Hello All, Is this natural toning? Or artificial? What causes the carbon thumbprints? Is that marker lining across the face or sone other part of the minting process? Thanks, Jim
It does look like someone took a sharpie to it. An acetone dip should take it off if that is what it is. The fingerprint is unfortunate, that is most likely permanent.
Looks like a kid has played with it. The marker lines could disappear after a dip in pure acetone. The fingerprints look as is the marker ink was on the fingers and may lighten a bit after a soak, but there will still be fingerprints left on there afterwards. Nothing to lose by trying acetone. Post what it looks like afterwards
Didn't you know? The Mint uses a sharpie as part of their QC process to indicate that the coin is fit for circulation. The fingerprints on the left and right fields are from the two Mint employees that must hold the coin while a third employee uses the sharpie to mark it.
Just to update, that's all done by AI now. Those three Mint employees are out of a job. Official sources say the Mint Employees Union is still fighting it, though.
Yes, the fingerprints are unfortunate but the coin itself is 90% silver. Clean at your own risk, It's a keeper. Good luck
Is the coin in your possession? Did you acquire it in that condition? The finger print is most likely permanent, but the ink marks should come off with acetone soak and rolling a Q-tip gently over them. As for toning. I see NO toning at all, just a one time nice frosted proof that unfortunately is now worth about melt value, IMHO.
It's a shame that so many novices don't know not to handle a "keeper" coin with bare hands and/or touch the obverse or reverse. I shudder when I see (on e-Bay) a seller cupping a valuable coin in the palm of his/her hand. Even holding a coin by the edge is risky especially if your fingers/hand are oily or dirty.
Shame about all that. The fingerprints are permanently there. The magic marker can be removed but so will the toning. A beautiful blue toning it is and it’s all natural.
The is only worth it's weight in silver. The finger print will drop it into the junk silver category. To bad. Use it as a pocket piece. At one time it was a very nice 1964 half.
I don't think the coin is from Columbia. I do agree with that color, it does have panache, though. Wordplay...don't attack.