Dining room table question about wood and quality?

Question:I recently found a Cherry Wood Dining room table and 6 chairs.
The table is 20 years old. It is real wood and the surface seems to have a clear shinny coat on top. The chairs are all in tack and have upholstery cushions that need cleaning. There is a leaf that comes with the table. There are a few scratches and nicks on the side and the chair legs and surface scratches on the top.
It belonged to a couple that is 83 and the daughter had it in storage.
I am thinking of buying it but want to make sure it will be a good investment.
She is asking $200.00
The table looks antique and in decent condition. Do you think I can sand down the few scratches and put like a wood color pen from Lowes to touch it up? What about the surface how would I get out the scratches on the top? It has a clear coat?
If I do buy this how would I protect it?
thanks

Answers:
I have a set exactly like it.. first off don't be too picky about every nick- on one will notice them and they happen to new furniture before you know it. I won't sand it down- I just waxed and polished mine with really good wood cleaner and it looks great. Go to a wood furniture store they carry all the supplies and can help you use them- Lowe's and the chain also have some of the stuff too. Remember- old table are higher quality then what is used to today! You should buy a padded table cover which are not cheap and have a table cloth (get the plastic underliner if your worried about spills) on your table like your grand mom use to!!

To strip the table would be a tuff job because that clear coat is many layers of polyurethane- which means you would have to coat the table top like 20 times to get that nice shine (with sanding inbetween).