I Wonder What Coin Sat On This Poor Girl.

Aside from the toning question, I find this coin to be unappealing because of the fingerprints on both sides, moreso on the reverse.

I agree! I've especially learned not to look at the altered photos with the slabs removed from the background. From my purchases I've learned that those subtle colors you're referring to can only be seen with light reflecting off the coin's surfaces at a certain angle. I wonder what cameras they use to take those.

Makes sense. I'm not much of a camera guy. I did try to take one of the photos at that angle with my iPhone and reflective light essentially bleached out photo.

Wow! Nice work nss!

Well I'll be darned. Very cool! What software programs do you use to do this?

Reminds me of a set of Morgans I bought at an auction in a little rural town in western Indiana. The previous owner (an old, old timer as I was told) had constructed a small wooden showcase and had applied a deep mahogany stain to the case. The obverse of the Morgans looked great with some light toning as they faced the glass side of the case, but the Reverse of the coins which faced the wood inside of the case rested on little nickel size felt discs and had toned a deep blue/purple color around the disc. The area under the disc must have been protected (from I think the wood stain) and had no toning whatsoever.

I bought the whole set for not much more than melt as I recall and can always pick out those specific coins in my collection albeit they've long since been rescued from the old case.

I've always had a fond liking to these coins as it's a little bit like that Picker show where the guy seems to enjoy and value the story as much as the stuff he's buying. I've always wondered about the old timer and how much he must have prized his little collection having made a showcase to display them.

I think Half Cents are a silly 1/2 mm bigger.