Gold Double/Single Eagle Cleaned/XF/AU

[AlleyAlchemy]

What are your thoughts regarding pre '33 gold double/single eagle polished/cleaned vs. XF vs. AU?

Is cleaned 'tainted?" Does XF/AU hold its premium/value? Some cleaned double eagles seem to have lived a former life as jewelry, then sold to coin shops.

[beauanderos]

pay no more than melt for them, their numie value is ruined. If I could pick up those coins at 97% of melt, I would consider doing so.

[theo]

pay no more than melt for them, their numie value is ruined. If I could pick up those coins at 97% of melt, I would consider doing so.

+1

This is the first I've heard of a gold coin being cleaned as gold does not tarnish. I tend to be more worried about dents and dings, especially with Maples.

[christostock]

pre 33 gold has its cycles.
premiums on uncleaned au coins can range from no premium to $250 premium.
Heritage is the biggest perpatrator of moving the US market on those premiums.
Most dealers refer to Heritages buy/sell prices to buy and sell their own coins.
Heritage will move the premium lower in the few days preceeding larger national shows, so that when the dealers get there trying to sell to Heritage, eritage says "here are our current buy prices" which are lower then a few days previous. Then come monday after the show, their premiums start going back up so they can create a larger spread.
My LCS guy has shown me this about 5 times over the past 2 years and it is true to fact.
Cleaned(polished) coins get no premium or less than melt usually.

[AlleyAlchemy]

Thank you kindly for the perspectives.

The local LCS sells what they call 'bullion' pre '33 double/single eagles at spot + 5%/6.5%. Cleaned coins often end up in this category and to my untrained eye, some cleaned can appear to be XF/F. Last time I was in, one guy said a Lib double eagle in their bullion section was XF. I asked another, and he pulled out his loupe and said it was cleaned, citing some marks in the fields of the obverse. So, I may turn to Provident/Apmex for XF/AU, which presumably have been 'graded' more scientifically/reliably.

Thanks again for the informative comments.