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 Replies: 13 / Views: 6,711 |
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Pillar of the Community
United States
616 Posts |
I was sorting through my numerous 1859 Large Cents and this one coin stood out like a sore thumb. It has a deep yellow and dark brown patina. Upon closer inspection of a rim check surrounded by other 1859 large cents, this one is noticeably thinner and minutely larger in diameter than the rest of them. So I put it on my digital gram scale and it weighed 4.19 grams consistently, on both the obverse and reverse side. It proved to be much lighter that the the others I weighed, which averaged around 4.44 grams. That's a huge descrepany. What do you guys think? Anyone know the supposed weight and diameter of the few KNOWN examples of the brass 1859 Large Cents? One recently sold at Heritage Auction and it was in a PCGS slab graded F-15 (Genuine). However they failed to put the coins weight on the label like they normally do for most off-metal and transitional errors. I guess I'm going to submit it next week and cross my fingers.....and toes for that matter!:)      
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Pillar of the Community
1844 Posts |
Unless there are markers that I am not aware of the only real way is a scratch test using a piece of glass on the rim . If its brass it will show yellow The other way is XRF test.
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1505 Posts |
there is a member here who does those tests.
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Valued Member
Canada
444 Posts |
The photos on the scale show a standard copper colour.
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Bedrock of the Community
Canada
10743 Posts |
Send it to member, SPP-OTTAWA.. and he will tell you for sure the composition.
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Moderator
 Canada
10460 Posts |
Colour really does not matter. It needs to have a certain amount of zinc and an absence of tin, to be considered for a 1859 brass cent.
That requires an XRF to determine. I can test it for you, for free, with the caveat that I get to use to data in future coin publications. Send me a PM.
"Discovery follows discovery, each both raising and answering questions, each ending a long search, and each providing the new instruments for a new search." -- J. Robert OppenheimerContent of this post is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses...0/deed.en_USMy eBay store
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1980 Posts |
spp of all the 1859's you have tested for people have you found a brass one yet?
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
805 Posts |
Hi, JDRMCB. I was equally excited not long ago about the coloring of one of my large cents. I sent it to SPP-OTTAWA and he did an XRF test, sadly, it came back as bronze. But, I keep learning!  Better luck with yours, Steve |
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Pillar of the Community
 United States
616 Posts |
SPP-Ottawa, I have tried to PM you however, as a new member it states that I'm not eligible to send PM's due to security reasons?
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1505 Posts |
It is not for security.
it is that you most likely do not have enough posts?
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Moderator
Canada
10460 Posts |
JDRMCB - You need 50 posts... you are almost there!!
gidjit - Yes, I tested the coins in the Bank of Canada Currency Museum collections. I have yet to have a collector from here (or other online forums) send me a winner yet... that said, they are pretty scarce.
"Discovery follows discovery, each both raising and answering questions, each ending a long search, and each providing the new instruments for a new search." -- J. Robert OppenheimerContent of this post is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses...0/deed.en_USMy eBay store
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Pillar of the Community
Canada
1505 Posts |
there is always the bay..
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Forum Kid
Canada
1074 Posts |
Yes I agree with a simple scratch test just to know if it is in the league, but send it to SPP. if he is willing.
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Moderator
Canada
10460 Posts |
42 posts.... he is inching up there!!  "Discovery follows discovery, each both raising and answering questions, each ending a long search, and each providing the new instruments for a new search." -- J. Robert OppenheimerContent of this post is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 3.0 Unported License. See: http://creativecommons.org/licenses...0/deed.en_USMy eBay store
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Replies: 13 / Views: 6,711 |
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Posted 11/07/2014 9:49 pm
