Is it ok to polish an 1882 silver dollar?

Answer 1

Polishing a coin reduces it value because of the damage it does to the surface of the coin. Polishing actually removes some of the silver and some of the details on the coin can be weakened or even removed as well. If your coin is dirty or dark you may try washing it with a mild, non abrasive soap. There are chemical solutions which can remove the dark tarnish from silver but the darker the color the more damage the tarnish has done to the surface of the coin.Tarnish on silver is actually corrosion and it creates minute pits in the surface. Removing that sort of tarnish only exposes the damage. Heavily worn coins will not be harmed much by cleaning but polishing will still damage even them.

Answer 2

The 1889 Morgan dollar is common. Circulated examples have average values of $30.00-$42.00. But if you clean it, you destroy the collectible value of it. The value would only be about $20.00 if it has been cleaned.