My Large Cents

I know we are not supposed to clean coins, so, how do I get the yucky stuff off of these coins. You can see white specks and black stuff on them.

1837




1847




1851




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Can I use a soft toothbrush and water to get the crud off?


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No - do not use a tooth brush. I take it these are scans - since the colors do not look quite right. It is too hard to say what might work on them, but I would say do nothing - leave them as they are.

 

These are from my camera. I'm still learning how to photograph.

Thanks for the response!

Why is it that slabbed large cents do not have the crud?


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Don't mess with them. It will destroy any value they have.

 

Maybe I've got some Abraham Lincoln DNA on them!


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Unfortunately, these have been cleaned, too.

 

Could you show me an uncleaned coin of the same time frame of the coins that are in my posts?

I'd like to see an uncleaned coin - not slabbed.

Just trying to learn...

 

This is the color your cents should have.

 

Yikes!

Big difference from my pictures!

Your coin looks more silver to me. Not even close to my coins in my hands.

I'm so confused!

I'll have to think about this.

 

Just take out any old, circulated Wheat cent you have found in change and that deep brown color should be what old copper should look like.

 

Here is a nice original 1856:

 

Another original late date, you can see the slight difference in color between the worn portions, like on the edge of the coronet, and the fields/protected areas:

 

My coins seem to be more of a stand out with the numbers and design. The "ONE CENT" seems to be deeper on mine, more 3D as well as the total design. Yours is more flat.

The color seems to be the same especially with the 1850s.

This is just by comparing pictures.

 

The difference in appearance is due to the lighting angle used to photograph your coins. Whomever photographed then used a very small angle with the light almost parallel to the coin as indicated by the very long shadow produced by the coin.

As far as how to tell if they have been cleaned, it's tough. I would recommend looking at a lot of coins in hand. Otherwise, I would look for slight differences in color between the high wear points and the low wear points. On an original coin like my 1852 there is a subtle but very clear difference in color between protected areas of the coin, like the hair crevices or around the letters on the coronet, and the open areas of the coin, like the face of the lettering, the stars, the tip of the coronet, eyebrow, nose, and cheek. This difference is a clear indication of original surfaces as it's nearly impossible to achieve this effect with a cleaned and re-toned coin.

 

Great explanation!

I understand it better now.

 

Early copper has a wide range of colors which come about from differences in stock planchets and differences in the storage conditions and ambient air differences across the country and overseas. All would be naturally toned. Then you get to the AT with it's crazy colors.

 

All stop!

I have learned new ways to take the pictures and I am so happy!

These pictures are my first attempts. I will post the new evolution of pictures soon!

I can't believe the difference. Just a few remarks here and there in this forum have made the difference.

I have put forth a request for a forum section solely dedicated to coin photography. If you agree, please respond!

We can only improve when we have enough knowledge. A new section dedicated to coin photography will be a tremendous help to us all.

You need to respond in order for the mods to take the request seriously.

If you want to learn how to take better pictures of your coins, tell the mods!

 

If you want to take great pictures of your coins, tell the mods

I have asked for a NEW SECTION dedicated to COIN PHOTOGRAPHY

If you want this new section RESPOND!

Let the MODS know what you want to learn.