So I went into my LCS today to get my 1856-O Seated Quarter sent into NGC to get graded. I handed him the coin and within 2 seconds in his hand he says "the coins been recolored and it's not uncirculated." So obviously I know the coin isn't MS, but was hoping to get a mid range AU. This is the only picture I have of this coin, but how can he tell it has been recolored? If I was to dip the coin would it make it possible for grading? Needless to say he talked me out of paying the $60 to get the coin graded. I know he's been in the business for many years and has a lot more knowledge than I do, but how exactly can he tell within 2 seconds it's been recolored? I had some unexpected things happen in my life and I'm needing to cash in some of my more valuable coins and I thought getting it graded would help it sell faster but now I'm sitting on a "problem" coin and doubt I'll be able to get out of it what I paid for it. Just trying to see how I can learn from an expensive mistake and hopefully not get taken in by the beautiful color on a coin again. Any tips or suggestions would be very helpful. If you need anymore pictures let me know, I can get some more done up and put up on here.
Your coin looks like NT to me in your pics . But they're so blurry it's impossible to tell . There are a lot of good threds on N vs. AT . That said NT coins usually have the color in the surface where as some coins have the color look like it was almost painted on . Remember that NT ing is actually the surface molecules of the coin going through a chemical reaction . So when you look at the coin in a good light source and turn the coin the color seems to be almost iridescent . Also the color isn't usually uniform or one color but shades of yellow , blue and red . If all three are present they will seem to blend into each other starting with yellow or gold into red into blue . The best way to learn is to look at as many toned coins as you can . Though so called coin doctors have gotten so good it's almost impossible to tell the difference .
I can't tell because the close up shots are blurry, but I would guess that there are some parts on the coin where one of the following is showing up: 1) Multiple layers of color. 2) Color over scratches. 3) Missing luster in the middle of a color band. Again, without the coin in hand or different photos, it's hard to say. Did you ask the dealer what he was seeing?
Color over scratches is a good indicator , but not always reliable . Say the coin is a 1878 Morgan , it got scratched in 1900 , but has since retoned . You will see toning cover the scratch . JMHO
The question isn't whether it is AT or NT. as said, they are similar type of chemical reactions and intent can't be determined. Whether it is commercially acceptable ( by TPG) or not is the question. I do not believe it is myself, but photos aren't as good as the direct eye.
After tilting my screen a little and looking again it looks more blue than grey , though I've seen NT blueish coins now I'm not so sure it's natural . I wish you had clearer pics but color can be a real challenge to capture . Is there a change in color around the devices ?
I'm pretty sure it's AT now . A coin in that high of a condition should have some luster left , I don't see any . It's still a collectable coin for the High details it has and if you like it that's all that matters .
How can he tell in 2 seconds ? One word, experience. When you have enough experience you can look at a coin, almost any coin, and correctly grade it in just a few seconds. You can look at it and see if it is a problem coin in just a few seconds. You can see the contact marks, the hairlines, if it's been dipped, or over-dipped, if it is NT or AT, if it was toned then dipped and since then naturally retoned. You can see all of these things and more in just a few seconds - when you have the experience. When you don't have that experience you have a hard time understanding how somebody who does have it can see what they see in just a few seconds. It just doesn't seem possible to you. And I don't mean just you personally BigTee, I mean many others just like you who don't have that experience. The bigger question is - is your dealer right ? Has the coin been artificially recolored ? Well, maybe he is and maybe he isn't. It's very hard for us to say from looking at those pictures, or any pictures for that matter. But he's seen the coin in hand so that is an advantage for him. However I will say this, there are many dealers out there who do know what they are doing, and many who don't know what they are doing. So what you have to do here is decide if that dealer knows what he is doing or not. And only you can decide that because you are the only one who knows him. Or if you want to risk sending it in anyway, or maybe consign the coin, as is, with somebody on ebay and try and sell it that way.
