1838 Matron Head And 15 Friends .. Ebay Lot

Hi Conder101

The original picture was the one from the listing and is the picture I had to use to assess the coin. While there are things you couldn't tell from those images, there were things that you could take away from them. The obverse ri is full and rounded. The detail in the leaves in the wreath was strong, and the coin wasn't nicked, bruised and scarred. The "old school" paper envelope suggested a coin that had been kept for a very long time (to me)

The Legend is weak and so are the stars on the obverse, but this coin was struck that way. There are but a few places where the original skin of the coin is broken.

I know it's a common later middle date, but offered up with the indian heads for 52 dollars, I thought it a nice pickup. I haven't taken more time to study it myself. I'll probably end up buying some books. There was a copy of penny whimsy on ebay not long ago. I probably should have nabbed it.

So many coins, so little money.

Thanks for your input.

Chance

You'd have to know the Ph of "plain old ordinary dirt" to be able to ascertain whether or not leaving it as it is poses any threat to preservation in the long run. If the dirt has gathered in the protected areas via oil from human skin .... it's certain that its not neutral Ph, it's acidic.

I've stated before ... if a coin has no problems, then leaving it alone is the best course. If, however, it has gobs of hard, green verdigris on it, a condition that's hardly rare, and its value is nominal ...meaning its already considered junk, then the gloves are off. There's no down side. It's still going to be looked upon as junk, and I am gaining an education in conservation.

You're gonna love the "zombie" set of Indian Heads I'm going to build. There are so many corroded up Indian heads out there that it boggles the mind. I'm going to do some extreme makeovers, purely for the purpose of education. I'm sure it'll be controversial, and may be the topic of some discussion, but "so be it".

Chance