I'm going to order an Indian head cent for my type set soon, and I'm trying to decide between an MS-63 Brown for $39 or an MS-63 Red-Brown for $50. (I don't care about the mint/date, just trying to get a great looking version of the Indian cent without spending too much). Do you guys think it's worth the extra $$ to go from brown to red-brown? Is the difference even that noticeable?
Yes - the difference is noticeable. A really good red-brown, looks better than a brown. I like brown, but the right red-brown beats it every day.
Also I think it is worth the price - if you bid long enough I think you could get a nice 64 rb (pcgs,ngc,anacs graded) off of ebay for between $50-$75.
If you're really patient you may be able to find a common red coin (1907 for example). As for the BN vs RB thing RB is nice if there's enough red. On the other hand I LOVE a good glossy, hard brown coin. I really suggest not ordering one but looking at them in person. Let your eyes decide.
I would rather have an MS-63 RB coin than the same coin in MS-64 BN if both were priced the same. Although technically a better strike, the color is more appealing to me on the RB coin and would be worth it to me to get less strike just to have the more asthetically pleasing example.
Are you asking a general question, or are you talking about two specific coins you're considering ? If this is a general question, then it sounds like "buying the slab, not the coin". Not recommended. Personally, RD and RB coins tend to have much better eye appeal than Brown, so I feel it is worth the extra money. Yes, it's very noticeable. But that's a GENERAL statement. It always comes down to your personal evaluation of specific coins on their own merits. So it's not possible to make a general statement that works in all cases; sometimes a nice clean Brown is better than a scuffy RB. Also... sometimes RB can be splotchy and miscolored. A nice even brown might be preferable. And the older the coin, the fewer the reds, and the greater the price differential.
It all depends on the coin, but in general, I find RB copper far more attractive than pure brown, particularly in mint state grades...Mike
Not sure what you're talking about here. I'm not looking at any slabbed coins. I'm curios of people's opinions about if the Red brown coins look better enough then brown to justify the extra $$.
What I'm saying is it's not possible to make a general statement to fit all cases. In general, I prefer RD and RB over Browns and pay the extra $$$. But there are many exceptions. Some Browns look better than some coins graded RB, so it always comes down to case-by-case specific coins. Many RBs look spotty to me. This is largely an "eye appeal" issue. You'll know what you like ! Happy hunting !
It's a lot like the toning issue. Some people love 'em, others not. Some toning is beautiful, others ugly. But only IMO ! Others look at the same coins and feel differently. And just like "natural toning" vs "artificial toning", people artificially change the color of old coppers to try to make a brown into RD or RB. Beware !
It is exactly the toning issue. From the mint they are Red - period. It is toning that turns them to Red Brown or Brown. It is just a matter of degree.
My thought's exactly! Yes, a RB specimen is much nicer in eye appeal than a BN but the RB will eventually become a BN and hey, it is already at least or more than halfway there. The time it takes to become a full BN, depends on how it is stored and the environment in which it resides. The decision to go with a RB versus a BN to me, is really dependent upon whether the purchase is for your' Collection which may be kept for many, many years or whether you are purchasing it for resell. Personally, if it is for a personal Collection and knowing that it will eventually tone to a BN, I would opt to save the money and go for the BN! Frank
From everything I have read you will not see a R/B become a brown if you take care of the coin. So from the posted example - I think you would need to live several hundred years. I mean thats my goal, but I doubt if I will reach it.
Here are a few more tidbits for you aspiring copper collectors... You can really find some value in "on the edge" color graded coins. By that I mean "BN" coins that are close to "RB", and "RB" coins that are close to "RD" -- particularly if the seller isn't that wise in the ways of copper. Also, it is MUCH more likely that a coin that is RD will eventually turn RB than a RB coin turn BN. So RB is a "safer" coin, and this DOESN'T take into account the oftentimes huge premium associated for the RD label. Third, if you like slabbed coins, pay attention to older holders. Not for the possibilty of overgrading, but because it is likely that the coins are more stable. The thought being if they haven't changed shade in a decade or two, then with good care, the chances are they won't. Hope this helps, and all of the above is my most humble opinion only...Mike p.s. here's another RB large cent for you, this one demonstrating a coin that is (in my opinon) high on the RB scale (and about as strongly struck as you're likely to find):
