should i give up on early coppers?

am i being unrealistic?

this is the 2nd early copper i've bought on ebay where the color/contrast of the coin didnt look nearly as nice as the ebay photo. i sent both back for a refund.

should i try coin shows where i can view the copper in hand before buying? do most early copper appear this dark brown and hard to see and only through photographic tricks do you get a nice looking coin?

LEFT: eBay Photo ____________ RIGHT: Coin in Hand



Another eBay Photo of coin (wish it really looked like this!)

 

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Try making a photo with a strong source of light above the coin, maybe that is how the eBay photo was made. Although i suspect it can be done easier with a bit of Photoshop adjustment (dont know if it was applied in this case).

 

i suppose my question is ... are there early coppers that actually look like the bottom photo ... in regular room (lamp) light or sunlight?
it's funny but with silver coins they usually look like their photos.

 

To answer the easy question, you are much better off at a convention or show. Even the MSNS Show, which is small as regional shows go, draws over 150 dealers and often close to 300, all vying for your dollar. In an online auction, you are trying to outsnipe other emotional clickers.

Even an ANA convention auction from Heritage or Stack's rarely sees passions running amok. Usuallly, ANA convention auctions are low-key affairs where dealers stock up and the few collectors enjoy serious bargains.

If you joined the Early American Coppers, Inc. (link here) you would have access to even more resources.

If you stop throwing your money at online auctions and save it in a bank account, you could afford to goto FUN or Baltimore or Long Beach or an ANA Convention where you would meet serious dealers in early American copper. More to the point, perhaps, you would also meet serious collectors.

 

I'm afraid the ebay pic probably has your expectations set too high. Unless you're ready to drop a couple grand for a MS example, they're pretty much all dark like that. It's just what 200 years does to copper. All of them I've seen at the shows were very dark.

 

Try it yourself, copper is hardest to shoot. Gold is so-so. Nickel is good. Silver is great.

What you are looking for is a Full Red Early American Copper. Ain't gonna happen... not often...

 

Nope - don't give up on early copper. Certain years and dates are known for having darker planchets. The mixture was not as perfect as it is today. Plus as already mentioned their can be notoriously hard to photograph to get the correct color. As it is that coin is a beaty - in my opinion. I also like a lighter color, but that does not detract from the coin. Also - if you insist on buying off ebay always ask the seller if the pictures reflect the true color of the coin. Early copper is the best their is to collect - just ask me. Also - shows are a good place to find them - especially the EAC show. And if you want there are several dealers on here that can look for coins for you - 900fine comes to mind first and foremost. You have to show a lot of patience.

Here is one from one of my favorite sellers - http://www.largecents.net/salecoin.php?P0529 and another http://www.earlycoppercoins.com/1825-C2-R1-Classic-Head-Half-Cent-PCGS-AU58_p_375.html# from another favorite seller. You can email and ask them questions about the color. Both are very good people.

 

I have to agree with mmarotta. You really need to go to a place where you can view what you are planning to purchase. Then you can choose the light you wish to view it under, not which light hides the most flaws. I generally bid low on ebay because of this questionable and misleading practice. But usually the description says to "grade it yourself", or the seller claims "I am not an expert"; kind of getting them off the hook. Just my two cents worth.

 

Yes.

 

Yes, hit the shows.

Should you give up on early copper ? No way ! It's a fascinating, challenging, and very rewarding area of the hobby.

BTW... classic head half cents, like the one you posted, are readily available. Nice ones. Mountains of luster.

 

Yup, when you're dealing with copper which is extremely aged you have to see it in hand to get the look you want!!

 

Everyone knows that I cannot get a decent pic of anything. lol But all my early coppers are cents and they are dark. One 1831 looks like a chocolate candy coin. I don't know why they got so dark, but with good detail I think they are nice looking coins. But, unless it was a cheap flier, I would only buy what I could see for myself.

 

The ebay photo and the bottom photo were both enhanced using the Photoshop "Fill Flash" function. I use it myself, but never to deceive.

I noticed some incredible EAC being offered at the latest Bowers & Merina Baltimore auction. There are a few that look like they were minted yesterday! Numerous MS64 and MS65's with one MS67! Here's is the link...

http://bowersandmerena.com/auctions...cphContent_ucAuctionLots1_dgLotsChangePage=18

Most of the prices are outrageous but there are a few bargains to be had.

 

Hey ... thanks for all the info and feedback ... it was very helpful!

 

Did you actually LOOK at that picture before you bought the coin? I mean, really LOOK at it?

Have you ever seen a PCGS holder that looks dark gray like that? No, you haven't. That should have been clue number one that this picture was contrast-enhanced. When I see a picture of a slabbed coin, the FIRST thing I look at is the slab - because I can be sure of what that slab is really going to look like when I get it. If the slab in the picture looks different than it should, then you can be sure that the coin looks different in the picture than it will in your hand.

 

that's a good tip ... thank you ... to be honest i didnt notice the color difference in the label until i posted the images here side by side

 

I sure hope not! If I saw one that color in person I would have to assume it had been cleaned and attempted to be re-colored...poorly. The color to look for is a deeper chocolate color, not something that looks so brassy.
Guy

 

While that is true of the image posted, the lighter chocolate colored coins can be found uncleaned and with luster. Some years were just naturally darker than others. Personally, like the op, I like the lighter colored coins also.

 

Wow, that's too bad. The first shot you posted earlier made the coin look a LOT more appealing.

The problem you describe can be helped if you have a good shot of the slab so you can judge the color of the coin versus the color of the slab insert. By comparing the dark of the text to the dark of the coin, you can tell if the photo is overexposed -- in a photo like the first slab photo, the lettering should be ink-black (not grey as the first photo shows), otherwise the coin is going to be darker than it appears.

Sorry to hear of your disappointment -- live and learn.....Mike

 

p.s. buying copper online is VERY HARD for this very reason (and the fact that copper can change color greatly with a small change in lighting). I think you would be better served in working with a dealer with whom you can talk to, or at a show where you can see the coins in-hand.