Hey everyone, I bought some Washington quarters on eBay. They came today, all commons as I expected and two standing liberty quarters which weren't in the description so that was a bonus. However, one of the quarters weighed a little light and it looks brand new. I am including a picture. It has a "tarnish" spot. It just shines differently. The other silver I have has this shimmer when I rotate the coin in my hand. This one just seems to reflect. I have been reading online that some coins get cleaned? Is this an example of it? Any help would be appreciated. Cheers
OK, sorry, I am a newbie, is a proof have a coating that makes it shine differently? Also it weighs about a tenth of a gram less. Also the dark smudge by the eye is just tarnish then?
Possiably dipped... When you dip a coin it's dipped into a solution that basically take away a layer or two of the coin, and that eliminates the "shine" or the cartwheel effect that a new coin has. And when it's dipped it causes a dull look. Honestly it would be even close to worth faking a 62' washington quarter. If it's a 62' with no mint mark it's a proof.
Hard to tell with the picture, but probably toning or maybe corrosion, not a big deal with this particular coin.
Dipping does not produce that effect. Like the others the coin looks like a Proof to me. BMK, a Proof coin is a coin that is specially made for collectors. The planchet (the blank metal before being struck into a coin) is polished and the dies are highly polished. Proof coins are struck by the dies two or more times (instead of once like coins intended for circulation) and at a higher pressure than coins intended for circulation. The resulting coin has a mirror finish (like yours) and has more detail than a coin intended for circulation (due to the higher striking pressure and multiple strikes). I would recommend that you place the coin in a protective holder so the surfaces do not get damaged. Do not handle the coin by the faces and DO NOT CLEAN YOUR COIN!! DO NOT RUB YOUR COIN WITH A TISSUE OR CLOTH!!! That's a pretty cool find.
A '62 should also be %90 silver which would account for the tarnishing and the shine. And would make the coin worth, at a minimum silver value of $5.25 at todays price of $28.99/oz. Maybe add a bit of numismatic value and you scored pretty good if you didn't pay too much. Or, it could be some weird fake Chinese coin. (NO not really) Bruce
A 1962 proof would have the type B reverse. A very few 1962 circulation strikes have it also. If you have a type A reverse, yours is not a proof.
Too late ! It's an impaired proof ( junk silver really). Laying the reverse on his fingers ruined it already plus the light circulation.... Junk silver is junk silver...and that is now junk, if it wasn't before the OP laid on his greasy ( relatively) fingers. Worth about $5 .
I've pulled three proofs of varying denomination out of circulation in the past month. That's three more than I've pulled in the last 55+ years of collecting (maybe a sign of the economic times?). Once a common proof circulates, it basically looses all of it's numismatic value. But an interesting find none the less.
it is what it is, LOL ! An impaired proof 1962 quarter is worth silver value. Different if this was a Pf-67 cameo or something, it is not. No harm done by laying it in the guy's hand...this time, but don't do that routinely
