Altered Surfaces?

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Not to me, I would rather leave it alone. I see nothing wrong with buying or selling a problem coin as long as the problem is disclosed and price agreed on by both parties. In my opinion in this case conservation would only benefit the company conserving it, and most likely it would not end in a visually pleasing state.

 

That's important, too - at f/20 you're so far into diffraction that the details are undoubtedly blurred. I was on the AU58 bandwagon before knowing that, and as a result wouldn't have a problem seeing it as Mint State. The talons were throwing me, anyway; even though the wing details suggested circulation (diffraction), the talons disagreed.

All the same, the two gouges - one on each face, both around 9:00 - seem postmint, but you have to consider the era as well.

 

If this photo represents what the coin looks like in hand, something is 100% wrong with it. The kind of cracked appearance above the eagle near UNUM; the weird spots on the obverse to the right of the bust, on the reverse near CA in AMERICA, and beneath the arrows are all suspicious. Those combined with the lack of cartwheel and the color pretty much seal it in my mind. Lacquered sounds about right to me. I agree 100% that leaving it alone and selling it as a problem coin is probably the best option.

 

If the OP doesn't mind, and since no one has asked or volunteered the information, what would be educated guess as to the value of this coin, as is?

 

@Hommer: I think you missed this post:

 

I did. Thanks.

 

I say "that's no explanation". It's your way of taking the short cut out of spending the time to explain yourself and further a lazy leaning on your credentials to get away with it, but it certainly explains nothing about the problem.

We all can say this piece "doesn't look right", and it's the very reason for the creation of the thread in large part. It doesn't take much "experience" to point it out nor for even a novice to note something "doesn't look right" compared to other pieces. It does however, take experience and "sharing (your) knowledge" to be able to say more as to why, what you see that others might not be aware of, and what you know about other pieces that confirms it. It does take experience to educate others particularly if you are going to bother to chime in, and furthermore drop a caveat excusing you from doing so.

What the problem is, can help determine whether or not the problem can be reversed or improved upon via conservation or if the root cause of the problem was permanently damaging, and explaining your rational also advances the conversation.

 

No, that is absolutely not an explanation. That is an opinion. An explanation takes the "it doesn't look right" and then tells us why it doesn't look right. You draw from your experience to give the explanation. Your opinion can be formed in seconds, and mine was also. The opinion does little for us. The explanation takes far longer, and helps educate the board.

 

Without cartwheel luster it definitely has been altered . Still I like the coin as it was really hammered . Sure looks like something was applied to it like others have said , as I've never seen such reflections coming off the edge of the devices .

 

Shellac, Synthetic lacquer, and epoxy can cause the bright edges of the devices, as well as filling the microscopic valleys between the peaks that cause the lustre or wagonwheel effects. The cent reverse below is one sent to me by a member quite a while ago with epoxy. Rather than try to use an epoxy remover, the expense of the cent had it returned as was. I would go for the shellac or lacquer. Maybe if old stuff, it would be removed by the alcohol, acetone sequence, but modern shellacs are synthetic and made to last like epoxy.

 

I believe it was polished, which eliminated the luster and created the reflective surfaces, then coated with something that created the "crackled" look best seen on the rev. I see I'm not the first to suggest this.

 

Altered surfaces or not, Coinzip, I like the look of your lady.

Steve

 

It couldn't hurt it to soak in acetone. Or alcahol or both in sequence if there's a coating it may come off. I'd say nothing to lose

 

I am still seeing metal flow lines toward the rim. There is a chance that the film will come off leaving a decent looking coin. I'm in the au 55 range on grade

 

Agree that the surfaces have been altered and it appears the coin was coated with some substance.

 

Totally even gray color and glossy appearance turned me off right away. Could be a combination of being polished and Cloroxed, but whatever brew was used, "altered surfaces" fits the bill.

 

cleaned & polished

 

Bill I don't see them , but let's say they are there , that's a very protected area and is usually the last place to lose any luster . Even Alan said he couldn't see the cartwheel and he has it in hand .