1859 Canadian 1 Cents

Here is the 2nd coin:

They look very fine to extra fine VF/EF. Great peice of history from Canada.

First two VF & the third EF

Welcome, delalove, to Coin Community.




We have a few experts here that should be along soon to tell you about your Canada large cent varieties.

How can you tell if they have been cleaned?

Recommendations on how to get a good picture of a coin? I feel like these don't portray them very well, especially 2 & 3 which have almost a rainbowy luster (if that is the right way to describe that). Thanks!

Top coin is a Haxby PC59-333 http://www.vickycents.com/obv-o33.html.

The other two are hard to tell as photos are a bit blurry. The second one looks like a E group reverse (which is about 1/2 of all the 1859 cents.) the last one looks like a F or G group reverse mabee. Any DCs visible in hand and you can easily ID it. Repunched letters on obverse are also very helpful, just match them to photos on Jim Haxby's website.

You have said they have rainbow lustre. That's not lustre as it refers to coins; lustre is the original shine that is on mint coins. For copper coins, almost ever coin under AU grade will not have lustre, as exposure to air will turn the coin brown. For silver coins,most below EF will also not have any lustre left, except maybe a slight bit remaining in the low areas like between leaves and letters on nice VF coins. Even most EF ones lack most of the lustre.

The first coin you posted may be original colour, but the other 2 have been cleaned with a dip meant for silver, which turns the colour orangey-red, then slowly oxidized to the colours you have.

I agree with the VG, F and VF (VF-30). Those collectors giving VF and EF had better hone up on grading - don't go by ACG or eBay's asyn grading, or you'll be very disappointed when you try to sell your coins.