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Detector finds and “I dug this”: dirt is not a grade
Dug coins can be real and still ugly. Corrosion is not toning. A shop will bid what is left, not the YouTube thumbnail of a better one.
We like detector people. They bring interesting junk. They also bring ground-up coins and a printout.
What digging does
Pitting. Bronze disease. Bent silver. Partial dates. That is environmental damage, not a secret mint error. Details grades. Error hype.
What not to do
Do not foil-wrap, boil, or electrolysis your way to “better.” You will make a details coin into a no. Don’t clean.
What we bid
Gold and silver on melt if that is all that is left. A true rarity with original enough surfaces gets a real look. A bag of dug wheats is a bag of wheats. Penny jars.
Tell us it was dug. That honesty helps. We can see it anyway.
Part of the coin shop counter wiki · visitors & collectors · NumisQ Learn