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 Replies: 24 / Views: 2,135 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4989 Posts |
I find 1950's wheat pennies with this look all the time in bins. I think the "hand oils" theory is probably correct so I'm inclined to say AU, ugly toning.
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Valued Member
146 Posts |
Quote:
Possibly plated at some point, and then the plating wore off the high points? Actually, that was my first impression but the OP said the coin was "red" (gold color). Besides, you cannot wear off plating and still leave the high points so nice. |
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Valued Member
146 Posts |
Take a photo in another light. Coin is a beauty except for ED (environmental damage: nice way of describing corrosion spots).
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Bedrock of the Community
 United States
18702 Posts |
At best XF.  |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12057 Posts |
An XF coin, by definition, should not have natural cartwheel luster.
Applying Occam's razor, we can deduce that either:
1 - The coin is not XF;
or
2 - The cartwheel luster is not natural.
Since we know #1 is false (the coin is XF), #2 is likely to be true, and is the simplest explanation.
In other words, the coin was retoned/recolored/otherwise chemically altered in such a way that a semblance of luster was preserved, and then re-circulated.
Whatever agent was used to achieve this effect was likely rubbed back off by circulation; however, the protected areas of the coin (legend, portrait recessed areas, inner wreath and shield lines) preserved the color alteration, because it was not susceptible to wear.
My opinion: this coin is an XF coin that was retoned or recolored and then put into circulation again. The unprotected areas of the design allowed the retoning/recolor to quickly fade or wear back off, resulting in the current appearance.
Member ANA - EAC - TNA - SSDC - CCT #890 "Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossible before they were done." -- Louis D. Brandeis |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5854 Posts |
Hmm...
My guess is the coin may have been lacquered when it was at least mostly red, then allowed to circulate which wore off the lacquer from the more exposed areas while leaving it intact in the protected areas.
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
36845 Posts |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
18702 Posts |
paralyse, your assessment must be the only solution to this head scratcher. it absolutely makes sense
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12057 Posts |
The plating theory is also pretty good in my opinion.
Member ANA - EAC - TNA - SSDC - CCT #890 "Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossible before they were done." -- Louis D. Brandeis |
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
94367 Posts |
Details coin, not worth spending more time on. Outta here.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
4989 Posts |
Would be interesting to dip this one - doubt it would hurt the value any.
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
6370 Posts |
As I have said before, my first thought was that it was plated, but this coin exhibits cartwheel luster, so it cannot be plated. I know it sounds impossible, but it is exactly what I am seeing here. I will take better pictures of this coin next time I go home.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6370 Posts |
Paralyse, your theory sounds interesting. What agents are normally used to artificially create luster?
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
12057 Posts |
To "fake" luster is to lightly plate a coin that has been very finely polished, using electroplating or TFMD / thin film metal deposition
The plating is thin enough to do a passable job of mimicking the cartwheel luster that occurs when dies wear down a bit, etching lines into the dies which are picked up as flow lines on the coin and reflect light.
True cartwheel luster is very difficult to fake because you can get close using above method but it will not hold up beyond a brief inspection.
It's entirely possible the coin really does have some unusual wear pattern which left that level of mint luster intact. Stranger things have happened.
Member ANA - EAC - TNA - SSDC - CCT #890 "Most of the things worth doing in the world had been declared impossible before they were done." -- Louis D. Brandeis |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
6370 Posts |
Showed this to Bill Fivaz. You guys were right yet again. I need to learn about altered coppers.
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Replies: 24 / Views: 2,135 |
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Posted 03/08/2016 8:25 pm
