Here's a couple of NEWPs I got of the good ol' bay. A 1912 Barber Dime and 1907 Indian Head Cent. I'm trying to decide if either was dipped/whizzed. IMHO, the Barber has too much cartwheel luster (or so it appears; these are the seller's pics) to have been dipped, and I see no evidence of whizzing. The reverse is significantly darker (tone wise), but I'm assuuming the coin was stored with the reverse showing upwards, making it more exposed to toning/elements. On the flip side, I'm not worried that the Indian Head is dipped, but rather whizzed. It's a rich glossy RB, and either has very obvious cleaning streaks on both obverse and reverse or has some nice "wood" toning. Both have overall brilliant luster, so either way IMHO they're market acceptable. Help/confirmation of my suspicions is appreciated! Thanks, -CB
I don't think either were wizzed. The dime was probably cleaned at some point years ago. The cent image is a bit small but the color looks a bit off. Again maybe just the image.
THe dime looks like it for sure has had an old cleaning, but I don't think either were whizzed. Dipped or polished/rubbed maybe. I think the cent is a nice AU that is probably original. As mentioned the color does look a tad off but it might be the pic...and anyway I kinda like it!
creme - do you perhaps mean to say it has too much luster for it to have been over-dipped ? I ask this because because if you meant what you said then you do not understand what dipping does to a coin. Example, you can dip a coin and that coin will still have full, booming luster. If you see a Barber dime, or any coin of that age or older, and that coin shows no signs of toning, it is almost a certainty that the coin has been dipped.
Second what Dough says. All of these coins from the 1880's through the 1920's would have definitely toned, unless locked in a temperature and moisture controlled environment. Figure that virtually all of the blazing white coins have been dipped at one time or another, and have partially retoned. There is a difference between conservation and cleaning. As a longtime Morgan collector (similar era coins), the blazing white ones have been dipped at some juncture, and it was done without a harsh cleaning--otherwise, they'd all appear dark and have a brownish-gray patina.
Hmmmm...I think i learned something new! Thanks for the information Doug. I always thought that dipping a coin to any degree rips away most of the luster, if not all of it. So now I understand the "dipped" verdict. Either way, i only paid $40 for what seems to be a nice AU barber, so even with the dipping I don't think I got too bad of a deal. Thanks all for the help!
Yes, older coins SHOULD have some patina if they have not been cleaned. Even if they've been encapsulated the whole time they'd likely have some tarnishing/toning.
