Identifying Cleaned or Altered Coins

Editor: aikencoins

Preserve the value and integrity of your coin collection purchases by learning how to identify cleaned or altered coins.

All cleaning methods employ either a chemical or mechanical action to remove surface contaminants and dirt from the coin. Cleaned coins can be identified by a combination of factors on the coins surfaces. Cleaning often leaves the coin with an unnatural color for the metal content such as orange Lincoln Cents. Some methods of cleaning will leave hairlines or circular scratches on the coins surfaces which can be viewed by rotating the coin between the thumb and forefinger.

Look for contaminants within the denticles and other recesses of the coin. Dirt becomes trapped in the recessed areas where cleaning methods cannot reach them. If a coin is blast white with heavy dirt in the recesses and circular marks within the fields it has been cleaned!

There are two common types of coin alterations: whizzing and altered dates. Whizzing is actually a combination of cleaning and altering a coin to make it appear a much higher grade than it actually was. Once a coin has been whizzed the value is gone and it is nothing but a learning tool. Whizzed coins often display raised lumps of metal around the edges and lettering, with sharp internal lines on shields and buildings due to re-cutting of die details.

Lettering on whizzed coins may appear mushy or weakly struck since it is almost impossible to recut each letter on a coin as precise as the original minting. The fine details on whizzed coins are often too fine compared to their original counterparts such as split bands on otherwise weakly struck mercury dimes.

Altered dates and or mint marks occur when a lesser value coin has the date or mint mark altered to make it appear as a scarce counterpart. Bill Fivaz has published a wonderful pocket guide to help collectors identify key date coins, along with photographs and die markers of the original coins. No matter how good the altered date or mint mark coin is, the die markers are almost never there.

Key coins such as the 1914-D Lincoln cent are often encountered as altered coins in the marketplace today. Coins that have excellent strikes and very weak or mushy mint marks are always suspect. Magnification will often reveal indications that the metal around the mint mark has been moved around to shape or reshape the mint mark and make the coin appear as the 1914-D when it is really an altered 1914 Philadelphia cent. Another common example is a 1944 Denver minted coin with the metal removed from the first four to make it appear as a one.

Some clever folks have even tried the applied mint mark method by attaching a mint mark from and authentic coin of another year. This is often done using calibrated machinist equipment and adhesives. A quick bath in acetone will dissolve the adhesive without damaging the otherwise normal coin.

When purchasing high grade or key date coins it is always best to purchase examples certified by PCGS, NGC, or ANACS if possible. All three of these companies have a guarantee to protect you in case the coin is ever found to be fraudulent. When purchasing raw (uncertified) coins, deal with a respectable dealer who offers a 30 day return policy should the coin turn out to be fraudulent. Thoroughly inspect the coin with a higher powered glass paying close attention to the date, mint mark, die markers, and surrounding areas.

If you do not feel comfortable purchasing the coin raw, ask the dealer to submit the coin to one of the grading services as a condition of purchase. Dealers are often willing to submit coins as long as the customer covers the certification fees.

Eric Murphey, owner of aikencoins

Categories: Hobbies | Collecting | Coin Collecting