A 1944 pattern Lincoln penny that went from MS60BN to MS65BN after I delicately conserved it with innocuous compounds. That removed gunk had really subdued the electrifying silvery cartwheel luster. CAC even approved it in its MS65BN slab!
But I know one dealer who could sometimes turn BN copper into PCGS RD! But he also ruined many as I did. Copper conservation is always a crapshoot. Definitely not for the faint at heart. You never know what is under the gunk.
I have always had the best results with BN copper. If it has too much RD, conservation will likely ruin it.
FYI, many of that dealer's BN to RD coins turned in their slabs within mere months. Poor PCGS probably had to eat them.
Comments
I find it funny that collectors enable/allow/support such a policy. Why is it when I have a coin and send it to CAC and discuss it with JA there is no question as to grade to his eyes. Yet the grading cos throw multiple graders at a given coin and still rely on subjectivity to avoid responsibility. This is what turns me off to the hobby. It is no longer the hobby of kings, it s the hobby of upgraders or the hobby of subjectivity and nothing else. I won't play the game and have a few select pieces for study and enjoyment and if I have a coin that tis obviously under graded in an older holder, there it stays for the duration of my caretakership.
Go ahead gentleman blow me up.
I was really excited and it was in an old holder. I didn't even realize that it had the mint plug until a few days after I bought the coin. I showed it to the dealer that I bought it from and he was embarrassed that he had missed seeing it.
thank you so much!
It was a very eye opening experience for me.
I have used silver dip once (hated the appearance afterwards) and acetone soaks a few times.
Spending a few hours in the offices and watching what was going on... just some eye opening stuff.
I would hate to own such a coin knowing what was done to it ie not being original surfaces and then I think about my entire collection and what I had not witnessed to those coins over the years. I shutter to think about it. It just shows you what could have been done and has been done and what will be done to coins in order to upgrade them because money is to be paid thus providing adequate motivation.
Thanks for alerting me to the possibilities
i actually was as sad as you appear to have also reacted when hearing about this incident
i must say that some people like @Legend and @corgilover have convinced me that messing with a coin like doctoring etc. is truly hurtful to those of us who love this hobby for the originality that we hope to protect
i now appreciate others like @ptolemyII and @MarkFeld for sharing so many insightful posts on this forum to help me understand what's been happening to the coins (and grading) over time and i want to learn as much as i possibly can
perhaps i may also help future generations care for what we hand to them as the next custodians of the @JACAC approved coins in our collections
thank you so much!