Morgan with the Measles? (Red-Orange Spots)

One of my morgan dollars has got some red-orange spots/streaks in various places on both the obverse and the reverse. Any idea what's up with this? Is it harmless or is it a sign of serious damage/cleaning/etc.? (Or, worse, a fake...)

Here's the best picture I got of the discoloration.

 

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Looks like toning(tarnish) is beginning.

 

Boy, I'd sure be a happy camper if that's all this is. It just doesn't look like any sort of toning I've seen on the other Morgan's I've worked with. (Not that I'm even *close* to an expert!)

 

I have a toned Morgan, 1921, with toning on the obverse from 12:30 to 5 o'clock, towards the center of the coin, with the same coloring on the lighter edge of the toning.

 

Oh, my God! It's the Andromeda Strain!

 

:biggrin:

OK, I'm very very glad to know that this is not a major crisis for the coin!

Thanks for the input.

 

If it had been green, you would have had cause for concern. The coin has seen some circulation, so it is expected that it might pick up a little dirt somewhere along the line.

Chris

 

It looks like remnants of the wax that is used on some ancients and medals. Toning wouldn't start like that and in that color first, IMO.

 

Cool...

Flecks of red, you'll get ahead; Flecks of green, ain't so keen.

 

Wax? Interesting... Is that a bad thing, if that's what it is?

 

It is called Renaissance wax or Ren Wax.
http://nobleromancoins.com/product_info.php?products_id=99

BUT!!!!! Ancient coins are expected to have harsher cleaning than would be acceptable by modern coins, so methods you might see such as toothbrush, cloth, boiling in chemicals should not be used. I would dunk into acetone ( search forum for safety precautions), and if it came off, fine, if not, it shouldn't spread unless it is coming from a holder.

 

Thanks for the comments. I've started reading some of the prior conversations on acetone.

Honestly, I'm *really* nervous about the idea of doing anything to this coin. It's one of the scarcer Morgans, and I don't want to just totally mess it up! I could certainly try using acetone first on several other (inexpensive) Morgans, but seeing as how I don't have any others with this specific issue, I'm not sure what I'd learn from that.

What you're seeing in the picture is pretty typical of the worst of the spottiness on the coin. I'm planning to have it sent in to PCGS when I join and send in the coins I want to have graded. Is there much to be gained by making conservation attempts with this coin? If not, I suspect I'll just let it be now that I have some idea that it's *not* a sign that the coin is fake.

Thanks to all for your help!

 

Letting it be is probably the best idea at this time. Sometimes people decide they have to try and fix it NOW! rather than gain knowledge and other opinions before doing something they will regret later. There are many tales of woe on the forum archives. I doubt it will get worse, as it appears as a "material" of some sort that retained within small crevices of the coin and not any chemical reaction.

 

It looks like it may be traces of clay.
Eithier way best recomendation send it for grading with pcgs. If it's bodybagged then send it to ncs for conservation and then to the TPG of your choice.

 

Once more, big thanks to everyone!

 

This may be the best option, depending on the coin.

To the OP - What's the date/mm, and can you post pics of the obv and rev?

 

Yes, here are the obverse and reverse pics of this 1889-CC.

 

Looks to me like that piece was heavily toned at one point, and cleaned off. With a brillo pad from the looks of it.

 

Unknown organic surface residue. Either distilled water, acetone or xylene should remove it unless it is wax. If you're not comfortable performing conservations, leave it be. It is not corrosion so it's not something that must be addressed.