150 years old if it is stored properly. If you were to ask me, I would say that this coin is not cleaned, but acctually a very good coin.

Also try the following, take a regular desk lamp. Take your coin (if you have it) and put it in your hand. Swivel your hand so that the light bends. If the light moves around the coin in a circle, it is not cleaned. If the light just flashes, it is 100% cleaned. I might post some pics for comparrison later.

[Midknight]

Speaking of fakes, if you decide to buy, or even if you examine the coin hands on, bring a magnet with you. Some fakes are made of cheap base metals that stick to magnets

[KingTotsalot]

Originally Posted by Midnight

Speaking of fakes, if you decide to buy, or even if you examine the coin hands on, bring a magnet with you. Some fakes are made of cheap base metals that stick to magnets

absolutely!

However, fakes are usually done of the high grade rare coins! Nobody would bother to spend 50 bucks labor to fake a 30 buck coin!

Although I did read about a counterfitter who drove the NYC cops crazy for 40 years printing $1 bills....He musta passed several million of them before getting caught due to a fire in his room in a hotel where he had all his equipment!

[Dark Chameleon]

easy for fakes as well..the weight for size...it takes a lot of work to get a metal other then the metal of morgans (75% silver) to weigh the same for the same size, if you have another silver morgan just set them side by side and then weigh them and do the magnet thing, if it doesnt stick, is the same size and thickness and shines the same then its pretty sure its good....i have 8 or 9 of them and i prefer the new 999 1 oz silver but you can tell age most of the time, if its clean between where youd expect finger grubbies to collect its most likely been cleaned..i have some pictures of my morgans on my page...one has been cleaned, see if you can tell

[GoldenEagle]

Thanks, guys. I'll try to get him to take some better images. Is there a specific area that might give a better clue as to whether it's been cleaned? I really prefer naturally toned ones....