Okay, I have started numerous thread about cleaning and polishing silver before, but this question is slightly different. I have a few American silver eagles that have some yellowish toning on them. Does this reduce the value at all? If it does, should I clean them in a gentle way( e.g. Bicarbonate soda and aluminium foil bath). Thanks Silver
Well just my ho but , for me liberty would be what I would consider a low premium bullion product, so you are or rather I would be buying for its intrinsic silver value only, unless they are 100 years old and in VF or Uncirc condition. I personally would not be bothered, that being said , what are you trying to achieve, are you looking to sell, if you are some people want them left as they are, some want them shiny, I would not be cleaning them but they are not mine, this decision is yours to make, so long as you are not removing metal from mechanical cleaning do as you wish. I personally do not think coloration from environmental exposure would decrease the value of this bullion product.
You're probably right mate, a little more tact wouldn't go astray though. Surely you can appreciate Silver_Dealer is obviously passionate?
Depends on what you plan to do with the ASE's. On the one hand, if you have a key date ASE like a 1986 and other than the toning it looks to be in flawless condition and you think it is worth a significant amount of $$$ like this http://www.ebay.com/itm/1986-1-Silv...036834?hash=item3f67994222:g:CeUAAOSw0fhXl-oT , and you wish to make some hard cash then I'd say definitely don't clean it but rather think about having it graded and slabbed. If on the other hand it's an otherwise normal ASE (some dings and scratches) and you have no plans on selling it but just want to see it shiny, then I see no problem cleaning it. .
If you do nothing, and the reaction can continue (resupply of air with sulphur containing components), the color will shift from yellow to black, and later on atoms on the surface may relocate in such a degree that it is actually damage, original relief lost, irreversable. So it's, at least, a matter of storing them better. If one buys ASE's, then he pays a rather substantial premium above the silver value, and that makes only sense if you want to sell them as such too, which requires a coin in a good condition. Those that don't bother, have no reason at all to buy ASE's, just buy ordinary bars without any flower bees whatever prints on them.
