Is the black on the details toning or a bad dip? The darkened half section on the back is just a shadow.
I don't like the look no matter what caused it....kind of junk silver to me, that's what I'd pay for it. The reverse looks OK, and I have seen similar coins, I just don't like it. It could well be from a bag or something.
AU53/55... But, as Doug said, the toning basically ruins the coin from a numismatist's perspective. The coin's worth its weight in Silver. -Brian EDIT: Yes; The odd toning may have been caused by an improper dip or residue from improper storage.
I agree with igradeMS70, The odd toning is most likely caused by an improper dip and stored incorrectly. The field and cheek on the obv. looks like it has been dipped.
Brian: How do you dip a coin and get this effect only on the obverse while the reverse remains normal looking ? Such a common date coin is still close to junk until you get up to MS-65+ levels. I think "the other Doug" will have an answer.
Whatever toning that may have been on the coin before it was dipped may have only been present on the obverse. Perhaps the coin was stored reverse-side out in an album for a few decades, with the obverse collecting grime and whatnot touching a possibly moistening cardbord album. If you've ever seen a coin that was just pulled out of an album that's been untouched for years and years and years, you'd know exactly what I'm talking about. There's a thick, brown layer of who-knows-what on whatever side of the coin that was face down in the coin's placement area. -Brian
Harsh cleaning or dipped terribly wrong. It's still worth the silver it's made of, so get what you can and move on. There's too many fish in the sea to let your bait waste time on some fish lips. Oh my bad wrong analogy, better luck next time. :thumb: :yes:
I don't think there's much doubt the coin has been over-dipped. And I'd agree that the toning on the obv was pretty thick and black. To be honest, I'm surprised that what luster did survive, survived at all. I suspect the rev was toned as well but no where near as badly. But I suspect it was in an album with the obv face up, not face down. The exposed side is usually the side that gets abused. One exception to that sometimes, but not always, happened with the blue Whitman folders because with them the hidden side of the coin was exposed to the glue on the paper. Overall the coin is pretty clean mark wise. Other than a few rim nicks there only looks to be a few contact marks. I'd say it's MS details, harshly cleaned.
Thanks for the help. I thought it might of been a bad dip, but now I know for sure. Toning works in mysterious ways, and I'm learning how to tell real toning from artificial toning and bad dips.
