What is a "cleaned" coin?

I don’t think it’s that difficult to see a cleaned coin. It’s not inside knowledge.

I suppose if you could return the original surface to a coin, those businesses would adapt. Whatever was “special” would migrate to another concern.

Grading in all hobbies has become very precise. I don’t expect that to go away.

so a pencil eraser to copper pennies would be ok?

Well ------ since you were young and didn’t have access to a sandblaster and bench-grinder I’ll forgive you. :wink:

And like with comics its not just in the uncirculated (we say Mint State or MS) grades but depending on the rarity it can be well down the circulated grades as well. Calling on a slightly old price sheet and the old reliable 1909-S VDB
Good - $660
VG - $725
Fine - $850
VF - $900
XF - $1000
AU (almost unc) - $1100
MS60 - $1500
MS63 - $1600
MS65 - $2750

Yeah - the big pay-off is being able to jump that 65 grade but if I can whiz even in the circs I am picking up a cool hundred or more. Not bad for say 15 minutes work if you can do it and if you can do it well enough to get away with it.