Clean or Don’t Clean Old 1943D Silver Dime?

My son and I are still learning. We've seen several posts and articles that say do not clean coins, especially older ones. This 1943 D dime is so discolored it was a challenge to read what the date is. It doesn't seem "dirty", instead it appears to have been in a fire. We think the date would be considerably more legible if something was done to help it. In this condition, we have no clue if it has any value above its silver content and we don't know whether we should keep it, sell it, or just put it aside until or unless we can find another one in better condition.

Help?

 

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Do NOT CLEAN IT!!! It will ruin not only the coins value, but how it looks also!
It definitely has value over it's silver content! (Legit its melt value is 2 cents lol, you can get $1.7 for it) Cleaning it will ruin any value you can get for the coin. Up to you what you want to do with it, it's a cool find. (Never think about cleaning a coin! It's the worst possible thing you could do other than yk, damaging/breaking it!)

P.S Looks like it is just dirty, not caught in a fire, just dirty but ofc I don't have it in hand so I wouldn't know 100%

 

If you want me to explain why cleaning is so bad lemme know

 

Leave as is. This looks like it spent time in a fire. They made so many even nice shiny uncirculated ones go for scrap silver value.

 

Love your avatar/name. I've seen at least 4,573,390 videos and articles giving more than that many reasons not to clean. However, I would appreciate hearing the definitive answer instead of 4,573,390 opinions. Even then I know I still won't understand, but at least I'll know what it is I don't understand.

Did you understand what I just said?

Thanks for your time.

 

It has always been a given in the coin collecting arena that we don't clean coins. Cleaning typically leaves minute hairline scratches that reduce the resale value. Most collectors look at coins as something they may want to sell or trade at a later date. Or they may want to display them at a show or meeting. So, they are better off left as is. However, in many cases a coin may be destined to be in a single accumulation forever and the owner should decide to clean or not to clean. But what if he may want to sell later? I can't see an issue with a coin such as yours being worth melt dirty or clean. With most high mintage circulation grade coins, to me, it is something the owner must decide.

 

Actually, anything you do to this coin really won't improve or devalue it.
Pretty much just silver value.

If you do attempt to clean it though, it will probably look "cleaned", and generally cleaned coins are considered less desirable than "original" surfaces to collectors.
It's just that this coin in circulated condition really doesn't have a collectable premium either way.

 

Yes of course I understand what you said. To be clear: I don't give my opinion, I give facts on the matter. Cleaning can cause scratching and/or an abnormal shine on the coin. Cleaned coins LOOK cleaned, it's very obvious they're cleaned and people Usually do Not want Cleaned Coins. Let's say you have a nice rare coin, and you Clean it It can lose at most approximately 90% of it's value and approximately at the very least 25% of it's value

Currently, the only benefit is that it makes the coins appearance look more appealing

 

I would put it into a 2x2 coin holder with the date found and keep it.

 

Baking soda rub will clean it up fine.. It's only silver melt value.

Oh and no need for more than one thread for each of your coin questions.

Welcome to CoinTalk.

 

Melt is not $0.02. It is currently at $1.89 at last check.

a coin like this is worth literally Melt and no more. Do whatever you want with it

 

A coin like this can be used to practice coin conservation.
I would soak it in pure acetone overnight. Then gently roll (not rub) a q-tip moistened with acetone across the surface. This process will remove organic contaminants. It will not remove toning or repair environmental/fire damage.
If you want to practice further, I would suggest trying a quick dip (3-5 second) in E-Zest coin dip. Immediately rinse the E-Zest off with running hot water. Follow with a 1-2 minute soak in acetone, then hold the coin vertically allowing the acetone to drip dry/evaporate. E-Zest will remove toning but can not repair fire or environmental damage.

 

There is a big difference between cleaning and restoration.
Cleaning(harsh) destroys the coins surfaces. And therefore devalues the coin.
Restoration removes unsightly toning corrosion etc. And tends to improve the value of the coin. But it is done by not harming the original surfaces.
The biggest issue with either of the methods described above is understanding and learning which coins can be conserved and which ones to just leave alone.

 

The question was to Clean or not to clean. Collectors do not want restored coins that look funky! Restoration causes that to happen also, as restoration can cause a loss of patina on a coin, and other unwanted effects -- at-least on older coins.

 

On this run of the mill Mercury, I would not want it in this condition. If it was polished and whizzed I’d totally make a trinket of some sort out of it.

 

CAPS, slanted bold, SLANTED BOLD CAPS, explanation points!, triple explanation points!!!, all across multiple posts. Why? To convince everybody only your opinion is correct? You shouted out your opinion in your first post. We got it. Please stop.
The OP presented a great question in an open forum. How about respectfully allowing others to offer their opinion(s)?

 

It's your coin, so do as you wish with it. Because it is badly damaged (discolored), I would try a acetone soak. Maybe a day or two. Don't let the acetone evaporate or it will leave the gunky residue on the coin, so use an air tight glass jar to soak. And then roll a damp Q-tip over it to help remove the loose material. Unless you brush or rub the coin, acetone will not harm the surface of a coin.

As for the overall question of cleaning a coin; normally the collecting society frowns on it, but some of the TPG offer it, calling it conservation, so if one has a coin of value, they let the TPG conserve it.

 

People respond to me, I respond back, Why are you mad bro? Not only is it not my opinion and I'm giving facts, I'm also helping the person not make a mistake (In the future). If you read, they quote my text and state something and I say it back, I am not criticizing opinions, just giving facts about it and responding to others.

Also if you don't like how I get your attention with slanted bold text, then not my problem it's yours.

 

Bold italic caps is the unholy trinity of printsetting

 

smh smh lol