Collecting Lincolns And Color-Blindness... :-(

Zakgold, Your not an Electrican or Painter by trade are you? Mike

I wouldn't feel too discouraged. At least now you know that you might be "color-challenged". (Is that PC enough?) I know that they can correct a myriad of problems with lasic surgery nowadays...can they do that with color-blindness?

Zak,

I have a customer that is legally blind and still picks the most beautiful coins in the world. He has a very nifty trick. Now you showed me some very beautiful Lincoln Cents last fall at Palm Beach. If you are having difficulties in distinguishing a light cleaning, take one of your nice Red, Red Brown, and Brown slabbed coins with you to a show. Place the "wanted" coin next to each to determine the color. Teach yourself the fine basics that if it does not match EXACTLY that you will not buy without an opinion. Most dealers will not have a problem with having a second opinion. If they do, you should know better than to deal with them anyways. If you can't seem to develop a little system to use, stick to the slabs or very trusted dealers.

Ed, it was nice the ANACS grader was helping you with indentifying artifical color. I think it was a bit personal (and rude) for him to suggest you might be color blind, though.

From reading this and reading other boards, the topic of artifical color on copper has seemed to crop up more often, especially with high dollar early mint state Lincoln cents.

Attached below are ebay auction pictures of two early Lincolns purchased by a PCGS board member. Both coins were "bodybagged" by PCGS for artificial color. These were possibly whizzed as well.

Now, I have no idea how this AC is done, but I suspect the coin doctor dips the coins and then uses some agent to simulate the red, and get rid of the unnatural pink. If anyone can enlighten me on this, I would be interested in general knowledge as to how this is done (to better able detect this crud, not to do if of course).

Lesson here: if you enter the high dollar MS Lincoln market, tread lightly, and arm yourself with knowledge!! Makes you long for the days as a kid of putting Lincolns in Whitman Folders!!

They look to me like they were chemically treated. The fields show a roughness that you probably wouldn't see without the magnification of the pictures. It looks to me like the chemical ate into the surface. You can see roughness in the devices also. I'm sure without magnification these coins look gorgeous. Definitely a case of acquiring the knowledge before acquiring the coin.

You know, the sad thing is these coins on their own merits in original condition ,would have slabbed high even if they were BRN coins,, sad thing for sure.

Rick

Metalman, I agree. Those coins were probably nice BN or RB mint state coins, now they are near worthless junk.

SF Dukie, click here: http://feedback.ebay.com/ws/eBayISA...id=-1&de=off

Two of the three negs are the coins pictured above. The 1914 was sold as a 66RD for $220! Amazingly, though, if you browse through the feedback, most buyers say they are pleased because they do not know any better.