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 Replies: 29 / Views: 2,572 |
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New Member
United States
8 Posts |
The first coin I've bought for collecting/investing purposes was the 2006 American Buffalo $50 Gold Proof. I bought it from the U.S. Mint and it has a W mint mark. It has never been taken out of the plastic case it came in and it's been stored in my cool, dry safe for the past year or so. I pulled it out yesterday just to take a look at it and noticed a red mark on the buffalo's left front leg. The mark wasn't there the last time I looked at it. It's just one little mark, that's kinda bright red. It looks almost like someone just put a dot on it with a red pen, but that never happened. I've included pictures below. Can anyone tell me what the red mark is? Is it normal? Can it be cleaned? Does it decrease the value? Any info is appreciated. Thanks!    Edited by thelonghop
01/15/2008 02:41 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1130 Posts |
I want to say copper spot but I know the Buffalo is .9999 gold. I had one of those for about a year and never noticed anything like that.
The beauty of gold bullion is that it's always worth 1 oz of gold at the minimum. Cleaning it would negate any numismatic premium it may carry.
Edited by 1sikevo
01/15/2008 02:53 am
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New Member
 United States
8 Posts |
Yeah, I was thinking something .9999 pure wouldn't develop something like that. And the mark appears transparent. It's just a thin film of red.
Cleaning it would negate any numismatic value? How is that? The spot can't possibly add anything.
Edited by thelonghop
01/15/2008 02:59 am
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1130 Posts |
If the cleaning results don't turn out good, you may end up with hairlines or stains. Remember, pure gold is very soft, that is why most gold coins are alloyed with other metal.
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New Member
United States
8 Posts |
Should I send it to PCGS for rating? Will they figure out what the mark is?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1934 Posts |
Could be caused by an impurity in the die when cast..."...may be surface micro-porosity on the surface of investment (lost wax) cast items. This porosity may trap acids and other cleaning solutions, sprays, or perspiration and cause a local corrosion..."
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1173 Posts |
Longhop...I don't know what's going on with your coin, but corrosion isn't the explanation, IMHO. Gold is nearly inert. The coin is essentially pure gold. It's been stored safely.
There are many knowledgeable people on this forum; someone will provide a convincing explanation, and likely a remedy, as well.
Hang in there.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
750 Posts |
Looks like Bone was out hunting and shot low.
Seriously, can that be on the plastic and not the coin? Or... and this is a LONG SHOT.. maybe the person that was near it when it was being packaged was eating a cherry lifesaver and coughed?
Edited by Jamez
01/15/2008 09:57 am
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Bedrock of the Community
United States
20753 Posts |
Although Gold is considered to be non reactive with other elements, in reality it does combine to form compounds. For example AuCl3 or Gold Chloride, HAuCl4 or Chlorauric Acid. Gold also combines with Fouroine, Cyanide and even Sulfur. If you have a pool or highly Chlorinated water you may have just enough in the air to attack that coin. Possibly where it was sealed there was some form of such gases present. Regardless I wouldn't worry about it just yet. If I were you I would just put that entire sealed coin in a small zip lock plastic bag, push out all the air. If that contamination continues to grow, You really should check the air in your home.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1130 Posts |
Personally, I wouldn't send it to PCGS. All they would do is grade it and encapsulate it. NCS is the only one I know that would clean it properly. Is it worth it ? Take a look at completed auctions on ebay between raw and slabbed bullion coins (common date)and there is no big difference in price. |
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New Member
United States
8 Posts |
Thanks for all the replies.
It's definitely on the gold and not on the plastic. There is no pool nearby. I really think it's been stored pretty safely. I'll try the ziplock bag trick though.
I'll look up NCS. Do they rate it also?
I'm still open to other suggestions. Thanks!
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1130 Posts |
NCS is the sister company of NGC. They will forward to NGC for grading if it is up to NGC standard, otherwise, they will assign a details grade and encapsulate under NCS slab.
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New Member
United States
8 Posts |
I did some reading on it. In order to get it cleaned and graded, I'd first have to join the NCS for $99? Is there no other way?
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Pillar of the Community
United States
5318 Posts |
Hmm...is it all possible there was a copper impurity in the melt? It sure wouldn't take much to cause that. Maybe that's the ".0001"? Joking aside, I sure hope NCS can remove that.
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Pillar of the Community
United States
7123 Posts |
its from an impurity either in the metal itself or or on the coin at the time of packaging ,,there is no way for us to tell from photo's which it is .
If the spot really bothers you then you have to do what you have to do ,,to try and have it removed .
or sell the coin and take the extra money you would have spent to have it taken care of and buy a different one .
Im afraid that the choices are limited
Live with it
attempt to have it conserved (No Guarantee's)
or replace it .
Metalman
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Pillar of the Community
United States
1130 Posts |
Copper spots are common on pre-1933 US Gold. It should not change the grade unless the spots are so bad that it kills the eye appeal of the coin. Check out the roughness on my 1908 Double Eagle at 10 and 3 o'clock. Those are impurities that may eventually change color.  |
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Replies: 29 / Views: 2,572 |
Posted 01/15/2008 02:57 am
