I've never heard a professional grader/instructor mention the edge of a coin in class - including the color of a copper coin. The only thing they look for is corrosion, damage, and filing. So, IMO it will get the RD designation. Make sure there is no brown shading beginning to develop. Your coin looks like it may be borderline in the image.
One of the most mysterious aspects of coin grading by TPGs and the convention followed by most numismatists is that the rim and edge are largely ignored, save for very large hits and other deliberate damages. So, edge color should be immune from color grading. I've submitted dark edged copper coins and they've come back red.
Very interesting question, one I've never given thought to before. Thanks for the answers so far. Personally, it would not bother me to purchase a "red" with a brown rim. Steve
It's more about the percentage of the coin that still qualifies as RD. I think it's something like 85% or more and it can get RD
Yeah I think it's something like. What's interesting though is that approximately 13.7% of the surface area of a penny is comprised of the edge.
Close, both NGC and PCGS published standards say 95% red to qualify for RED. Yup, just another example of them not following their own published standards.