Is it Brown or Red Brown?

Discussion in 'US Coins Forum' started by C-B-D, Feb 27, 2021.

  1. C-B-D

    C-B-D Well-Known Member

    Depends on the lighting?
    IMG_1839-tile.JPG IMG_1847-tile.JPG
     
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  3. Collecting Nut

    Collecting Nut Borderline Hoarder

    Personally I'd call that brown, in both photos.
     
  4. fretboard

    fretboard Defender of Old Coinage!

    Very nice brown! thumbupp.gif
     
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  5. Inspector43

    Inspector43 Celebrating 75 Years Active Collecting Supporter

    Awesome should cover it.
     
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  6. C-B-D

    C-B-D Well-Known Member

    I think y’all are right. It’ll get a BN. But geez it looks much lighter and more dynamic than most browns. The original red is visible in hand around the date and the letters HALF CENT on the reverse, when held in direct light. But it’s not enough to call RB probably.
     
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  7. Lueds

    Lueds Well-Known Member

    Copper Coin toning Red through Brown.jpg Very much a brown in my eyes
     
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  8. potty dollar 1878

    potty dollar 1878 Well-Known Member

    Nice coin Its definitely brown still a pretty large cent.
     
  9. charley

    charley Well-Known Member

    I have always viewed the brown red-brown designations to not be important. It is a popular marketing designation, I understand, but does not persuade me to prefer either coloration for a piece I am interested in. There are other considerations that are worthwhile in my selection.
     
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  10. Insider

    Insider Talent on loan from...

    Here is something you put in one ear and out the other as it is no longer done. Many decades ago this determination was much easier. It was due to common sense and what anyone could easily see.

    Copper coins were usually BROWN. If they were not completely brown and traces of mint RED were present, the coin was considered to be RED/BROWN. It stayed red /brown all the way up until it was completely red. Simple. The geniuses :confused: at the TPGS's have tried to assign :wacky: percentages to the amount of red or brown remaining thus turning things into a crapshoot for all of us. :D

    While trying to get back to simpler times, on grading service that will go unnamed has added Brown-Red (BR) to the label for coins that do not make Red-Brown (RB).

    PS I don't agree with the scale of cents shown above.
     
  11. Insider

    Insider Talent on loan from...

    Makes sense. I have always considered the AU/UNC thing and the original or damaged thing to be unimportant too!
     
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  12. robec

    robec Junior Member

    Both look BN to me.
     
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  13. charley

    charley Well-Known Member

    Yes, and follow the same marketing strategy.

    We know it is not numismatic pursuit for the love of the hobby, hat gives birth to such questionably useful descriptions, but.....we encourage the ever expanding market designations, by participating in the discussion of same. I often wonder if it helps or hinders the hobby.

    There is a reason certain grading assurances were curtailed re. red pieces. It is not as if a piece can not be given a "hand" in the appearance of blush innocence.

     
  14. C-B-D

    C-B-D Well-Known Member

    It’s a half cent, lol!
     
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  15. potty dollar 1878

    potty dollar 1878 Well-Known Member

    Auto correct couldn't relate to it:hilarious::hilarious:
     
  16. Insider

    Insider Talent on loan from...

    Insider, posted: "I have always considered the AU/UNC thing and the original or damaged thing to be unimportant too!"

    Looks like most of you :bookworm: understood the absurdity of my post. ;):hilarious:
     
  17. charley

    charley Well-Known Member

    Was it really, though?
     
  18. johnmilton

    johnmilton Well-Known Member

    Both are brown.

    When I was a dealer, I saw some better date coins, like a Mint State sharpness 1869 cent that had been dipped bright red. PCGS called it “brown” for reasons that I did not understand.

    The copper color thing is often confusing for me. My preference is heavily toward Red & Brown small cents and Brown Unc. large cents. I generally shun Red copper because it has turned on me too many times.

    When a copper coin has been dipped to make it Red, my experience has been that it will tone within a year or so. That’s why I tell collectors, NEVER buy an old Red copper coin in a new slab.
     
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  19. BadThad

    BadThad Calibrated for Lincolns

    It appears have completely toned over. BN for me.

    One also needs to consider the age. A bright red coin that old would be highly suspect in my eyes.
     
    Insider likes this.
  20. Publius2

    Publius2 Well-Known Member

    Brown and a gorgeous half-cent.
     
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